Johnathan’s Year 12 Study Tips: Goal-Setting During The HSC

Let me start my HSC study tips guide with an analogy. You are hiking up a mountain. The trail is winding, the winds are wild and the summit is nowhere in sight, blocked by swaths of shivering treetops. While you were enthusiastic at the beginning of the climb, after three days and two nights on the mountain, you are beginning to wonder why you wanted to climb these steep and treacherous slopes in the first place.

The HSC, like climbing a mountain, is an investment. The rewards of this investment are rarely immediate, and with brains that are hardwired for instant gratification, it is easy to get lost and lose sight of your goals along the way. So, when it comes to the HSC, how can you keep climbing? How can you persevere, ascend that mountain of assessments and exams, and make it to the top in one piece?

Well, get a drone!

Get An Aerial Perspective Of Your HSC

While my first HSC study tip might not be an actual drone, it’s pretty close. The best fuel for any academic expedition is to have a goal in mind.  Creating academic goals for yourself is like flying a drone above the tree cover. It is taking a step back to look at the bigger picture. So, take a moment to fly your drone overhead. Visualise where you are going, and why you want to get there. If the HSC is your mountain, what are you hoping for at the top, and what milestones or pit stops are waiting for you along the way?

Visualise Your Summit

For your final goal, or summit, you might try to visualise where you want to be in two years time. What degree are you studying? What university are you at? What new skills and qualifications do you have? Do you live on campus? Have a part-time job? Did you secure an apprenticeship, or a fancy internship at a company you like? Some people even like to create a vision board. This involves collaging or illustrating a visual depiction of your final goal and pining it above your desk to motivate you when the climb gets tough. Findings in neuroscience suggest that by constantly, visually reminding yourself of your goals, you will become more motivated to achieve them.

Visualise Your Milestones

Of course, just like Everest, there will also be milestones you have to reach before you can even set foot on your final summit. So, map those out too! Start with your ATAR and work your way back. Do you need a Band 6 in English? What grade do you hope to get on your next assessment task? Is there an early entry application you need to submit for your chosen program? Through this goal making process, suddenly, success becomes something you can visualise. You can see your mountain, what milestones dot it, and most importantly, where it ends. Now, all you have to do now is climb. Another benefit of having distinct goals is that you can hold yourself accountable.

Start Your Climb

Now that you have a detailed aerial view of your mountain, it’s time to start climbing. And, much like climbing a mountain, this next HSC study tip is all about taking one step at a time. Even if you trip, fall or miss a milestone, with every step, you are ascending. You are becoming smarter and stronger than you are today.

As you climb, the syllabus will throw big words at you like differentiation and integration etc. While all these terms can seem really daunting and complex, it isn’t because you aren’t intelligent. The climb is supposed to be hard. From the base of the mountain, the slope always seems tall and impregnable. But, once you get to the summit, suddenly, the mountain is beneath you. Under your feet, the mountain won’t look so scary anymore. In fact, it will pale in comparison to the view ahead.

As you continue your HSC journey, remember your goals. Remember that you can reach them, if only you take it one step at a time, and never lose sight of your summit.

The Take-Away

Ultimately, the number one HSC study tip I can offer you is to see Year 12 for what it is. It’s a big mountain, and the climb will be tough. So, take the time to visualise your goals. Try to find an aerial view of your climb, and what goals are motivating you to hike in the first place. Ultimately, when you finally do reach your summit, the view will be greater than what you can imagine. So, even if you can’t see it today, take the time to remember why you are climbing, and take the climb step by step.