16 Dec 2015

You might’ve celebrated muck up week, finished your exams, had your formals, and graduated, but your school life isn’t officially over until one fateful December day.

Honestly, the day when the ATARs come out is probably one of the worst days you’ll ever have to face. It becomes so toxic; an entire day where all everyone is doing is comparing themselves to each other. It’s a constant stream of people asking how you did and secretly hoping you’ll ask what they got so they can gloat and feel superior to everyone else.

Waking up that morning and looking at an ATAR that’s much lower than you had hoped for is not an ideal situation, let’s be honest. But fear not. Keep that chin up. All is not lost. Here’s what you can do next.

The first step to surviving the ATAR effect is a short-term fix: don’t give in to the comparisons. It can be all too easy, but letting yourself get caught up in the pointless competition of it all is a sure-fire way to kill your confidence and ruin your day, so distance yourself from the group chat and start looking towards the future. Not to use an incredibly outdated saying, but keep calm, and carry on.

Take the time to celebrate the end of school. Enjoy your holidays. Life goes on, and it doesn’t matter whether your ATAR was 99.95 or 50.00–literally nobody knows what they’re doing in life. We’re all just trying to do the best we can.

Dream big, and don’t constrain yourself, or let anyone else constrain you with doubts. Take a gap year and think about it later. Head straight into the workforce and start making your fortune. Pursue your dreams, because if you don’t do it now, it might get to be too late.

If your goal was uni and you haven’t achieved a high enough ATAR for your dream course, don’t worry. There are always other options, other pathways, other points of entry that you’re fully aware of but hadn’t considered for yourself yet. First round offers are great, but don’t lose sight on the potential of second round offers if you missed the cut-off by 5 points or so.

There’s a reason for universities offering diplomas or pre-courses that can give you a leg up into your degree before you actually dive into the degree. These universities are the ones with your best interests in mind and who want you to really figure out whether university is the right choice for you. It’s important to remember that some of these universities will offer you direct entry into the second year of your degree depending on the courses you complete because you’ve proven to them you’re ready and able to handle the workload.

Once you’ve sorted out your game plan, you’re good to go, and you never have to think about that stupid little number ever again. And don’t worry if it might take a little longer to get where you want to be–there’s no one standing over you with a stopwatch, saying “you’re late to adulthood.” It’s up to you. Take your time, because your future is starting right now.