Term 3 - 04/08/2019 So close to exams now and under 100 days for the biology exam, it is definitely starting to feel real. I haven't even started on exam prep, I am still in the study for SACs mindset, so I really need to start on that soon. I really like to review/revise content by making poster from A4 pieces of paper, and just blurt out everything on a topic, I already have 10 on my wall, but it will definitely start to get bigger soon. This week was off to a slow start, as I had two doctors appointments in the city, so that knocked me out for a few days, and so I didn't get much done. On the Thursday, I finally picked my butt of the ground and started doing some work.
I have decided that I want to apply to the Monash Chemistry enrichment program, if that is what it's called I am not sure. My favorite subject is chemistry, with biology not to far behind. It seems like a great opportunity, and I heard that people find doing chem 3/4 and the program is great for revision. I don't know if my grades will match up though, so I can just try to get in, and that's all I can do. I am a bit annoyed that I can't make it to any of the open days this year, which means I am leaving it late till next year for preferences. Unfortunately, the timing wasn't right, and I had other commitments, so I am just hoping that I may just give the uni'a a ring, and see if I can get some information over the phone. I mainly just want to hear from the students on what the courses I am interested in are like.
My posts over the last couple of months have been quite negative, and I think I would really like to change my mindset into a more positive one. I am currently compromising my health by prioritising school work, which is one of the worse things I could do. I really need to cut down on the sugar, I have a super bad addiction to it. I am not a coffee drinker (maybe 1 or 2 cups a year) so I rely on chocolate for an energy boost to keep my awake for the all nighters. I need to get back into exercise to, but with it being winter, it has been really hard to get motivated to move. So yeah, I think the goal of this month is to get my lifestyle/health back on track, and for my sleep to get better!
SubjectsEnglishThis week was just writing a draft comparative essay SAC. I had to compare the two short stories from the first two weeks of unit 2. I kept putting it off, so I left it late and had to cram to get it in. I thought that it was an ok essay. I have a hard time with explain the concept/theme by me just retelling what happened in the story. My spelling is also so heavily reliant of spell check, that I am scared for the exam. I also found out after some investigating that the english exam is just three different types of essays, so I just need to start practicing doing them under timed conditions. I am also hoping to get a tutor eventually, as I think I just need a bit of one on one to improve.
BiologySo this is becoming my most and least stressful, it's weird. I am currently going into the investigation part, where I need to write up a poster based on an experiment. This is going to take four weeks, but should only be a total of 12 hours from experiment to finish. So I am going from studying 15 hours a week, to just 2-3. So in that regard, that is great! On the other hand, next week I have the first SAC on pandemics, GMOs, gel electrophersis etc, and I am starting to panic. I am still banging my head against the wall over my unit three stuff up, so I feel the pressure to get a near perfect for unit 4. Since the school I go to is very low ranking (350's), and I have a below average cohort, and I want to get over a 45 (originally I was aiming for a 50, but that is no longer possible), I just feel so stressed about it. So I am going to have to bunker down and get revising.
ChemistryCurrently one week behind at the moment, but I should hopefully get up to date for the lab day this week. Everyone is moving onto week 6, when I am stuck on week 5. I haven't been able to do many of the experiments, some of the chemicals are very irritating to my skin, it drives me bonkers. So I am currently in the process of catching up, and at the moment, there are still no SACs in sight, which I am not complaining about.
Food StudiesAfter the mushroom burger creation, I get a whole week off. I have no work to do, and no classes to attend, so I can concentrate on other subjects (maths....). I do have a SAC the week after though, which has quite a lot involved, but it isn't a timed SAC, and I have access to textbooks and notes, so I am not going to bother studying for it. So this has just ended up being my chillist subjects.
Maths MethodsI am a wonderful, 5 weeks behind. I am not proud of my self, and I have always tried to start catching up, but so much has just popped up in the way, that I have avoided it. I am hoping to knock one week off today, so I can start to relieve my stress over it. It is getting so busy at the moment that I am finding it hard to find time to catch up. If I do two weeks of work in a week, then I can catch up in three weeks, but that my be to late for the first SAC, which is on the 23rd of August. I also heard circular functions are a hard subject to work through, so wish me luck.
Other stuffThank you everyone who participated in the monthly pole. August's pole, will be What Is Your Favorite Subject.
As for anything else, I haven't gotten to much else. My reading life has gone stagnate, and study seems to be my main focus, so something needs to changes. Till next time.