Photo: Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash
So, you’ve finally reached Year 12 – congratulations! The coming year is going to be one of the most exciting so far, but it will probably also be one of the most stressful. With the GAT, SACs, and end of year exams boiling down to one final number that feels like it can decide your future, it can be easy to forget that this is also a time for fun and personal growth. That’s why we’ve put together this list of tips that will make your final year of school easier.
Get A Tutor
You’ll find this year a whole lot less stressful if you’re not constantly worrying about that one subject you can’t drop but that could mess up your ATAR. Getting VCE tutoring online is a convenient way to get the help you need to excel, without having to add travel and the associated expenses to the list of things you have to worry about.
Cut Out Toxicity
If there are any people or activities in your life that you know are bad for you and only stress you out, now is the time to lose them. You don’t need that kind of negativity dragging you down while you’re focusing on your final year of high school, and you’ll find that life will be much simpler and happier without them. This also gives you more time to focus on studying and spending time with those who enrich your life.
Make Time To Work Out
Exercising is a great way to relieve stress, and with all of the options available – from running around your block to joining your local Muay Thai gym – there’s sure to be something that you enjoy. This means that you’ll reap the physical benefits of keeping a healthy lifestyle, while also feeling better emotionally and receiving a mental boost.
Prioritise
Instead of just jumping into the year head-first and hoping for the best, sit down and think about what’s coming over the next two semesters. This will allow you to plan and prioritise where you’ll put your efforts.
Will you need to spend extra time on a subject you’re not so confident with? Do you have multiple assignments due at once that you can sort in order of largest impact to smallest to help you plan better? Are there any subjects you’re going to need equipment for that you don’t want to stress about finding at the last minute?
Asking yourself questions like these before you’re in the thick of things will help you focus on what’s important (and what’s not). In turn, this will allow you to make better decisions throughout the year.
Create A Schedule
Having a schedule will greatly reduce your stress levels over the coming year as it removes a lot of hassle. If everything happens at its set time, you’ll find it a lot easier to remember what you need to be doing (and where you need to be doing it). If you do ever forget something, your schedule will let you know. This is also a great way to make sure that you’re leaving yourself enough time for work, exercise, and fun, thus saving you from falling down a rabbit hole of endless textbooks, flashcards, and revision exercises.
We hope this advice will help you get through your last year of school with as little stress as possible. Let us know your favourite tip in the comments, and if you’ve got any strategies that have helped you with the VCE so far, feel free to drop those in the comments too and help others out!
