Video Transcription
What do Year 12 students wish they did differently in the transition from Year 11 to Year 12?
Hey guys, it’s Rowan here from Artasmart TV. The transition from Year 11 to Year 12 can be a challenging one. Workload increases, expectations change, and it can often be easy to get overwhelmed. So, we’ve gone out and asked Year 12 students a question: What do you wish you did differently in the transition from Year 11 to Year 12 that would have set you up better for your HSC? Let’s find out what advice they have for you.
It’s really easy to slack off after prelims because you’re really relaxed and like you’ve got it all out of the way. It’s really easy just to close down a little bit. It’s so, so important – I wish I’d done this. It’s so important to just keep the momentum up because otherwise, you’re going to dribble off in the parts that matter the most. You just really, really need to keep the same stamina of basically studying for prelims, like the hardcore intensity. You need to keep the intensity up, which is what I wish I’d done.
Just start everything earlier. Start writing notes earlier. Always stay on top of your notes and then actually revise them and read them regularly. Don’t leave everything to, you know, even just a two-week period before your exams because obviously, it’s a lot better to know your information than to memorize it and then forget it a week later. You should be prepared to, like, say no to going out because everyone actually has to do it. And I think they shouldn’t be so hard on themselves because if they get a bad mark back, then there’s always time to improve.
I started notes earlier. I think I got to my first or second assessment, and I was like, “Oh, I haven’t done as much as I should have,” but once I got back on top of that, it made things a lot easier. So, I think keeping on top of things and making sure I was prepared and everything was organized and timetabled, because there was always a lot more going on than you’d expect and things would come up. So, I think the most important thing was to keep on top of and organize all the work.
I wish I’d actually made study notes and revised them every week, like I was told to, but of course, you inevitably are going to be a lazy person and unfortunately, I was lazy in this situation. So, if I were to advise someone, I’d say, get on top of your study notes, do some actual revision, and during the summer holidays, even if it’s just for four out of the eight weeks or three out of the six weeks, however long your holidays are, just make sure that you actually do some revision during them so that you don’t have absolutely no idea when you come back to school.
Just major works – just start there as soon as you possibly can and actually dedicate a lot of work to them earlier. That way, you minimize the stress for yourself and for your teachers in those last two weeks leading up to its due date. So, things like compositions or major works performance – if anything like that – just start as early as you can, do as much as you can early. It saves a lot of hassle later.
Definitely, I would have gone to more of the after-school programs because I guess teachers run little tutorials and stuff, and I didn’t go to all of them. I guess it’s just a good way to collaborate and add to the content, and also help me target areas.
Make it much easier if, from the beginning of the year, you compile all your notes and have a set plan so that as you learn things, you make your study notes and have material to study from really easily. So, yeah, my advice would be, I suppose, from the beginning of Year 11, be diligent in making notes and being prepared for exams.
The time that I improved from Year 11 to 12 is a lot, and I think the best thing to do is just don’t be as hard on yourself. Know you can always try better because I think that’s where I went wrong in Year 11. I was like, “I’m getting bad marks, and there’s no point anymore.” In Year 12, I was like, “This is my last time to do it, I might as well do the best I can today.”
You’ve heard it, guys! That’s the advice that Year 12 students wished they had followed themselves, the things that they wish they’d done differently that would have set them up for a more effective Year 12 HSC. Now, if you’re needing more support, number one, pop a comment in the questions below. We’d love to help and support you as you journey from Year 11 to Year 12.
Additionally, if you’re needing more help, we’ve got an incredible team of teachers, tutors, and mentors that can work with you to help you consolidate your knowledge for Year 11, get ahead for Year 12, get a rock-solid study routine in place, and get started on those study notes. So, get in touch with us in the comments below, or shoot us an email or give us a phone call. We’d love to help you in your transition from Year 11 to Year 12 and beyond.
Video by Art of Smart
