#macrobselfcare

Hi there,

FAM Member 1: Personally, it depends on what subject I have the SAC for. I don’t condone pulling all nighters but for my folio I had to pull a few. In that case it was mostly just manual work and not really cramming content into my head! If you’re studying for a content heavy subject, perhaps try going over the big concepts and know enough so you can pass. Pulling all nighters is obviously not good for you mentally or physically and may take a few days to recover from.

FAM Member 2: I am a person who does the latter, I might try to cram some revision on the way to school, but yeah I just hope for the best and make sure I learn the concepts for the exam :)

Hey there,

This can be super frustrating so we hope this doesn’t happen for an extended period of time. If you find that it does, be sure to check it out with a GP.

When you wake up during the night DO NOT GO TO CHECK YOUR PHONE

This will make it so much harder for you to fall asleep again as the display from your phone will trigger your brain into thinking that it’s daytime and will stop releasing the hormones that help you sleep

Try and find out what’s causing you to wake up in the night:

Perhaps you got too hot (or too cold!) – to find out if this is the case, try your best to remember how you’re feeling the moment you wake up in the night so that you know what to do right then and there to help you fall asleep again

Stress is a common cause of insomniac tendencies so try your best to go to bed with a clear mind – maybe listen to calming music, drink tea, meditate, etc. before going to bed to settle down and reduce stress levels before sleep

Maintaining good sleep hygiene (habits) may help to reduce the likelihood of waking in the night

Avoid stimulants such as caffeine if you can past mid-afternoon as these can make it harder to fall asleep and also affect the quality of your sleep when you finally do fall asleep

Trying to sleep at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning may help to regulate your sleep but make sure you’re getting enough sleep (in terms of quantity)!

So far, these have been preventative methods to waking up in the middle of the night. When you have difficulty falling asleep again after waking up and don’t feel drowsy, get up and go for a walk around the house, maybe grab a glass of water or read a book until you feel sleepy again. Staying in bed when you aren’t tired and are worried about things can cause you to subconsciously create negative associations with your bed which can make going to bed feeling really awful. In terms of worrying about things, it might help to write down what’s bothering you or make a to-do list so that you aren’t focusing on these things when you’re trying to sleep.

Good luck and remember that if the situation worsens, talk to a professional about it.

Love,

Hey,

People may experience suicidal thoughts for a number of reasons, whether it be external or internal. Every person experiencing these tough times will experience it differently to the next person and will have varying triggers and factors that may contribute to these feelings, one of which indeed may be the pressure of being in a selective school.

To anyone who is battling suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, or any other mental illness, we urge you to seek help. Students of Mac.Rob, please speak to Gillian or any of our other counsellors and remember that FAM is always here for a chat if you need.

Below are some hotlines that are specifically intended to assist people who are struggling:

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Love,

Hey there,

That can be super frustrating at times, especially as the things you are doing for her are not being reciprocated. The next time this happens, we suggest that you bring it up with her just so she knows that this is happening as she may not be aware of what she’s doing and may be doing it accidentally or somewhat out of habit.

Seeing as this person is not a close friend of yours, we understand how confronting her about this may be difficult but we can assure you that talking it through will ensure that you’re both on the same page and it’ll also make the foundation of your friendship one that is built on mutual understanding and respect.

All the best,

Hey,

Some nice places would be:

Library (on the bean bags)

Relaxation rooms! (cue shameless promotion)

Empty classrooms

First Aid Room (there are two beds in there with blankets & pillows)

Unfortunately, that’s about it, but if you do end up finding a place other than what we mentioned, please tell us!

Hey,

This is something everyone can relate to because missing a stress free life is very normal, especially when VCE is taking up a big block of your life :( For this reason it is important to take some time to enjoy life, however that may be. Create moments and reasons that you’ll remember forever. Sometimes it’s important to focus on the present, and ask yourself “how can I make the most out of this moment?”. This all sounds so cheesy, and a lot easier said than done, but it really all starts with the mindset you have towards how you want to live your life.

Hey there,

We totally understand what you mean and we all absolutely need to be taking care of ourselves as best as we can and prioritise our mental wellbeing.

Unfortunately, there isn’t all that much that can be done about the amount of work that is assigned as every subject in every year level has a particular curriculum to stick to which has a certain requirement in terms of assessments and other such tasks. However, if you are finding it too difficult to manage at times and your wellbeing is being majorly affected as a result, please speak to your teachers about rescheduling assessments if possible or asking for an extension for assignments. If you’re afraid that your teacher won’t be open to changing this for you, speak to one of counsellors prior to speaking to them as they may be able to give you advice and/or contact your teacher on your behalf.

Sometimes in order to keep going and not burn out, we simply have to complete tasks to a lesser standard than what we’d normally achieve or desire. As we mentioned already, your mental wellbeing should be a priority.

There is no doubt that many assignments and assessments will often occur at around the same time and can easily cause you to feel overwhelmed and more prone to losing sleep. Reducing these feelings can be achieved through various techniques of time management and organisation – some of which you can find in our study tips tag (#macrobstudytips)

We apologise that there’s not much we can do but we truly hope that you try your best to take care of yourself and remember to prioritise your health and wellbeing over your studies as best you can.

Love,