30 Jun 2022
Overview
  • Your ATAR is not the be all and end all. Life continues on. Just as it should, and for the most part, better than before!
  • Suss out why it's important to stay true to your dreams and not give in to academic validation

 

There seem to be direct links between the kids who burnt themselves out through the last year of high school, academic validation and low motivation for study post-high school. After all the study, hard work and stress, you get to university only to realise that it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. So, you might be endlessly consider your options, while studying what you think is your dream degree. And hey, it could be! But if you're feeling a little less motivated to keep up with your studies, you're not alone.

You see, I’m speaking from experience here. After graduating with an ATAR of over 90, I entered uni, ready to see what my double degree had in store. Little did I know that within two weeks, I would come to the realisation that I only wanted to enrol to prove that I could get accepted, not to study the course I had chosen.

After speaking with friends and family, I faced the truth: my academic validation had once again taken over. I had chosen to start a degree based on the fact that my unexpectedly “high” ATAR insinuated I should do a more ‘academic’ course.

Thinking back to what I truly wanted and should have followed through with: I should have pursued my childhood dream of becoming a teacher and not the course I thought I would get into because of my high ATAR, after taking the time for a gap year to relax, work and travel (thirteen years fof schooling is a loooong time).

Many times during this period in my life, I looked at other options like going to another university and starting mid-semester or starting a TAFE course first. Although I continued to find my thoughts lingering with why I would waste my 90 ATAR, after all my hard work and determination. Woe is me, right?

I knew that what I actually needed was a break. I needed time to figure out who I was without school before diving back into it.

My advice to you?

Keep it simple. Enjoy your time in Year 12. Choose subjects that you’re actually good at and actually want to do the work for. And, when you do get your ATAR, choose carefully. There are many people out there who received high ATARs and are doing jobs labelled as easy. If you need to take a break, take it. Life isn’t a race, and your time after high school definitely shouldn't be! 

Written by Year13 Contributor