Feeling Like A Robot After the HSC? Here’s How To Find Your Personality Again

Call me dramatic, but during the HSC period I felt like I’d left a small part of my soul in the exam room every time I walked out of it. And after an entire year of being treated like a number, it’s hard to not feel like one of Mark Zuckerberg’s lifeless minions. 

Completing Year 12 is no easy feat, so to feel a bit drained in the aftermath of it all is completely normal. But now that it’s over, you’re probably keen to finally feel like yourself again. So here are some ways you can overcome the post-HSC perils and get yourself feeling tip top again.

Spend Time With People You Love

If you’re spending a fair bit of time by yourself, it can be easy for your personality to slip under the radar. But by spending time with friends and family members who make you laugh and enjoy your company, you can counteract that sensation. 

Being in the company of people you love will help you to feel valued and appreciated. Plus it has also been found to increase your personal sense of belonging and purpose. Who knew having a good time could have such a positive impact on your self-perception?

Start Conversations

Starting convos doesn’t mean you have to constantly initiate D&Ms about how you feel – although, the occasional deep chat can be a huge help too. But rather, try to be a conversation starter in social settings. 

Instead of waiting for people to ask you a question, just bring up a topic no matter how unrelated it might be. This will give you the opportunity to chat about things that bring your personality out of the woodwork (just make sure other people are interested in that topic too).

For introverted people, this could be slightly a slightly bigger ask. So it might be best to start with a group that you’re comfortable with. 

Bring Out Your Inner Child

Often our personalities were most natural back when we were children. Back at a time when we didn’t care about what other people thought of us. Cast your mind back to your early years of primary school. What were you like back then? Use this as inspiration for your 2023 self. 

Keep in mind that people change over time, and that’s a really good thing. So if you feel even more lost after taking a trip down memory lane – don’t sweat it. Attempting to morph into the exact person you were years ago isn’t healthy, it’s more of a thought starter to draw inspiration from.

Get Nostalgic

As the great prophet Mr. 305 once said, sometimes to feel ourselves again… “we have to go back in time.” Make a playlist of songs you used to love, watch a movie you enjoyed when you were younger, or treat yourself to some top-shelf cuisine like fairy bread, pizza pockets, and ovalteenies. 

Taking time to be nostalgic is a great way to connect with your younger self, and can even increase your energy levels.

Fall In Love

When love starts taking over, you’d be surprised at how quickly you can start to feel yourself again. Just to be clear, I’m not only talking about romantic love – you can fall in love with anything. A hobby, a sports team, a video game, an album, an artist, or even a new friend. 

But if you are falling in love with someone romantically, just be careful you aren’t becoming someone else to impress them. Because then you’ll be right back at square one.

Rediscovering your personality won’t happen overnight, so be patient and give yourself time to slowly find yourself again. I know it’s tough right now, but you’ve absolutely got this.