Making the most out of Open Days

This week we’re focusing on Open Days. Today our Education Support Officer, Chris, will give us some insights into her own Open Day experiences just a few years ago.

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I attended Open Days in both year 11 and 12. I would definitely recommend spreading out the Open Day madness across two, or even three, years. August of year 12 is a busy time, and you probably don’t want to spend every weekend travelling to a different Open Day.

If your parents will be driving you to Open Days, you might want to ease the strain on them by carpooling with your friends. I attended a couple of Open Days with a friend who was interested in studying a similar course. We attended information sessions together and asked questions of the same faculty members. Taking a friend is a great way to hear a question you might not have thought of or see a part of campus you might not have visited. It also meant that our parents only had to drive us every second weekend!

If you think you’ll be living at home or in a similar area while you attend uni, it’s a great idea to take the public transport or bike route you would take. (You could also drive, depending on whether you think you’ll be driving to uni and whether there is adequate and affordable parking on campus.) This will help familiarise you with the route and remove one small piece of stress from your first week of class.

I lived in a residential college for my first couple of years of uni. This meant that on Open Day, I had to tour all the colleges as well as the university campus. This will take a lot longer than you expect, so narrow it down to your top choices and just visit those ones. If you won’t be able to live at home and don’t know about the housing options for the particular uni, there will be people at Open Day who can help. They will tell you about university accommodation or provide advice and contacts if you’re going to be renting privately.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. University is unfamiliar, and there will definitely be some things you don’t expect or understand. The people helping on Open Day are there to assist and will definitely be friendly. They’ve also heard it all before, so don’t be embarrassed to ask something that feels silly or trivial, whether it’s “How many people do I have to share a room with?” (Zero) or “Can I take maths in my Arts degree?” (Yes, but I didn’t end up doing it).

Go into Open Day with an open mind. This is something I wish I’d done. I went to Open Days even though I felt like I’d already decided where I wanted to go. This meant I didn’t keep an open mind at some of the other universities, which I know would have been equally as good in different ways. Attend every Open Day like it’s the uni you will be attending.

Take notes at the end of the day. I also wish I’d done this, as once I’d visited a number of universities, all I could remember was some vague impressions rather than solid facts. Write down what you liked, what you didn’t like, what your housing and transport situation would be, and which courses you’re most interested in.

You don’t need to take every piece of paper you’re offered. I finished year 12 with about three trees worth of Open Day brochures. Most of this information is online anyway, so only take the brochures for the things you’re really interested in or things that you can’t find online.

It’s also a good idea to listen to what your parents thought. If you attend an Open Day with them, ask their opinion and really listen. They were at all the same events and casual chats as you, but they might have come out of it with different impressions. They know you really well, so they might have some good advice. But remember that in the end, it is your decision.

Stay hydrated and well-fed. You’ll collapse if you try to walk around all day without sustenance in a new environment where you’re constantly meeting new people and having to concentrate on a huge amount of information. There will most likely be free or cheap food on campus, or you could take a break and find a café nearby. My mum and I almost couldn’t keep going by the end of one Open Day – but it was lucky we did, because the last place we dragged ourselves to ended up being the residential college I stayed at for two years! You never know what you’ll miss out on if you let yourself get tired too early in the day.

Don’t be afraid to follow up if you missed something on Open Day. If you forgot to ask a burning question or have had a sudden change of mind about courses, there will always be someone you can email or call to find out what you need to know. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, as it’s important to make a well-informed choice about your future university!

Overcoming lack of motivation

Author: Chris Ebbs

It can be difficult to stay motivated for long periods of time, and during year 12 this can become a real problem. It’s important to maintain motivation so that you can keep studying at a consistent level throughout the year. However, when the end feels too far away, it can be tricky to push yourself to study as much as you might want or need to. Here are 5 tricks you can try in order to stay motivated throughout the school year.

The ‘just do it’ method. For some people, the hardest part is getting started. They might need a lot of convincing to get off the couch and to sit at a desk, but once they’ve got their books in front of them, the actual study part isn’t so bad. If this sounds like you, then remember to ‘just do it’ and you’ll thank yourself for it later. You might want to set a time that you promise to be at your desk every morning or ask a family member to help you get motivated to start. For best effects, remember to wear your fave Nike gear.

Work first, have fun later. This is an important trick to keep practising throughout your life. Once you start doing something fun, it can feel impossible to drag yourself away from it to get back to your desk. However, if you finish everything you were planning to first, then watching that tv show or meeting up with your friend will be so much sweeter.

The reward method. This is a similar concept to ‘have fun later’, but it’s much more defined. For some people, creating specific rewards for completing certain tasks really helps them get through it. If you study for an hour you could reward yourself with a snack. For the whole day you could watch the latest episode of your show. It’s also a good idea to have bigger rewards: for doing a SAC you could buy yourself something you’ve had your eye on for a while. And then make sure you have some kind of reward in mind for finishing year 12 – maybe your parents will take you out for dinner or you can plan a fun day with your friends.

Study with a friend. Some people can’t study well with others (I know I can’t). But some find that this helps them keep going. For this to work, you need to know that your friend isn’t going to distract you (and make sure that you’re not distracting them either!) But having a friend around can make the experience more fun, and also help you stay motivated as you learn together. If they’re studying, you might feel bad about taking a break and power through an extra hour. You can also help explain key concepts to each other if you’re studying any of the same subjects.

Go to a library. While having a consistent study space can help get you in the zone, sometimes a change of scene is just what you need. At home, there can be a lot of distractions, and if you’re alone in your study space, there is less accountability about taking extremely extended ‘breaks’. Going to a library is perfect – it’s quiet, lots of other people are studying, and you can usually turn the Internet on and off depending on whether you need to use it or you need to avoid distractions. (You could combine this one with Study with a friend.)

Dealing with stress

Author: Chris Ebbs

School can be stressful, particularly during year 12 when there are all sorts of expectations and goals you want to meet. But finding ways to manage your stress will help you be much more successful. It’ll also help you be healthier and happier!

• Sleep. I’m sure you’ve noticed that being tired seems to make everything worse. It also makes it harder to study and harder to make decisions. Sleep is an important part of the learning process, as it can help commit things you’ve learnt to memory. Teenagers need more sleep than adults, so see if you can go to bed half an hour earlier tonight. Sleep can help you cope with everything else going on in your life, and can be a simple way to improve your health.

• Exercise. Exercising is obviously good for your physical health, but it’s also good for your mental health. It can improve sleep, and if done regularly, can help you cope directly with stress. Go for a run or a swim, join a sports team, go for a walk with your friend, pet or family, or dance around your room.

• Extracurriculars. Activities outside of school aren’t just something to put on your resume. It’s a good idea to have a variety of activities going on in your life. This could be something like playing an instrument or playing a sport. Even a part-time job can be a good distraction from the other things happening in your life. It doesn’t even have to be as formal as going to a piano lesson. You could create some art or get really into looking after your pot plants. Anything that’s getting you away from study for something else positive is a good way to cope with stress.

• Say no. On the flipside of extracurricular activities, sometimes you have to cut down what’s going on in your life. If you’ve taken on too many shifts at work or you’re trying to make the Olympic team, it’ll probably be hard to stay focused on study. If succeeding at school is your goal, sometimes you’ll have to cut back on some of the other things in your life in order to manage your stress levels.

• Talk to positive people in your life. Stay connected to your friends – don’t stop hanging out with them because you need to study all the time. Positive relationships can help create a sense of belonging, increase happiness and reduce stress. Your family is also an important part of your support network. They can help you cope with all the things you have to do when you’re stressed, whether it’s being there for a chat or letting you off your chores for the week.

• Just do it. The homework that’s adding to your stress won’t provide stress once it’s done! Some of your stress could be reduced by sitting down at your desk and completing a task. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, start with something you know you can do. Ticking things off your to-do list can give you a real sense of achievement.

• Get help if you need it. If stress is really taking over your life and you feel like you’re not coping or it’s affecting your health, talk to someone about it. You can start with a trusted friend, family member or teacher. You can also talk to a school counsellor or nurse, or find a professional counsellor or psychologist. Headspace is a great place to check out if you need some help with your mental health.

How many do you do?

Author: Chris Ebbs

Year 12 is a pretty big year with many life-changing events all occurring at the same time.

One thing you can guarantee in year 12 is that you’ll probably receive more than your fair share of 18th birthday party invitations, and maybe host your own. Everyone seems to decide that this year they are going to have a big party and invite everyone they know.

Sometimes it feels like there’s one every weekend, or two if you’re really popular. 18th birthdays are really important to the person whose birthday it is – it’s the most fun they’re going to have all year! And though it is important to make time for your friends and have the chance to unwind, realistically it’s nearly impossible to attend every party and still achieve your study goals in year 12.

Let’s face it, there’s always pressure to attend every single party. You might feel FOMO if you didn’t go to one party and it turned out to be the most awesome party of the year. But if you want to succeed at school this year, you’re going to need to do two very important things you won’t do at any party: study and sleep.

Someone I know made a pact with their mum that they would go to one 18th a month. If you don’t have as much self-control as you’d like, perhaps ask your family to help remind you. If your friends won’t take too much study as an excuse, you can also enlist your parents for this: “I’m so sorry, but my mum won’t let me go.”

You most likely have all your SAC and exam dates for the rest of the year. It’s important to plan your year sensibly. It may help if you remind your close friends a few months out of the important times of the school year as well. This way if they are as conscientious as you are then they will consider this when setting the big date.

Taking care of yourself during year 12 means you should definitely attend some parties, but you probably can’t attend all of them. Finding the balance between different parts of your life is tricky, so try to remember that good friends are important, but study is important too.

Top tips to mix up your study session

Author: LWD Team

Feel like you are in a bit of a rut? Are things not sinking in? Do those words on the page look like a worm pizza gone wrong? Give these three tips a go to help beat the study brain drain.

1. Flash cards. I find that flash cards are a great way to study. They work best for content-heavy subjects where you need to remember facts, like history or biology. But you can also use them to help remember quotes or formulae. The process of making them is a great way to revise content – writing things down helps you remember them more easily.

Using small cards instead of writing notes onto A4 pieces of paper is a good way to split the information into bite-size chunks. You'll remember information more easily if you single it out.

Double-sided flash cards can be used on your own or with someone else. Ask you family to get involved in your study if they have time. Teaching content to someone else is one of the best ways to learn or revise it. Involving your family can also demonstrate to them that your study is important and confirm their place as part of your support team.

2. Sticky notes. You can also make single-sided flash cards like small posters to stick up in your study space. Short and sharp facts are important here. This can be very useful for maths formulae or reminders of things you have to do.

You can put them anywhere: around your desk, inside your books, on your windows, on the fridge... You could even stick them to the outside of the shower – just remember not to stand there for too long and waste all the water!

Using multicolour sticky notes is a great way to add a splash of colour and fun to your study. There are studies that suggest our brains retain more information when it is presented to us in colour. Read more here. 

But before you go sticky mad, make sure you have somewhere at home where there are no study notes. It's important that you have a place where your mind can take a break.

3. Don't waste time practicing things you already know. When you're studying, it can be tempting to go over the same thing multiple times. You can convince yourself that it's really important to practice the same thing over and over. And it feels good to know that you're really on top of a particular part of the course. But you are actually doubling your workload by wasting precious time on something you already know.

I know that there are things you're not so good at or just don't get. So take a deep breath, get some sticky notes, choose one of the tougher topics and launch into it.

Read the chapter in the textbook. Do the textbook questions. Do a related exam question. Ask your teacher or tutor for help. Practice something you know you're not good at and you will ensure you study time is not wasted. And you'll definitely get a rush afterwards of learning something new.

Make time for your friends in year 12

Author: Chris Ebbs

During some of the more stressful times at school, it can seem like a good idea to shut yourself up at home. However, it’s really important to stay connected to your friends. Year 12 can be stressful, and it’s a good idea to have a broad support network. Your friends are an integral part of this!

It’s likely that if your friends are in year 12 too, they’re also stressed. It’s a good idea to have friends with whom you can completely unwind. Try not to talk about study too much. Find another activity that will bring you together, something like going to see a movie, playing a sport together, going out for a meal, baking something, going for a walk or just hanging out.

The results of a recent study into the role of friendships in adolescent health conducted by a PhD student from Murdoch University showed that teenagers were less likely to become as emotionally affected by life stressors if they had a friend with them after they became upset. By monitoring their mood in real-time, it was observed that those with strong, healthy friendships were more resilient to the daily stressors of life.

When I was in year 12, two of my closest friends went to different schools. Although it’s sad that I didn’t get to see them every day, having friends at other schools was actually really great. It was a nice way to escape some of the day-to-day drama that was going on at my own school. So, if you have a friend you haven’t seen in a while, make a date!

While it feels like we can stay connected with our friends all the time by messaging and snapping and following them online, it can be really nice to catch up with them face to face when you can. It’s also a good way to separate your study time from your relaxation time.

So remember, when you’re studying, do it 100% – put your phone in a different room and really focus on what you’re doing. And then when you’re relaxing, do that 100% – try not to think about your studies.

Enjoying time with your friends is a great way to do just that.

The Essay-A-Week Challenge

Author: Chris Ebbs

Writing one essay per week sounds scary. But it doesn’t have to be. The whole point of this challenge is to take the scary factor out of essay-writing.

In year 12, everyone is doing at least one subject that involves writing an essay in the exam. This is tricky – how do you remember everything you wanted to remember, think of a really great argument and write coherently under a time limit? The best way to get better at something is to practice, and this is no exception.

By the time you’ve reached year 12, you’ve probably learnt all the ‘rules’ about essay-writing. But knowing these rules doesn’t automatically equate with producing good essays.

Find out the expected style of the exam essay for each subject. Write an essay on whatever you’re studying in class that week. You’ll practice your essay style, but you’ll also be developing and revising the ideas you learnt at school.

It’s never too early to start. Try not to be embarrassed or disheartened if it feels like you produced some ‘bad’ work – this is all part of the learning process. Set aside an hour or two every week for the essay challenge. Try to make it a regular part of your schedule. Make sure you set yourself time limits – you won’t have four hours and a laptop for research in the exam.

Your teacher or tutor will be happy to mark your essays and discuss them with you. They want you to improve, and this is a great way to do it. You could also check out the exam reports on the VCAA website for advice.

Let us know how the challenge goes for you!

Top 4 tips for approaching practice exams

Author: Chris Ebbs

Practice exams are, in my opinion, the best way to study for an exam. It’s (obviously) really important to know and understand all the content of the course, but understanding the ways in which the questions will be asked is also vital. You can revise the content as much as you want, but you need to make sure you can apply your knowledge. Here are my top tips for doing practice exams.

1.     Do as many as you can get your hands on. The VCAA ones are all on the website (along with exam reports that explain the answers). Your teacher will also have some non-VCAA exams, so ask for those. Non-VCAA exams might not be the most accurate representation of what’s going to be on the exam, but they will apply knowledge in slightly different ways and help you expand your understanding of the content.

2.     Actually go through the answers. I’ve encountered so many people who ‘do’ practice exams, but never go through the answers. Practice exams are a great learning tool, so make sure you look up what you got wrong and why you got it wrong. Find the content in your textbook and practice the skill.

3.     Do exams under timed conditions. There’s no use in understanding the content 100% back to front if you can’t answer the questions in the allotted time.

4.     It’s never too early to do a practice exam. In year 12 I had a teacher who asked us to track the different practice exams we did. I kept a record of the date I did an exam and the percentage I got. Over time I actually saw improvement! If you think this might help you or inspire you to keep going, give it a shot.