Student Academic Counsellor

Surviving and Thriving in Term 2

And just like that, the holidays are over and we are back at school; ready or not, Term 2 is here! 

Most VCE students will be aware of the website, www.atarnotes.com – a great place for students and parents to access study tips, resources, advice and be a part of an online student community. Looking through some of the past articles on this website, I discovered some advice written by a student (Tim Howe) about how to survive Term 2.  

This article is specifically for those in their final VCE year, but the advice is applicable to all students; taking Tim’s headings, here are some tips to thrive in term 2.

1. Readjust your attitude – for those who found Term 1 easy, that is great, but don’t get tricked into thinking that you can now ease up and cruise through this term. Whether you are in Year 7 or Year 12, the work requirements of the second term really kick up a notch and you need to have the same positive work ethic if you want to continue to succeed.  If you did not do so well at the start of the year, now is the time to reset and refocus; Tim advises to “study smarter, not harder”
2. Push through it – With work-loads increasing and every teacher demanding assessments, Term 2 is the time to put your head down and work consistently. Keeping up to date is a priority, don’t leave things to last minute or it becomes even more challenging to complete work and be successful in all your classes.
3. Work out a routine – Term 1 can seem to fly by; new people, new teachers, new classes and by comparison Term 2 can sometimes seem to be a bit of a drag.  This is a perfect opportunity to set up a routine; give yourself time for sport/work/socialising and also time for study.
4. Don’t think too far ahead – Focussing on the ‘here and now’ is really important for staying on top of all your work. The big picture will take care of itself if you maintain good habits now.

Good luck for thriving in Term 2!

Bonita O’Brien – Student Academic Counsellor