#macrobstress

Hey there,

FAM Member 1: First off, it’s super okay to be scared or nervous but trust me when I say you’ve got this and I believe in you!

For me, methods was not one of my favourite subjects which was actually quite disappointing as maths was a subject I used to really enjoy. I hate to say it, but I do think my teacher had a great impact on my learning experience and thus my motivation when it came to methods.

If I had any advice to give in terms of motivation and commitment it would be to envision a goal or an endpoint that you want to reach at the end of the year in terms of this subject (this can apply to any subject really) and then come up with ways to get there. For example, before I started Year 12, I wrote a list on how I planned to ‘Slay VCE’ where I wrote down each of my subjects and little things I should remember throughout the year. For methods I had things like: ask questions, stay up to date, write out examples and difficult questions you come across, constantly add to reference booklet, etc. 

Hey there,

FAM Member 1: In my experience, although it’s a seemingly big jump from year 10 to year 11, you’re integrated quite smoothly into VCE and you quickly adapt to your situations.

Reflecting on Year 9 and 10, I was a major stress-head so moving into VCE was incredibly daunting for me just as I feel like it is for you. The reality is that a lot of people will be feeling this way and that it’s normal to be nervous. Just know that you’re not alone in it.

I realised after a little while that, whilst there were seemingly more things to stress about in VCE, my level of stress over four years seemed to be relatively the same. This obviously isn’t the best thing but what I want to share with you is that the reason I didn’t feel more stress was because with time I was able to cope better with it. So whilst there might’ve been more to stress about, I was also better at dealing with it and whilst the level of stress may have remained at a similar point in previous years, I definitely felt much better about it despite all the things around me that could’ve stressed me out.

Hey there,

There is no doubt that Year 12 takes a huge toll on almost all aspects of your life. For the majority of us, we can relate to how you’re feeling. We’re not sure how much this’ll help, but below are the perspectives and experiences that some of us have. Remember that you’re not alone and also that you’re so close to the end. If ever you need, we’re sure you have plenty of friends to confide in and if not remember that this is what FAM is here for and we have a lovely wellbeing team and year level coordinators who would be more than happy to help you out.

FAM Member 1: I relate to this!! You’re not the only one going through these things, my year 12 has strained my relationship with my family and I’ve gained around 7-8kg this year as well. It’s good that you’ve gotten to this point of being self aware and it’s the first step to making changes. What helps me to stay motivated and pick up morale is to think about the time that is left in high school and how I can make the most of it now. There’s only so much time left, and now it’s time to really put the pedal to the metal. It’s the final push, and soon you’ll be able to do whatever you want to your heart’s content (the summer holidays after year 12 are supposed to be some of the best days of your life!!)

Hang in there!

Hey friend!

This sucks and we’re sorry to hear that you’re feeling this way. Always remember that you’re not alone in your struggles and there is no shame in asking for help. You are resilient and no matter what life throws at you, you always get through it! Despite things constantly trying to bring you down, keep strong and keep going.

We’re always here to chat and we have a wonderful wellbeing support team at school and we’re all only an email away.

Hey there,

I can relate to exactly how you’re feeling, but you need to know that it’s super, super important to make sure you don’t burn out as this can lead to low productivity levels and then it may be useless doing all that work if your study mode is not as good as it could be. Maybe try taking at least 5 min breaks to do whatever you want (except go on social media) between study sessions; read a page of a book, squeeze in a quick meditation session, or even close your eyes for 5 minutes. Or if that doesn’t seem to work for you, set a time when you finish everything. Social media, homework, everything. And before you go to sleep take do some relaxing activities; run a bubble bath, apply a face mask, etc.

Hope this helps!

Hey there,

To our knowledge, repeating a ¾ subject is not an option at Mac.Rob. Whether or not there have been exceptions is also beyond our knowledge as these kind of things can be quite personal and so we don’t actually know too much about it.

If you’re really struggling, the first thing you should do is talk to your teacher about it. Talk to them about where you’re at, what you’re struggling with, why you’re struggling, and how you are able to overcome it. Your teachers are here to help you so if you feel uncomfortable about talking to them, remember that they’re here to deliver an education and that they care so don’t feel guilty for asking for a bit of guidance. Then, you might like to talk about your situation with your year level coordinators to see if alternative arrangements can be made if you feel that it is necessary. Nothing can be guaranteed, but if you’re really struggling, it’s always worth asking. If you need it, don’t be afraid to speak to any member of the Wellbeing Team. Like we said, there is no shame in needing or wanting help and when we have people who are there to do just that, make the most of it.

Sometimes you just have to have a little faith in yourself. You most likely are much more capable than you think you are and having insane standards/expectations may make you feel as if you won’t do well. Trust in your ability and remember that it’s all about perspective. Try your best not to compare yourself with your peers because, in a place like Mac.Rob, the perception of what’s good and what isn’t is incredibly skewed and it’s easy to lose sight of what’s real.

Keep trying your best, we believe in you!

Love,

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 there,

I totally understand why you’re scared. VCE is daunting - even the terminology you have to learn just to get with the program is hard enough as it is, but don’t let that get you down in the dumps. VCE, whilst by many, are considered the hardest two years of their schooling life, it’s also two of the most valuable years of personal growth and development. Through it all, I’ve learned that your ATAR is just a ticket from one door to another (that is if you plan to continue onto university. In no way is it possible in this world for a 4 digit number and a decimal point to summarise your entire being - however, that’s how our education system is structured that way. Just know, that they are other systems in place, so if you are facing disadvantages, there is a thing called SEAS that will help you when applying for university. My point is, that at the end of it all (and I’m talking about your high school experience), you’ll come to realise that you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think and more loved than you’ll ever know.

So hold onto hope and just know that whatever this world throws at you, you’ll survive it!

Love,