Muskaan’s Hacks: How I Would Re-do 2020 To Maximise My Study

The Class of 2020 has come so far. So, what’s better than to reflect on the year? In this article, Baulkham Hills and Matrix Scholarship Student Muskaan reflects on her year and the study strategies she would re-do 2020 to maximise her study. She achieved a 99.60 ATAR.

My highest point in the year

The time after my HSC Trials and the end of Year 12. I liked that school was more relaxed during this time since we no longer had school exams.

I could focus on asking my teachers for last-minute help and enjoy my last few weeks of high school.

How I would’ve approached my studies differently in 2020:

English

I would definitely spend more time studying English.

Since these are the only two units that will definitely count towards my ATAR, I wish I had prioritised English over some of my other subjects.

I would have spent more time preparing for Module C, since this was what really affected my marks at school.

Biology

I would also change how I studied for Biology.

Biology is my most content-heavy subject and so, if I could redo 2020, I would start preparing for Biology earlier and do more practice exam questions.

Take better advantage of Matrix courses

Matrix Holiday and Term Course

I really enjoyed the mix of holiday and term courses I had so I would not change that at all.

However, I feel like I could have made better use of my teachers at Matrix for all subjects.

If I could go back, I would have definitely handed in more practice responses for feedback.

Matrix+

As for Matrix+, I wish I had made greater use of the online discussion board.

It is nice to get a different perspective from other students that are studying the same subjects as you.

Studying shouldn’t stop just because you’re at home!

Don’t want to risk getting COVID but still want to improve your marks? Well, Matrix+ offers in-depth theory lesson videos, online discussion boards and access to your teachers to receive feedback! Learn more about Matrix+ Online Course now.

How did COVID-19 affect my studies?

I remember going to school on Monday and then finding out that school was going to be closed the following day, so it was pretty sudden.

My school, Baulkham Hills High School, was extremely helpful during these uncertain times.

They made sure to keep us updated with what was happening, however, it did take around a week before we transitioned to online learning.

How did COVID affect me personally?

In the beginning, I was pretty stressed because we were scheduled to sit our Term 2 exams the week after NSW shutdown happened.

Those exams were cancelled and I wasn’t really sure what was happening with my assessments.

However, once we were updated on everything, I was pretty relaxed. I think I enjoyed my studying at home since I could wear comfortable clothing all day and spend time with my family.

Coping with remote learning

It was quite easy to get distracted during COVID and sleep in during the day.

I made sure to follow my regular school timetable.

This included waking up early so that I wasn’t behind on my schoolwork.

It was really nice to have Matrix+ and have all the study materials delivered to my house. Even though COVID-19 was not an ideal situation, I didn’t feel like I was disadvantaged because I had access to in-depth videos and Matrix resources.

Strategies that helped me thrive during COVID

Because of the shift to online learning, I started to spend a lot of time on screen.

I had to make sure to take a break from that, so I decided to have some downtime where I just spent time with my family or took a walk in my backyard.

I also had Zoom calls with my friends, and we would study together which was a unique experience in itself.

If I could have planned for the pandemic…

If I had known that there would have been an event like the COVID-19 pandemic, I would have definitely studied harder during the Christmas period and in Term 1.

This is because I felt pretty stressed and demotivated and therefore, I was not as productive as I would have like to have been during the lockdown.

My study plan for the next 40 days until the HSC

My study plan for the next 40 days is to intensely study for the upcoming HSC exams.

I am aiming to do a bit of English every day and alternate between timed 2U and 3U Maths papers.

I am also focusing on just doing as many timed papers as I can for Biology, Chemistry, and Latin.

Final thoughts

I think this is a year that I’ll never forget. Not only did I graduate from school but I lived through a global pandemic.

If this year has taught me anything, it’s that you can’t be prepared for everything.

You just have to take things day by day.

To the class of 2020, congratulations on graduating!! We did it! Good luck for the HSC!

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a Matrix scholarship student? Learn more about our scholarship program and the application process, here.