11 Aug 2016

Congratulations, you’ve made it! Twelve years of schooling have led you up to the big one–Year 12. Months of tears, tantrums, summary sheets, parties, procrastination and a few full-blown breakdowns teach you quite a lot about yourself.

You learn what you’re like under pressure (horrible), you learn how to procrastinate to your extreme detriment, and you learn a lot of other shit that you’re probably going to forget as soon as you walk out of that last exam (Spartacus, who’s that again?).

1. The importance of coffee

If you haven’t already figured this one out, coffee is a miracle beverage, vital if you have a last minute assignment you need to finish or you need to be up early for a morning class. Your relationship with coffee will probably be the most significant of the year.

2. How to handle stress… or how not to

It’s no secret that this year is stressful, and even the most laid back folk in your grade are going to feel the pressure at some point. When it comes to handling stress, find out what works best for you and whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed, set down the books for a little bit and just relax.

You’re going to be fine no matter what that final result is.

3. How helpful colour coding is

Never before in your schooling career have the old highlighters got such a workout, and is there any joy in life greater than receiving a brand new timetable just begging to be colour coded?

Over Year 12, you’re going to become a pro at making summaries, using post-its, making folders and just generally getting your shit together. Well, hopefully.

4. How to pull an all-nighter

Whether you’ve procrastinated your assignment time away or you just need the extra hours to cram, all-nighters are sometimes unavoidable.

Essentials will include coffee, snacks that aren’t going to make you want to throw up, and the sheer force of will to stay awake.

5. How to binge watch like a mutha-effin pro

By now I’m sure you are all well acquainted with the beast that is procrastination. Procrastination is your best friend and your worst enemy during Year 12.

Sure, sometimes it’s necessary to keep your sanity, but if it comes to deleting you Netflix account, be ready to take that plunge.

6. The importance of supportive friends (and the drawbacks of drama)

Sure, drama is kinda fun for the first few years of high school, but when you’ve got enough stress in your life, friendship drama can get real old real quick.

Time to drop the act and figure out who your real friends are–you know, the ones who will support you no matter what? They’re the ones who’re going to make you laugh on the days you really don’t feel like it.

7. How to bounce back

Not everything will have gone your way this year. Bad feedback from teachers and crappy exam results hurt at the time. But one of the major things you’ll learn this year is how to bounce back from setbacks.

Eventually, you’ll come to realise that not every problem is worth fretting over. Take it in your stride and just move on.

8. Exactly how not to drink (aka finding your limit)

Year 12 also happens to be the Year of the Eighteenth Birthday Parties, which, not gonna lie, is a hell of a lot of fun.

You’ve probably had to ask yourself whether this party or that assignment is more important. And after one fateful night throwing up in your friend’s upstairs bathroom, you’ll also learn where your alcohol limit is. It’s inevitable really.

9. How to manage school and hangovers

With learning your limit often comes your first experience managing school and a hangover. Honestly, its one of the worst possible combinations this world will ever throw at you.

Just keep your head down, and stock up on coffee and greasy breakfast food. It will be tough, but you will make it through this day–I promise.

10. How to cause havoc on muck up day

So sure, most schools have a lot of restrictions these days when it comes to muckup, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have at least a little light-hearted fun (I hope). Researching muck up ideas is some of the best fun you’ll have all year. If you want to get a heard start, we’ve compiled a list of muck up day ideas that won’t get you kicked out of school…as well as a list of ones that will.

11. How to say goodbye

For a lot of us, saying goodbye isn’t something we have to do all that often. Sure, leaving the hell that is school behind can feel amazing, but it can also be bittersweet. All those people you saw everyday you may never see again.

Those halls you wandered for a third of your life never to be walked again. Saying goodbye isn’t always easy, just remember to focus on all the amazing adventures you’re going to have once school is over.

12. How school wasn’t all that bad in the end and that you might actually miss it

There comes a time after school, somewhere in-between desperately searching for a job and having an existential crisis about what you want to do with your life, that you might feel a pang of something you’ve never felt before.

You might actually… miss school? Blasphemy, I know, but it happens. It’s nice to sometimes look back on the school days with rose-tinted glasses–it helps you to forget about all the trauma you went through while you were there. So, next time you’re stressed out of your mind, just remember that this will all be water under the bridge one day.