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Learn how to make a study schedule that actually works—straight from Isaac, a Year 10 student preparing early for uni.
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Want to know how to make a study schedule so you’re prepared for senior years? Juggling school and extracurriculars can be overwhelming. Here’s how Year 10 student, Isaac, is doing it to stay ahead and reach his goal of getting into Medicine.
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Hi! I’m Isaac, I’m 15 and currently in Year 10 at Sydney Grammar School. I love playing chess and spend my spare time listening to music, gaming, and playing sport—especially rowing, tennis, and table tennis.
In this post, I’ll share the exact study schedule I use during the year and the study tips that helped me improve my marks and find balance.
Right now, I’m focused on my goal of studying Medicine at UNSW. To help with that, I’m currently taking Year 11 Extension 1 Maths and Year 10 English at Matrix Education. I chose to take these two courses at Matrix as I wanted to accelerate my Maths and improve my writing.
I like to use the holidays to stay on track with my goals, but without burning out. Each school holiday period, I make a timetable so I know what to study each day and spread it out evenly. I’ve learnt that having a routine helps you stay consistent and motivated.
Here’s my typical daily study timetable for the holidays:
7:30 am – Wake up and eat breakfast
8:20 am – Start studying
I usually study in 90-minute blocks
After each block, I take a short break—walk around, grab a snack, and hydrate
11:40 am – 1:10 pm – Third study session
1:10 pm – 2:00 pm – Lunch break to relax and recharge
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Afternoon study block
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Exercise (rowing on the ergometer)
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Shower and unwind (play chess)
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Dinner
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – More studying or reading
10:30 pm – Bedtime
Even though I don’t take holiday courses, I still use my Matrix resources. The Maths theory books have clear, concise notes and good practice questions. The English books give really useful annotations and suggestions that helped me improve my writing.
During the school term, I try to stay consistent with my routine while keeping a good balance between study and activities.
Here’s my daily study timetable during the term:
6:30 am – Wake up
Morning gym sessions before school on selected days
School hours – Attending regular classes
Afternoon activities by day:
Monday: Chemistry Olympiad training
Tuesday: Tennis or rowing
Wednesday: Matrix Maths class
Thursday: Tennis or rowing
Friday: Chess Club
Evening study and revision at home
10:30 pm – Bedtime
All the extracurricular activities help relieve stress from my busy school life and help balance a healthy work-to-life ratio.
Matrix has been very useful during the school term.
Seeing my marks improve using these resources has kept me motivated throughout the term
When exams come around, I like to revise all the material first, using the Pomodoro technique. Instead of studying large chunks of material, I prefer to break my studying down into smaller, 25-minute sessions with breaks in between, allowing me to clear my mind and refocus.
My study notes are different for each subject:
Flashcards for languages
Formula sheets for Maths
Quote sheets with annotations for English
Of course, each person has their own preferred method of study, and finding what works for you is important, but in general, reducing distractions and staying organised is a good place to start.
Most subjects are complicated and include lots of details. So if I need help clarifying any concept, I go to the free one-to-one sessions with tutors at Matrix. The Theory Books also have concise notes, which save me time when revising for exams.
For example, the Maths homework test covers all the essential concepts from class and includes more challenging problems, which have been fun to try to solve.
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Although I’m yet to sit my first set of exams this year, I’ve already noticed a big improvement since starting at Matrix.
In English, my marks have gone up and I feel more confident writing longer responses.
In Maths, I’ve reduced the number of silly mistakes I make in practice papers.
I’ve also started solving more of the tougher, high-difficulty questions that used to throw me off.
These early wins have motivated me to keep going and reassured me that my current routine is working.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is how important it is to figure out your study method early. Everyone learns differently, and it takes time to experiment and find what actually works. The sooner you discover your best study approach, the more confident and efficient you’ll be.
Exams aren’t as important as we think they are.
Use each exam to review your progress, learn from it, and improve in the next exam. That mindset shift has helped me take the pressure off and focus more on growth.
If I could restart the year, I’d pay more attention in class. It’s much easier to use your time at home to review and consolidate what you’ve already learned, rather than having to re-learn everything from scratch.
I also wish I had started Matrix earlier. The support would have definitely helped with my Maths in earlier years and improved my essays, which in the past I have lost most of my marks in.
Written by Guest Author
We have regular contributions to our blog from our Tutor Team and high performing Matrix Students. Come back regularly for these guest posts to learn their study hacks and insights!
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