How to approach and survive Year 12

By Gabriel Garcia

Jan 20, 2023

Big year: Surviving Year 12 might seem like a mammoth task, but support is there if you need it. Photo by Lincoln Beddoe

It’s a new year and that means a new batch of Year 12 students will be starting their final stretch of secondary education.

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Honestly, Year 12 is hard. No-one can say it is easy.

Here at the Courier we are sympathetic. Journalist Gabriel Garcia still remembers Year 12 vividly and has compiled a list of tips for all Year 12s on how to approach and survive their final year based on his own experience.

Be positive

Half the battle in Year 12 is mental, and the best way to cope is to be positive. Even when you have doubts, and they will inevitably crop up, remember what you are striving for and remember you have already done 12 years of education. What’s another year?

Do your best

One of the biggest pitfalls I witnessed doing Year 12 were students saying they could not be bothered because they only needed a certain ATAR score to get into their future university course, or that they were not even going to university. Plan to do your best and aim for the highest ATAR score possible. If you plan to achieve higher than you need to, should anything go wrong, you are still in a better position than someone who chose to do the minimum.

Eat healthy

I cannot stress this enough. Eat healthy. Poor health equals poor mental state. So as tempting it is to open a packet of Maltesers while doing your homework, resist it. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Eating to thrive: Food is your energy source, so you should only eat the healthiest. Photo by Bianca Mibus

Sleep

Sleep is like a friend, and you should not neglect it. Try to get to sleep at a reasonable hour. Personally, when I did Year 12 I tried to put my books down at least half an hour before I went to bed (I went to bed almost religiously at 10.30pm). Doing consecutive late night homework sessions is simply not sustainable. I also kept my phone and laptop out of my room at night to ensure I was not tempted to use them at night. A good night’s sleep is crucial, and also possible as long as you...

Manage your time

Time management. No doubt the Year 12s of 2023 will have this drilled into them by teachers and parents alike. Time management is more than just knowing what is happening. It means preparing well in advance, revising during your school holidays and above all not procrastinating. So, even though your phone is probably an attachment of your body, turn off social media and put the phone away. What is more important, answering that social media post or securing your future?

Have an outlet

All work and no play will make anyone sad. So have an outlet and take the time out to relax. Year 12 can be quite social but even if parties are not your thing you should reserve time to do something you enjoy. Go for a run, listen to music, read a book. Downtime and having an outlet will let your body and your mind recuperate.

Ask for help

Year 12 is a journey, but you do not have to do it alone. Your family, your friends and your teachers are in one way or another taking the journey with you. So do not hesitate to ask them for help. Your teachers will appreciate the honesty if you tell them that you are struggling. Parents and teachers do care, believe it or not. Year 12 is tough and you have to show grit and resilience, but remember you do not get bonus points for suffering in silence.