Perspective (Zoë)
Last Thursday in Biology prac, I ran into my old lab partner from last semester, who had swapped into my prac for the week because she had a SAC at her scheduled time. Yep, a SAC. Remember those?
It got me thinking about this time last year. I was completely stressed – struggling to get through last few SACs in each subject, angsting over my VTAC preferences, and completing tearing my hair out over my Media SAT. These last few weeks in Term 3 are pretty stressful for all Year 12 students. As you finish up the course content in each of your subjects, exams are suddenly all the more real. And so is the future. Completing your VTAC preferences brings what was always a distant horizon so much closer. It’s a scary time, and I struggled with it last year.
However, only one year later, it really is amazing to look back on it with a different perspective. Last year my entire life was about study scores and ENTER scores. I was constantly predicting numbers and reevaluating my standards, measuring myself against the others in my class and on websites like Board of Studies (which I do NOT recommend to anyone feeling insecure. Those people tend to present worst-case scenarios as best-case ones). I was convinced that everything that defined me as a person was going to come down to that one little number.
Today I can’t remember what topics I wrote on in the English Exam, only that the Gattaca one was on filmic elements, and I used the word sacrosanct in the intro to my If This Is A Man Part 2. I have no idea what examples I used for media influence in my Media exam. I have to think carefully to remember all my grades.
What I do remember is my friend stealing everyone’s nametags after Media. I remember the guy behind me in the Maths Tech Free whispering “Shit!” when the 5 minute warning was announced. I remember another friend with a bad back who got to sit on those giant exercise balls for all his exams. I remember the look on the face of my sister when I met her after her final history exam.
I also remember hours of studying, numerous arguments, tears, tantrums and anger. And looking back on it, I wonder if it was worth it. I am proud of my ENTER score. It stands as a testament to hour after hour of hard work I put in. But it says nothing about those other memories, that ones that stand out when I look back at that period. It doesn’t tell you about how I dressed up as a box for the Athletics Carnival. It doesn’t tell you about how my sister and I rewrote an Auden poem while studying to turn it into one long Battlestar Galactica reference. It doesn’t tell you about the funny thing that happened in my Chemistry practice exam, or the final maths lesson, or where my locker was, or where we’d sit at lunch.
It doesn’t mean anything anymore. Nothing tangible, at any rate. Nothing worth building your whole life around.
So to the Year 12s, as I’m sure that has to be at least one of you reading this right now, I have some advice. The ENTER score is a stepping stone to further study. But it can’t stop you from following your dreams. You make your own futures, no matter what course you end up doing. You’ll find a way to achieve what it is you want out of life. Some of you might find that the course you miss out on next year enables you to do something even better.
The course you choose today will not define the rest of your life. People change their minds about their courses all the time – they change them, change institutions, take gap years, or drop them altogether. There’s no shame in any of that – we don’t have to get things right the first time. And people say our generation will go through several career changes in our lifetimes, so this first degree is simply a starting point for a long and varied life of work. This is why I do Arts/Science. It’s a general course, and I have no clear career plan. I don’t want to be a scientist, and I don’t really want to be an academic. But I believe that I’ll find something – or more accurately, I believe that something will find me. I don’t care if that seems naïve – it’s optimistic and it gives me hope for the future.
But enough about me. Year 12s, take the time to enjoy your last few weeks of high school. I miss it. When the study gets too much, do something to get some perspective. Take a walk. Investigate post-graduate studies. Watch TV. Talk to a university student. (I mean this last one – if you’re unsure about where to go in the future, talking to current uni students can really shed some light on the situation. Feel free to ask me questions on this blog.)
Just don’t ever reduce yourself to that one number. Because 13 years in the school system are really worth so much more.
That’s a beautiful blog. I miss my school days too. I also remember being bombarded with similar advice that you have given but i found it near impossible to follow them because in my environment at the time, the enter score was far too important to squander. I think deep down, most year 12 students realise the enter isnt everything but few have the courage to face the truth (even me) and few are willing to take a chance on it. But I absolutely agree with your advice. When i was stressed out last year, i found the best method to relieve that stress was to put things into perspective; to remember the things which you value most.
Yea, I miss year 12, too. I don’t recall being overstressed about the ENTER but well, I aimed to get high marks for all my SACs and exams. At least I made it. I’m happy.
I have zillions of ways to relieve stress. My favourite one is to watch some cartoons (yup, yup, I know, it raises a few eyebrows every time I say it, but it’s true. Cartoons are fun and I just laugh the worries away. “Tom & Jerry”, believe it or not, is still on my list). Then there’s walking (which was already mentioned). And occasionally movies and outings (a bit costly, so I try to keep them to a minimum).
Also, Ratatouille is already out. Go watch it! =D
What are SACs?
SACs = school assessed coursework. Basically, we did tests all throughout VCE which contributed to our final study (subject) scores.
Oh yeah, and nicely written blog.
I can honestly say that the last official week of Year 12 was one of the best times I had in high school. The mass photo taking, dress up day… there was a real atmosphere that everybody cared about each other and wanted to make the most of our time left at school. So if you’re in Year 12, don’t be afraid to have some fun while all your friends are still in the one place. ^.^
Firstly, to re-assure you that people (aside from fellow uni bloggers) do actually read your blogs. I’m a yr12, hoping to end up at melb uni. I started reading after seeing some flyer from open day. Thankyou for writing about this time last year. Its so reassuring hearing people at uni say the world won’t end if your enter isn’t all you hoped! Whilst it is to push us to do our best, I agree, far to much focus is put on the enter. If everyone wasnt so stressed out, we might just live a little longer. I’ll try to take your advice!