SURVIVING YEAR 12: IS IT POSSIBLE? YES.

Hey guys, this has been a long time coming but today I am finally coming at you with a post I have been really excited about, but also dreading. Today, I’m talking to all of you about… year 12, God help me. 

I finished year 12 in 2017 and now, finally, I’m giving you some of the advice I wish I had been told back in 2016. 

SOME TIPS AND TRICKS

• Talk to people

Talk to your friends, don’t ignore them. Lean on each other and edit each other’s essays, it helps and it’s less stressful. Most people are likely to take on their friend’s advice rather than their teacher’s.

If you need extra support, that’s okay. During year 12 I saw the school nurse many times – about my mental health, but also just for her to help me with all my uni stuff. If I hadn’t talked to her I honestly would’ve given up.

• Cut out the shit

You’re in an unhealthy friendship? Get yourself out of it.

You’re overly stressed and can’t concentrate? Stop. Go for a walk or go re-watch Jumanji 2 again and then come back, drink some water and tell yourself that you can’t stop working again until your laptop runs out of charge.

You are in year 12, you have no excuses, Back up your drives, know your schedule, pack your bag the night before, breathe, know your assessment, never leave an assignment until the night before.

• Find your passion

What’s your passion? I have two: My dog & the cinema. Work them into your life.

So, what did I do in 2017 when I got overly stressed? I went to the cinema or if I had to save money that month, I went for a hike with my dog. I did something I knew I could benefit from and found something that would make me happy or walked until I was so exhausted I couldn’t even think about why I was so stressed anymore.

• You’re going to be stressed, embrace it and learn to use it

You’re going to be stressed, that’s a given so don’t even try to deny it.

Let your stress fuel you, but don’t let it define you or take you over.

Use your stress to help you get drafts done early and to get on top of your assessment. However, don’t let it take over your life. School can easily take over your life – you attend it for 6-7+ hours for 5 days a week, you also have homework and assessment, you may also have extracurriculars & clubs and you may also be part of sports teams.
By the time you knock out your weekly list, you will have little to no time to yourself – don’t spend it stressing, spend it doing something for yourself. You’re exhausted? get some sleep, you probably need it. You can’t sleep? Work on your sleep schedule and maybe dropping your caffeine consumption down a coffee or two.

YOU COME FIRST 

• You do you

Take care of yourself.

Take your health seriously. Drink enough water, don’t stress about your acne but also keep your skin clear (nobody actually enjoys having acne okay), study throughout the term. And, most importantly: know your limits.

• Sleep – you need it.

Hands down, the most important thing in your senior year is sleep. You need it and you need to come to terms with that very quickly. You’re running on 3 hours of sleep because you were watching The Good Place for the third time? Well, good luck to you good sir.

I would recommend getting at least 8 hours sleep, but 9 would be even better. That being said, I know that’s not always possible because some crazy people get up at 5am (WHYYYY?).

SCHOOL

Embrace your work. In year 12 I really came out of my shell, I told people what I thought of them and didn’t hold back (but not in a rude because bullying is not my jam).

I really got into my English projects – I became the queen of assignment titles and powerpoint headers. I embraced my pessimistic, sarcastic nature and it actually benefited me.

I had fun with my assignments, I refused to be bored or to hold myself back in the only class I actually enjoyed.

Some examples:

• I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE DYSTOPIAN

I wrote an opinion peice arguing (using Brave New World and 1984) that we already live in a dystopian world. My title is a twist on a well-known and famous Australian song.

• When It Comes To Advertising, Everything Is Tits Up

Do I even need to explain what this speech was about?

Yeah… I was exhausted and stressed and just wanted to graduate and be done with high school.

I also got really close with some of my teachers – and I actually baked for them at the end of the year (which is a feat because I hate baking). And while I’m on that, let your teachers know that you apprecitate them.

ALSO, ASK QUESTIONS

Why? You need to do this because if you don’t as no one will tell you anything ever. I’m talking anything from Did Shakespeare really write “What, you Egg!” in Macbeth? to How do I do my taxes? Because honestly you guys, they will not teach you these things in school. You need to ask your teachers or you will have to suddenly figure it out by yourself and abuse Google and no one wants to do that.

And lastly…

Have fun. This is your last year of high school, you might never see most of these people again and you will regret it if you spend the year ignoring people and stressing until you can’t sleep. Trust me, it makes all the difference.

GOOD LUCK + FEEL FREE TO ASK ME ABOUT ANYTHING IN THE COMMENTS.

FRIDGESANT