6 Things That Will Make Your Final Year Of School Way Less Stressful

Brought to you by The University of Wollongong

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People always say Year 12 is stressful, but none of those people had to do Year 12 in a global pandemic. If you’re in your final year of school rn, you probably have about 500 extra worries and problems to deal with than your parents or older siblings had.

So, what’s the best way of surviving this total dumpster fire of a year?

Plan ahead

Even with all this crazy disruption, there’s still heaps of time to get organised before exams and assessments get too real. Make a study plan, splurge on cute stationery so it doesn’t feel like a chore, and plot out exactly what prep you need to do for each subject and when it has to get done.

If you need to cut down on shifts at work or other stuff, it’s better you know about it now, before you’re forced to start cramming at 2am.

Take breaks

Another benefit of planning ahead: you’ll actually know how much free time you have. If you try to fill every spare second with study, you’ll definitely burn out, so try and make regular dates to hang out with your friends, go for a walk if you’re feeling stuck, keep up that weird hobby you started in iso, and, yes: watch Netflix.

Sometimes, leaving your study and blasting through a few episodes of some dumb show is just what your brain needs to reboot. (But maybe set yourself a limit of how long it’s turned off for.)

Look after your body

No, you don’t have to start running marathons or anything. But if you nail the basics – get eight hours of sleep, don’t party all week etc. – your head is going to feel a lot better for it.

Hot tip: have a good meal before you start studying so you don’t end up inhaling two cans of Pringles and falling into a food coma. Also, if you’re feeling panicky, focus on your breathing. It seems simple, but sometimes taking time to stop and breathe is exactly what you need.

Ask for help

Everyone kind of feels like crap right now. It’s not just you. That means there’s no reason to feel embarrassed if you need some help. Hit up that friend who understands maths way better than you. They probably need your help with a different subject. Ask teachers for advice. Vent to a parent or counsellor. They know that things are extra tough atm.

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Get on that early entry

For most people, the biggest stress of Year 12 revolves around getting the perfect ATAR for the uni course you want. But there’s actually a way you can skip out on that stress completely. The University of Wollongong has a long-running Early Admissions program, which means you could be accepted to your undergrad degree before you even sit your exams.

Any Year 12 student from around Aus can apply, and the uni decides if you get a spot based on your Year 11 results (AKA before the world caught on fire) and a written application where you can talk about how dedicated and motivated you’ve been since. Applications are open from July 20 to August 14, and the offers are made in September and October before the exams. Check it out here. There are way more important things in life than exams. Why waste time stressing?

Keep some perspective

At the end of it all, your ATAR is just a formality. It doesn’t measure or determine your ability to succeed in life or university! In fact, once you get into your uni course, you never have to think about it again. Instead you can start to focus on the much more important business of living your life and planning your long-term goals.

Looking beyond all the exams and assessments and ~socially distant~ study might be hard right now. But remember: the ATAR isn’t even a score, it’s a ranking. And the whole class of 2020 has been dealt a pretty bad hand this year.

It’s all about perspective. 🙃https://stand.uow.edu.au/atar-perspective/

Posted by UOW Future Students on Monday, 29 June 2020

Whatever your results, you are more than that annoying ATAR!

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UOW Early Admission is our early offer program for Australian students completing Year 12 (or equivalent) in 2020. Offers are made as early as September, taking the pressure off during exams. Apply online between July 20 and August 14, 2020.

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Lead image: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels