What do you want to achieve in 2021?

[Joseph41]

Yooooo. So we did a similar thread in 2020, and I really enjoyed it and reading through the responses. I thought we could do something again for goals/things you'd like to achieve in the new year!

I've posted some general questions below to get us started, but feel free to move away from those questions if you think something else will be more relevant.

→ What are you studying/doing this year?
→ At the moment, how are you feeling about the year ahead?
→ Fast forward to December, 2021. What would you like to be able to say about the year?
→ Do you have specific scores or results that you're aiming for?
→ What's something you would like to improve on from 2020?
→ If at all, how do you think your experiences in 2020 will impact the way you study/work/whatever else in 2021?

If you want to copy these questions into your post to use as a bit of a template, you can do so using the code below:

Code: [Select]

[color=#f56e2b]→[/color] What are you studying/doing this year?
[color=#f56e2b]→[/color] At the moment, how are you feeling about the year ahead?
[color=#f56e2b]→[/color] Fast forward to December, 2021. What would you like to be able to say about the year?
[color=#f56e2b]→[/color] Do you have specific scores or results that you're aiming for?
[color=#f56e2b]→[/color] What's something you would like to improve on from 2020?
[color=#f56e2b]→[/color] If at all, how do you think your experiences in 2020 will impact the way you study/work/whatever else in 2021?
Looking forward to some responses and a great thread.

[Coolmate]

Great thread idea J41!

→ What are you studying/doing this year?
I am about to commence a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Information Technology this year and am very excited!

→ At the moment, how are you feeling about the year ahead?
I feel that this year may be a little bit better than last year (caused by COVID-19 and adapting to new rules etc.). I am excited about the beginning university and looking forward to accomplishing other goals

→ Fast forward to December, 2021. What would you like to be able to say about the year?
When in December, I would like to look back on 2021 and be able to say that I took and embraced every opportunity that I either sought or was presented to me. I also would like to say that this year was a year of trying new things and expanding myself.

Also, if COVID-19 restrictions permit it, I would also like to rejoin sports again, like soccer and tennis.

→ Do you have specific scores or results that you're aiming for?
Not really anything specific, but I am aiming to maintain a high GPA/ WAM throughout university this year

→ What's something you would like to improve on from 2020?
This year, I hope to exercise daily whether that be cardio based, strength training or even callisthenics.

→ If at all, how do you think your experiences in 2020 will impact the way you study/work/whatever else in 2021?
I think my experiences during the HSC in 2020 will definitely help with adapting to the new study/ work rules in 2021. For Example, more Zoom meetings/ classes.

Keen to see everyone else's responses!
Coolmate

[K888]

Not studying for the first time in 17 years (how crazy is this?!)! This year is about trying to get a FT job and getting established in my career. My aim is to enjoy this new experience!

[hel256]

→ What are you studying/doing this year?
I'm beginning my Bachelor of Commerce at Melbourne Uni!

→ At the moment, how are you feeling about the year ahead?
I'm feeling both apprehensive and hopeful honestly. I'm very excited to begin diving into uni, joining societies and making friends, but I'm also nervous about doing all of that. Questions and doubts keep swarming my mind: Will I have enough time to participate in all the things I want to do while managing my course workload? Will I be able to do all the things I want to? Will I be able to get into the clubs I want to join? Will I be able to surmount the anxiety that plagues me everyday?
I'm choosing to remain cautiously optimistic about the year ahead, but at times my own self doubt overwhelms me.


→ Fast forward to December, 2021. What would you like to be able to say about the year?
I want to be able to say that I've become more confident and social than where I am at the moment. I also want to be feel that I made the most of all the opportunities I was presented with, rather than shying away from things because I don't believe I have the capability to perform. In essence, I want to partially reinvent myself, shedding the persona of a shy girl to someone not cocky, but open and comfortable.

→ Do you have specific scores or results that you're aiming for?
I don't know how hard it is to get specific grades at uni, it being my first year and all, but in my heart of hearts I'm aiming for a H1 in my subjects. Realistically I know this isn't likely, especially since I'm doing AM1&2, which many intelligent people have voiced their struggles about, but a girl can dream

→ What's something you would like to improve on from 2020?
Pretty much what I outlined above; I want to stop being such a shut-in and really get out and socialise by throwing myself into uni life!

→ If at all, how do you think your experiences in 2020 will impact the way you study/work/whatever else in 2021?
I think my time learning from home last year will help me in learning at home once again at uni. Generally I think I'm going to be wearing face masks and carrying around hand sanitiser for a loong time coming, even with our low COVID rates.

[heids]

How about yourself, Joseph41?

→ What are you studying/doing this year?
Commencing a Bachelor of Nursing at Monash, and working part-time (I'm anticipating 20 hours a week or so, with a 3/4 study load).

→ At the moment, how are you feeling about the year ahead?
The typical nervous-excited combo.  Keen to try something different to what I've been doing, and learn new things, but scared that I won't be able to balance and manage everything successfully.

→ Fast forward to December, 2021. What would you like to be able to say about the year?
- I learnt and contributed as much as I reasonably could.
- I became proficient in an aged care role, able to go a little above and beyond my required tasks by the end of the year.
- I slept an average of 8.5-9 hours a night, most of the time.
- I didn't put on weight.  (This is an excessively recurring worry in my head.)
- I got my Ps.
- I was consistently involved with one organised extracurricular activity: choir or a sport.

→ Do you have specific scores or results that you're aiming for?
I want to say no, but let's be honest here.  My brain blatantly expects a WAM of 85.  I know it's deeply unimportant, and probably deeply unlikely, as I'll be splitting my focus with work and haven't studied in a while.  But my brain expects me to perform like I did in high school, where I had your ol' big-fish-in-small-pond syndrome.  (To my future group project partners, I'm so sorry.  I'm going to be insufferable.)  I'm sure I'll grow out of this over time.

→ What's something you would like to improve on from 2020?
Reflective, intentional, mindful diet choices, rather than the no-food-for-ages followed by lots-of-food-too-quick (and-mostly-junk). why all the hyphens, Heidi?  I don't mean a huge change, but simply more mindfulness around eating.

→ If at all, how do you think your experiences in 2020 will impact the way you study/work/whatever else in 2021?
The main impact was simply this decision to think long term and study in 2021, even at short term cost.  (Change and uncertainty are huge emotional costs for me, and dropping to PT work is obviously a financial cost).

[The Cat In The Hat]

→ What are you studying/doing this year?
I'm going in to my first year of Bachelor of Nursing/Midwifery at Deakin!

→ At the moment, how are you feeling about the year ahead?
I want uni to start already! On the plus side, I can read a bunch of textbooks ahead of uni and be prepared. Of course, there's nervousness (whenever I think of the social side of uni/seeing all those people I want to hide in a hole) and uncertainty (what will uni atually be like?) but great eagerness to go to it. But there is a certain trepidation within me as to what the year ahead might bring, trepidation mixed with hope because this might just be the worst time the world has ever encountered, but it might bring the return of the Lord Jesus. (I'll ignore that possibility answering other questions though!)

→ Fast forward to December, 2021. What would you like to be able to say about the year?
I would like to say that I passed all my units (I sorely need to). That I have the skills I need to attempt second year. That my confidence has increased. That I've finally (self)published a book. That I've completed and polished another enough to send to a (editor) family member, and written or at least properly outlined the second book in that series. That I can handle people better than I can now. That I am closer to God than ever before. This is of course not in order of importance.

→ Do you have specific scores or results that you're aiming for?
Well, I'd like to have at least one 90+ score on something? Though I know that's very high to aim for; I'll try at any rate. I'd like to have an average above 70 across everything (that's graded). And I'd like to have at least one published book to my credit. (More than one would be pushing it rather a lot, given the shoddy state of most of my writing. Ah well.)

→ What's something you would like to improve on from 2020?
Procrastination. I do way too much of it. When structured and harnessed as a way to get other things done - as I used it last year - it can be useful. But it's a little too bad at the moment.

→ If at all, how do you think your experiences in 2020 will impact the way you study/work/whatever else in 2021?
Well, I hope I grew up and became more mature and thus can deal more with stuff. Definitely destroyed my social skills (not that I had many). But made my studying techniques etc. a lot better. So you win some, you lose some.

[heids]

because this might just be the worst time the world has ever encountered

Off-topic

Common misconception!  Seems to me that we're doing better on almost every metric ever.  We're in a temporary rough spot, sure, but it's a minor blip on the chart of history.  I'm not trying to downplay the various hardships lots of people are undergoing, but hardships have always existed.

We have better health, longer life expectancy, higher income, more education, more food (and other) security, less war and homicide, and less child mortality than ever before.  If you're born into the worst possible conditions in a given country now, you will almost certainly be better off than if you were born into the best possible conditions in that country 200 years ago.

I can find more reliable sources another time, but for now:
https://ourworldindata.org/a-history-of-global-living-conditions-in-5-charts
https://www.vox.com/2014/11/24/7272929/global-poverty-health-crime-literacy-good-news

Of course, I can't claim that people are happier.  That's much less quantifiable and much more complicated.  Many of the positives have presumably come with emotional/social negatives, and human happiness appears to have diminishing returns.  In some ways, some existential risks have also increased (nuclear and biological warfare, climate change, AI etc).

But I guess you could go have a shot at living in the 530s-40s!  Volcanic eruption leading to global darkness and severe winter conditions for over a year, causing acute crop failure and widespread famine and death, followed a couple of years later by another eruption and then the bubonic plague, which wiped out 1/3 to 1/2 of the population in the Roman Empire.

[The Cat In The Hat]

Off-topic

Common misconception!  Seems to me that we're doing better on almost every metric ever.  We're in a temporary rough spot, sure, but it's a minor blip on the chart of history.  I'm not trying to downplay the various hardships lots of people are undergoing, but hardships have always existed.

We have better health, longer life expectancy, higher income, more education, more food (and other) security, less war and homicide, and less child mortality than ever before.  If you're born into the worst possible conditions in a given country now, you will almost certainly be better off than if you were born into the best possible conditions in that country 200 years ago.

I can find more reliable sources another time, but for now:
https://ourworldindata.org/a-history-of-global-living-conditions-in-5-charts
https://www.vox.com/2014/11/24/7272929/global-poverty-health-crime-literacy-good-news

Of course, I can't claim that people are happier.  That's much less quantifiable and much more complicated.  Many of the positives have presumably come with emotional/social negatives, and human happiness appears to have diminishing returns.  In some ways, some existential risks have also increased (nuclear and biological warfare, climate change, AI etc).

But I guess you could go have a shot at living in the 530s-40s!  Volcanic eruption leading to global darkness and severe winter conditions for over a year, causing acute crop failure and widespread famine and death, followed a couple of years later by another eruption and then the bubonic plague, which wiped out 1/3 to 1/2 of the population in the Roman Empire.

Also off topic

Oh, I wasn't meaning now as it is. I was meaning as it may be within the year. Think about it: there are many conditions in which, say, a nuclear war could come about. There are ten nations with legalised ability to create nuclear weaponry, including Russia, America and China. (And seven others which aren't as important, including Israel). I won't say all that I could, but I can see ways that within this year the world could become worse than it ever has been before. Not as it is at this moment, but as it could be.

[s110820]

→ What are you studying/doing this year?

Bachelor of Education (Primary) at QUT! But after watching the Netflix series "The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez", it has really piqued my interest for social work and psychology so I'm not too sure which path I should take at the moment. I was planning to do a Bachelor of Education (Primary) at QUT and then a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)/Bachelor of Social Work at QUT but I really don't know anymore?? (Please send virtual help asap).

→ At the moment, how are you feeling about the year ahead?

At the moment, I'm kinda anxious about the year ahead. I had a really rough year last year with my physical and mental health, but this year, I would really love to prioritise my health and do the best that I can for uni! It's my dream to make the Dean's List sometime during my degree so I'm planning to strive to improve in all I do

→ Fast forward to December, 2021. What would you like to be able to say about the year?

Looking back on the year, I'm honestly so glad that I made it through this year - through thick and thin and everything in between - and I'm so glad that I could be the best that I could be by prioritising my health and being the best student I can be without putting too much pressure on myself.

→ Do you have specific scores or results that you're aiming for?

Personally, while I am aiming to make the Dean's List, my main goal is to not only work smarter, but also do the best that I can while studying at uni. But again, I don't really know how the grading system works in uni but if you have an idea of how it works, please let me know!

→ What's something you would like to improve on from 2020?

Personally, I think that the biggest thing I would like to work on/improve on (and hopefully reduce) from 2020, is my struggle of procrastination. It'll be tough, but I'm sure that I'll be able to beat it someday

→ If at all, how do you think your experiences in 2020 will impact the way you study/work/whatever else in 2021?

Personally, I think that my experiences from 2020 will immensely impact the way I study/work, in a positive way. Yes, I did hit rock bottom last year but while these negative experiences did affect me both physically and mentally, I'm honestly so glad that I had the experience to pick up the pieces and rebuild myself, one small step at a time.

[K.Smithy]

Not me pretending that I'm not 9 days late to this thread 

→ What are you studying/doing this year?
Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) at The University of Queensland _{nerd alert, am I right??} 

→ At the moment, how are you feeling about the year ahead?
Very very excited but also incredibly nervous! I am the first person in my family to go to university, so this is a completely new experience for not only myself but also my fam. This, ultimately, means that I don't have a single clue what I am getting myself into....
Last year I was nervous about not making any friends at uni, but I've already made a ton of friends by meeting people on Facebook groups So, I guess some of my nerves have been taken care of.
One thing I am really keen about is seeing how I will get involved extracurricularly/if I will get involved extracurricularly.
One thing I am stressed about is getting a job. I've been on the hunt for months and it is starting to become a little anxiety-inducing, as I will need money to afford travelling to and from uni/other uni-related costs. That being said, I am also very anxious about how I will balance work, study, and a social life. I have never had a job before (hence the struggle in the job hunt), so I don't know how much time I will have to study AND sleep/eat/function as a human being. I'm trying to convince myself that it will be ok, as I was involved in A LOT of extracurriculars during high school and still managed to survive (somewhat).

→ Fast forward to December, 2021. What would you like to be able to say about the year?
I gave it my all and am proud of what I have accomplished. Hopefully I won't be dying during the summer semester though!

→ Do you have specific scores or results that you're aiming for?
Distinctions and high distinctions are the dream ahaha. But I guess we'll see. I have no frame of reference regarding the difficulty of university work, so that does make me a bit nervous. All I know is that I'll need to maintain a high GPA/WAM so that I can pursue post-graduate studies.

→ What's something you would like to improve on from 2020?
I would like to develop some solid study skills, rather than just ~winging it~. I would also love to work on my exam anxiety, and to procrastinate less.

→ If at all, how do you think your experiences in 2020 will impact the way you study/work/whatever else in 2021?
I was so burnt-out by the end of 2020 and I am still recovering from that. So, I hope that I will be ok this year and that it won't impact my studies too much. I was recently given a ton of preparation work to do for one of my courses and it has taken me so long to get started on it, and I'm working at a snails pace (not ideal). Fingers crossed I can pull myself together ASAP.

[pans]

What are you studying/doing this year?
Yr 11 rn and doing mainstream eng, accounting, biology, chemistry, specialist maths 1/2 and mathematical methods 3/4

At the moment, how are you feeling about the year ahead?
Hmm.. unsure. I keep procrastinating (severely).. all I do is watch drama (like from 3:30pm-12am) and social media etc. And pretty sure I failed my methods sac..

Fast forward to December, 2021. What would you like to be able to say about the year?
I wish I can say "YAY U GOT 40+ RAW FOR METHODS"

Do you have specific scores or results that you're aiming for?
methods 40+

What's something you would like to improve on from 2020?
MY PROCRASTINATION!!! AND MY ADDICTION TO WATCHING DRAMA.. This week I already watched about 8 dramas

[mabajas76]

→ What are you studying/doing this year?
In year 11, doing spec, methods, eng lan, religion and society 3/4, italian, chemistry and physics (I know that is seven, italian is kinda for fun)
→ At the moment, how are you feeling about the year ahead?
Like I have a 3/4 exam at the end of the year and year 10 did not prepare me well lol. Besides that tho, honestly excited, i'm learning some cool stuff and having some fun with friends + doing well which is like woah. Still worried that the stress/insane work load and standards r getting to me tho
→ Fast forward to December, 2021. What would you like to be able to say about the year?
I gave it my all and tried something new, that I got some good background for next year and am now both better at studying and a better person than I was last year. Also I finally got some vindication for the people who said I would do terrible this year.
→ Do you have specific scores or results that you're aiming for?
37 in Religion and society, a B+ average in all subjects and an A average in methods and physics (going surprisingly well lol), this is so I can do a uni subject next year (physics) cause i really am hating chem this year and it looks super fun. I also want to get a HD in the national qualifying physics olympiad and hopefully get into the summer camp, tho even if I somehow get that far i doubt I will get to IPHO.
→ What's something you would like to improve on from 2020?
I would like to be more social and less stressed over the small things. Just focusing more on myself as a person and what I want to get out of school.
→ If at all, how do you think your experiences in 2020 will impact the way you study/work/whatever else in 2021?
Honestly, it forced me to be independent and put me through such stress due to some home stuff that this year, nothing much is fazing me. Like I had to do my teams classes outside while helping with renovations every night and sleeping on the floor cause my bed was gone AND sharing a room with my 11 year old brother for months. If I can do that, I can do anything!
wow this was a surprising amount of fun to write lol, everyone have a good one!

[Stormbreaker-X]

1. Decently high ATAR
2. Study score of 40+ RAW in economics
3. Get into UNSW (but not sure if I want to go). It has always been my dream to attend that university but leaving my family is also a new and scary experience.