HSC Journal- No Idea How This Is Going to Go...

[StudyBuddyKJ]

Hi everyone!

Well I am currently in year 12, for around a week so far. It's only been the second week and I am exhausted and a little bit let down by my results from the Term 4 assessments. I want to study dual commerce at either the University of New South Wales or the University of Sydney. My ATAR goals are relatively ambitious cause that is just the kind of person I am. Although I need 98+ ATAR for my degree, I want to achieve an ATAR above 99 and be an All Rounder in all my subjects.

I am currently studying:
Biology
Economics
Legal Studies
English Advanced
English Extension 1
Mathematics (2 unit)
Mathematics Extension 1

I would also love it if people will give me advice and support on how to tackle this year, and also tips on how to get a Co-Op scholarship to UNSW, or any other scholarship for that matter.

Thank you!  

[fantasticbeasts3]

hey, welcome to the forums! i hope AN will become a great place for you throughout the year. :-)

in terms of advice for the year: it's going to be okay. keep your goals and motivation high, and you'll get there. for scholarships, just apply for as many as you can! you never know what can happen.

best of luck!

[Lumenoria]

Hey there,
Another fellow HSCer, welcome!! I'm excited to read your future journals hehe. Generally, first term assessments mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, so just seek out your errors and work on them to improve your performance in your upcoming assessments. I do similar subjects to you - English Adv & Extension, Economics and Legal. What I found works for me is to have my phone completely elsewhere whilst I'm studying, because it is literally the number one distraction for me. Otherwise, I'm enduring the same struggle as you haha!

[StudyBuddyKJ]

Thank you so much to everyone who replied! It means a lot to me

[jamonwindeyer]

Welcome to the forums StudyBuddyKJ! just a heads up that I'm a UNSW Coop Scholar, so if you had any questions about it hmu

I also wrote this guide on scholarships that might interest you

[elysepopplewell]

HELLLOOOOOOOOO!!! Welcome to ATAR Notes - I hope your journal is therapeutic

[StudyBuddyKJ]

Well, right now, I am mid way into Term 1 of Year 12, and let's just say that I am not going well. I have just gotten back my marks for my Legal assessment and I have done terribly, almost bottom of the class, even though I had worked so hard on it. I feel horrible. At this rate, I don't think I am capable enough of even passing my assessments, let alone getting my ATAR goal which is 99+. I feel absolutely terrible and wish things were better. I really do feel like giving up on the work for my HSC because it is already going atrociously even though I have been putting my all into it (practicing past papers, checking them, studying weeks before hand). I go to a selective high school so competition is already very fierce. I am sad to say that right now I have given up on myself because I do not believe I am smart nor capable enough to achieve my ATAR goal, which means so much to me. Achieving success in my HSC (in my definition, it means getting 99+ and into the course I want) means so much to me because it will make me feel so much more confident in my abilities to succeed no matter what. This is because each and every year, I find myself sad because either my ranks were not as high or my mark just wasn't good enough. This year at least, I want to look back on Year 12 as being a high achiever in academics.

And now, even though I have been putting so much of my time and energy into studying, doing my best, doing everything that is in my control, it is still not going the way I want to. I have already stuffed up my term 4 Year 11 assessments, and now I have stuffed up my Legal assessment. I feel that I am definitely going to screw up on everything else, because it is a recurring pattern. I don't know what to do anymore. Do I keep striving to get better, or should I just conclude that I don't have what it takes (either natural aptitude) to achieve a great ATAR. I feel miserable, and hopeless, and already feel like descending into a downwards spiral. Please help me. 

Really would appreciate kindness and honesty at this point.

[fantasticbeasts3]

Hey!

Don't be discouraged by your marks - use them as motivation to try even harder and do even better! Never, ever give up on yourself, because great things could
happen. :-) We're all here to help on AN, so whatever questions you have, ask them! Go on the question threads. Make your own thread!

All the best!

[StudyBuddyKJ]

Well so far, I have been keeping relatively up-to date on all my study notes and HW. I have half yearlies coming up in a week. Some study tips to get all the content done will be so helpful

[StudyBuddyKJ]

Currently cramming for half yearlies, and overwhelmed by the amount of content. Exams are in a week. AHHHHHHH

[BrittyG]

Currently cramming for half yearlies, and overwhelmed by the amount of content. Exams are in a week. AHHHHHHH

My exams are in a week also and I totally understand how you feel but don't stress! Try making lists of what you need to complete and check them off, you will start feeling more accomplished and at ease when you do this because you can see yourself getting through the workload. Work on subjects that you find hardest first and then work on the ones you enjoy second so that there's like a little reward (even though you're still studying) if that makes sense. Good Luck with your exams!!

[StudyBuddyKJ]

My exams are in a week also and I totally understand how you feel but don't stress! Try making lists of what you need to complete and check them off, you will start feeling more accomplished and at ease when you do this because you can see yourself getting through the workload. Work on subjects that you find hardest first and then work on the ones you enjoy second so that there's like a little reward (even though you're still studying) if that makes sense. Good Luck with your exams!!

Thank you!!!! Good luck for your exams as well! You will smash them!

[StudyBuddyKJ]

Eco is so hard gosh....

[StudyBuddyKJ]

Okay, I have not filled out a detailed diary entry yet telling people about how I am going, so here goes.

Honestly, my HSC year is definitely not going well. Even with all the hard work I have been putting in, my marks are not picking up. First term of Year 12 was crazy hectic, and even though I was working so hard in getting my notes done, practicing past papers and remembering things, my marks did not reflect that at all. In Term 1, my assessment marks were atrocious. For Maths both 2 unit and 3 unit, I got  69% (because the test paper was so hard and I didn't understand a lot of the questions). My Legal mark was 21/30 for my essay, which was pretty bad considering I worked so hard on it. I did everything possible, from writing a practice essay, getting it checked, memorising it and practicing it under timed conditions. I guess that was my downfall in the end, because the question I got didn't really have anything to do with what I had researched.  My Eco mark was average, but still not the best. I had gotten 23/30, which was not very good as compared to the other peers in my class. My Bio mark wasn't too good either. that was because I ran out of time for a section, which cost me so many marks. I could have easily gotten a high rank, had I actually finished the paper. My English Marks are pretty solid though. I got 13/15 for my Advanced task, and I got 21/25 for my Extension creative and am 8/10 for a written component (which was pretty on par with the standard of my class, so that was pretty good).

Term 1 of Year 12 has almost come to an end, and I feel like history is repeating itself. In the second legal task, I got 22/30, which yet again was bad (lowest in the class  ) even though I worked so hard on it. Let's just say that there was one detail in a case that I did not know of, and that pulled me down. My 2 unit test for maths wasn't too good either. I got 74% on the test, which definitely wasn't as good as anyone else. I could have gotten a higher mark, had I had more time to complete the paper (as the paper was ridiculously long). Also I made heaps and heaps of silly mistakes. I have half yearlies coming up in a week and I am yet again freaking out as how to prepare and ace them, as I can't really afford to fail any more exams and risk a lower ranking, if I want a 98+ ATAR. Someone please help me in figuring out what I am doing wrong. I am working so hard but still not getting the results I want. I spoke to my teachers and they said that you will be fine, but honestly I don't believe that I will be fine. I want to get Band 6s and E4s in all my subjects, but it is proving too difficult for me to achieve. I don't think I am capable enough to achieve it honestly speaking. My marks are a bit of a letdown.

HELP! Honestly, am I the only one finding Year 12 difficult and unmanageable? I don't understand how everyone else is getting such high marks without straining themselves too much.

Wow i guess the writing helped. I feel a bit calmer. But half yearlies are honestly worrying me so much.

[Lumenoria]

Hey!!
Okay, so let me just say, you're not the only one in this situation. I assure you, about everyone I know is drowning aswell - myself included. What's worse is, I'm literally the worst procrastinator in the world. Which brings me to think, while I seriously admire your hardwork, is it possible that you're pushing yourself too hard? Sometimes I need that I need to take a day off to rejuvenate, otherwise I find that my brain does not retain any information at all - particularly if I do not want to be doing work at that point in time. This probably sounds bad from your perspective, but I think you just need balance - it will help you so much more than you probably imagine. Believe it or not, I study about 5 hours MAX on a GOOD day, on TOP of working a casual job 20 hours per week and am ranked in the top 3 for all my subjects at the moment, with a mark of 100 for legal. It's not easy, I can tell you that straight off the bat. In fact, I went to parent teacher interviews yesterday and all my teachers said that I'm "looking at a band 6", which made me have a literal mental breakdown because I feel like I'm going to disappoint them in the end. There is so much pressure, whether your marks are good or not. My half yearlies are in less than a week and I'm slacking off so hard too - it's killing me. While I know I've done a lot of preparation in advance, it never feels good enough. I think the thing is, you can't ever be complacent. With ANYTHING. Start your prep early though, that always saves my ass. Make sure you send in multiple drafts to your teacher as well - I do a shit ton of essays on past HSC questions, which brings up my confidence exorbitantly. It's time consuming, but worth it for sure.

Don't doubt yourself like that. You know, in year 11, my marks were absolute shit. They were nowhere near as high or consistent as they are now (my marks ranged from 20-85 across my subjects) and I thought that I was naturally bound to mark fluctuations because I kept bombing exams despite studying so hard - I basically had no life lol. I always knew I was intelligent and smart but somehow my marks were not reflective of this and it made me question whether I actually was or not. It made me so angry and upset and all kinds of disappointed - this fluctuation in marks never seemed to occur to my friends. A year later, my marks are all within the 86-100 range. I was so ecstatic when I got my first assessment marks back for Year 12, because I literally thought this was impossible. But that feeling was honestly incredible. Seek out your errors and work on them. It pays off. Good luck!!