The Final Stretch: My last year in VCE and my thoughts.

grrrmestudyhard

Greetings everyone!

This is my first post on AN and it's going to be a journal, I'm Luai, and as I seem to have the time (I was going to start this at the beginning of Semester 2 last year), I have decided to journal my attempts at being the best I possibly can. I'll have myself journaling 2-3 times a week.

Subjects for 2023:

Specialist Maths, Maths Methods, Physics, Chemistry and English
Yes, I'm doing the dreaded suicide 5

Goals that I'd like to be achieved by the end of 2023, and what lies ahead...

I would really, really, by the end of the year, like to start doing LeetCode, now I've already started getting used to the basics of programming, I would like to know some programming languages by the end of the year, and somehow I'll have to balance that with studies.

My passion is physics, I really like physics, I'm not sure exactly what field I'd be interested in (maybe theoretical, particle or quantum), but when I am majoring in it (hopefully), I'll decide later one. I want to do a BSc Physics Major in the University of Melbourne.

On top of all these dream careers, I'd like to improve in English, of all the subjects that I'm doing, which I enjoy, I dread English. I'll have to get my act together now, so I wouldn't have to reap with what I have sown.

I'm currently aiming for a 95+ ATAR as per my goals, unfortunately, ethnic parents, they want 99+ 😆 .

Well? What now?

This is where I finish introducing myself, I hope all of you have a great time, past and future year 12 students, all you need is to sit back and enjoy the ride. 😁

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #1 - 17/02/2023

Well, this was an uneventful week, other than having a Specialist and Methods test on Thursday and having to conference with my English teacher about my creative draft, the following week will have me doing my first SAC, an English Creative vignette based on Tricks by Alice Munro (if anyone of you readers have resources on Tricks, hit a fella up). What's off is that I am not feeling stress the same way I did in year 11 (which got me having heart palpitations), nor do I experience the adrenaline rush, that would have me typing 300 words in 5 minutes. Other than that, I have l loads of work ahead of me, so I got to get working😩. Also failed my deadlift pr (120kg)😤

Tasks

Reread Tricks by Alice Munro, as well as annotating it.

Have a good day 👍🏿

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #2 - 20/02/2023

Okidokie, things are looking quite good. My English teacher said my draft for the Creative SAC is looking great, other things I need to work on is my written explanation. I think this is the first time in years that I might actually be putting effort into English (I have never prepared for an english sac in all of year 11), and while it isn't the same effort I put into the STEM subjects, it's definitely an improvement. The results for the spesh vectors test has come out. The test was really cooked and my class found it difficult. The highest was 68% and I got 57%, I lost most of my marks from silly mistakes and the illegibility of my working out. I'm glad that I know what needs to be improved.

Also, it's great to see the uni students start orientation, good luck to you guys.

Tasks

Watch 3A & 3B Edrolo videos for Chemistry.
Finish Chapter 1 review questions for Methods and begin Transformations.

Have an amazing day 👍🏿

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #3 - 24/02/2023

Salutations!!! Today I had my English SAC, the one I have been dreading all this time. Unfortunately, I don't think I performed as good as I expected, so I feel that I'm going to get an average grade. I also started Special Relativity in Physics today, and it's looking like a very interesting topic, I've been told that it is a complicated topic though, I'll have to see for myself. Other things that occured this week? I joined the D&D Club! The first campaign will be next week Friday, which I'm looking forward too. Year 12 study camp is also next week, but I chose not to go, so I essentially have a 5 day long weekend (awesome 😄 ). Upcoming SACs? Chemistry is on Monday next week, so that's what I know. Well? I got lots of work to do this weekend.

Tasks (for the following days)

Finish my D&D character sheet.
Watch the "High Ground" - English
Finish Chapter 3 exercises - Methods
Complete 6G and begin Functions and Graphs - Spesh

Have a good day 👍🏿

TnGn74

In my opinion special relativity is not "complicated" in VCE in the sense that there is not a lot to it. It is just that the concepts can be difficult to get your head around, especially if it is not taught well (the VCE study design does not help). It might take a couple takes/different resources to "get" fully.

grrrmestudyhard

TnGn74 especially if it is not taught well

Fortunately, my physics teachers are really good (one of them wrote past vcaa physics exams). In 2022, while there were only 2 physics class, 4 students got SSs of above 40 which is wild.

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #4 - 28/02/2023

Wow, it's already the last day of February. 2 months in, 8 months left for the English Exam. How did my Chem SAC go? It went fine!. I don't have much going on this week because of Year 12 camp, and since I'm not going, I have 6 day (not 5 days) long weekend. Leniency is my biggest problem, I'll attempt not to procrastinate and get lots of work done. Also going to start doing the learners practice test, which I have put off for longer than a year. My plan is to do pre-studying, something that I did last year for methods, which got me a 93% average on SACs. My first physics SAC is going to be in exactly two weeks, and my Complex Numbers test next week. It looks like I'll have to keep my head down and hit the books this week, oddly enough, I feel motivated this time.

Tasks (for this week)

Watch High Ground (I didn't end up watching it).
Timestamp interesting points in High Ground.
Get up to date in Spesh and Methods..
Do practice SACs for Physics.

Have a good day 👍🏿

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #5 - 7/03/2023

Greetings from planet Zorbo 👽. I have come back from my 6 day slumber feeling dishevelled, as I usually do on Mondays (and in this case; Tuesday).

I actually am surprised with myself as I managed to get the work done. I finished all my homework in the time period, so it actually feels great. Today we did some pseudocode in Methods (hopefully I'll get the hang of it) and we finished Functions and Graphs in Specialist Maths, so we're starting Differential Calculus next week. I have a test on Thursday for Complex Numbers, so I'll have to start working on my bound reference. Chemistry got me confused, we were doing redox and it is unlike Year 11, I had a severe case of brain fart (probably because I was fatigued). My physics SAC(s) is next week, and It will be in two parts, Relativity on Wednesday, and Motion on Friday, this time, I'll actually prepare for once, rather than winging it like I did for all my SACs, regardless of the subject in Year 11. I have a feeling SAC season is coming up, so I'll have to prepare weeks ahead in advance, someone's got lots of work to do😫.

It seems I haven't mentioned my obsession with clouds, I have loved clouds since I was 6 years old, I have memorised every major cloud type (my favourite is the cumulonimbus incus), also related to it, weather and atlases (and geography). The weather phenomenon I find most interesting is the supercell thunderstorm, specifically the classic supercell, which usually has a defined wall cloud (evidence of a mesocyclone) and a tornado normally forming. The high precipitation normally brings hail and heavy precipitation, but has a lower chance of forming a tornado, while a low precipitation usually forms in dryer climates, has strong winds but rarely forms tornadoes. Unfortunately, I haven't met anyone who shares this interest.

Tasks

Add Complex Numbers to Spesh bound reference.
Begin preparing for Physics SAC next week.
Watch episode 3 of His Dark Materials.

Have an amazing day👍🏿

Charlie

grrrmestudyhard I love the randomness of the cloud infodump, and it was interesting. I looked up cumulonimbus incus (I, unfortunately, am not a cloud expert), and wow they are gorgeous. I understand your liking of them.
Also good luck with your SACs!

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #6 - 10/03/2023

Rightio, this week's done. What went on? Yes, that's a good question. On Thursday, I had a Specialist Maths test on Complex Numbers (tech free was significantly harder than tech enabled). And I surely am surprising myself now that I'm actually doing more English homework. I have mentioned that I'm in the D&D Club, today was meant to be the beginning of the D&D campaign, unfortunately, the DM who happens to be a teacher was unable to attend due to changes in the timetable so it's going on next week Wednesday. It seems the stress of my approaching Physics SAC is piling on.

Tasks

Complete all Physics VCAA questions booklets (and do Giancoli questions).
Do a TEEL paragraph for English.

Have a good day👍🏿

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #7 - 15/03/2023

Seems that good things are coming, I just did the first part of my physics SAC (and I think I did really well), the second part is going to be on Friday, so I'll make sure to study well for that, and most importantly, we had our first Session Zero in the DnD club, we'll be playing in a land known as Faerun, so it looks like I'll have to do some reading of the Faerun lore (also sending my DM my character sheet to make my character compatible with the lore). Differential Calculus is fun, and we also started Exponentials and Logarithms, to be fair, spesh and methods are really chill subjects if you enjoy doing maths. I'll be having my second Chemistry SAC on Galvanic Cells on week 9, so I'll definitely put effort this time.

Tasks

Start Differential Calculus exercises.
Finish Chapter 4 in Methods
Watch Galvanic Cells on Edrolo

Have a good day👍🏿

chemistry1111

ive got my chem sac too that week, have you been given any practice tests resources

grrrmestudyhard

chemistry1111
No, not yet. I'm certain I'll be getting VCAA questions in week 8.

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #8 - 22/03/2023

Apologies to the infrequent entries, but I do have to say, things are going quite well for me (other than the fact that I have to do 2 practical investigations at once), things seem to be favourable. Today was the beginning of the DnD campaign, the one I have been waiting for and it was fun. I also got my SAC scores for English, Chemistry and Physics. 56, 79 (surprising cause I winged it) and 78 (the Motion part was absolutely cooked) for each subject respectively. I feel disappointed, but I also imagine this as a lesson to prepare for future SACs, although, the Creative SAC only counts to 7% of the study score. I have a Methods test tomorrow and a Chemistry SAC next week on Monday, which I have been studying for. In other good news, the Chemistry teachers are preparing for an excursion in University of Melbourne 😃.

Tasks

Finish Checkpoint 1 of Physics logbook
Make methodology on Chemistry logbook
Send character sheet pdf to DM
Make Methods bound reference

Have a splendid day👍🏿

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #9 - 30/03/2023

Do you hear it? It sounds like the end of Term 1 is approaching! It's really shocking to me how quickly this term went by, and now I'm already a one-third of my way in this year (Term 4 isn't really counted as a term). Well? I haven't been making entries since Wednesday last week, so what has been going on? I did my Chemistry Practical for the Practical Investigation assignment on Tuesday, and today we started Circular Functions on Methods and Integral Calculus in Spesh. Oh, and DnD, we continued from last week (my group was sent to Nightstone to due to a goblin raid), and it turns out I'm really good at rolling. The Galvanic Cells SAC was on Monday, and I actually think I did really well, I could answer all questions with confidence, considering the fact that a few weeks ago I couldn't identify what was the anode or the cathode. Although the term is coming to an end, I shouldn't be relaxing. I got work to do!!

Tasks

Complete Checkpoint 2 on Physics logbook.
Write two TEEL paragraphs for English

Have a great day👍🏿

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #10 - 5/04/2023

Wow, this term went by really quickly, but I do have to say, I HAVE TONS OF TO WORK TO COMPLETE DURING THE HOLIDAYS. I guess that's fine because I have time, but I just have to hope that it doesn't obstruct my plan to study ahead. Today was the last DnD session of the term, my character (who's name is Sergev) was knocked unconscious, hopefully RNGesus will grant me good rolls for my death saving throws. Also had my Physics SAC, actually wasn't as hard as I thought it would turn out to be. Recently, my motivation to get a high ATAR has increased, and now I'm developing a plan to get one, and it seems that the plan is better started now than later, I'll push forward, full steam ahead!

Tasks (for the holidays)

Physics
Finish logbook and poster
Work on practice VCAA questions booklets
Chemistry
Finish logbook and poster
English
Rewatch High Ground, make timestamps, and do practice paragraphs.
Spesh
Finish set exercises
Do practice complex numbers and vectors questions
Methods
Finish set exercises

Have a good day (and a relaxing holidays)👍🏿

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #11 - 27/04/2023

Well? It's the first entry of the term. I hope you all had a great break, other than that, things are looking quite rough. Today I had my Differential Calculus test for specialist maths, and only now have we started Differential Calculus in methods. In roughly two weeks is my English text reponse SAC. Next week, on Monday, is the due date for my Chemistry Poster (on Monday, the Further maths students have a day long SAC💀💀). On an unrelated note, my current DM said that I would have to DM at least once for a campaign, my social and communication skills are already bad enough😭. We also started Gravitational and Electromagnetic Fields in physics, and my teacher already handed us a ton of VCAA questions, so much paper, I'll tell you. My teachers have been warning me that this term is going to be a tough one, and term 3 will be tougher, I gotta get a move on!

Tasks

Watch 4F Edrolo for Chemistry
Do Chapter 4F exercises
Watch 5A & 5B for Physics
Do Chapter 5A & 5B exercises
High Ground scene analysis

Have an amazing day👍🏿

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #12 - 16/05/2023

Greetings, apologies for the inconsistencies between entries, but man, it's already Week 4, that's what's so scary, time feels so quick! Other than that, I'll have to summarise shortly what occured during the short hiatus.

I did my English Text Response SAC.
I began reading The Lord of the Rings (Highly recommend).
We have started Logic and Proof in Specialist Maths.

Enough about the past, what about what happens next? This week, I have my Electrolysis SAC on Thursday, next week, I have a 4 period Spesh SAC (begins on Tuesday and finishes on Thursday), alongside my Physics SAC. How am I feeling? Uncertain, I feel underprepared, even though I have done enough. Recently, I have been applying some good habits such as: going to bed by 9pm, reading, time management. My parents keep telling me this: "my source of stress is from having no schedule", and I do agree, alongside the benefits of sleeping 8 hours, studying consistently will eleviate my stress. The take away? Studying consistently and doing my homework will definitely ease the sense of uncertainty within me. Well, I gotta get a move on!

Tasks

Revise Electrolytic Cells.
Revise Vectors and Complex numbers. Complete practice questions.
Complete Argument Analysis questions.

Have a good day 👍🏿

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #13 - 24/05/2023

Phew, it's really Week 5, and it seems that it is officially SAC season. Yesterday I had the first part of my Spesh SAC, surprisingly, it was actually not that difficult! Today I had my Physics SAC on Electricity, Magnetism and Gravity, which thankfully, I studied for it, and found it easy. Tomorrow is the final part of my Spesh SAC, I'm really looking forward to finishing it. Despite my excitement, my calendar is looking bleak. I will be have a SAC every week until the end of the term, and next week will be Methods (yet again, in 2 parts like Spesh, but it's methods, so I'll be fine). On an unrelated note, I'm doing something I know I shouldn't be doing, but I'm watching the LOTR films whilst reading the books, I finished the Fellowship of the Ring and have begun The Two Towers. But I'll finish the book and then continue with the films. Other than that, it seems that I'll have to hit the books.

Tasks

Revise Complex Numbers and Vectors.
Annotate Argument Analysis article.
Begin Methods revision.

Have a wonderful day👍🏿

grrrmestudyhard

Entry #14 - 16/06/2023

Gosh, looks like the end of Semester 1 is right around the corner, and I do have to say, I have MANY regerts¹. One is definitely not taking Year 12 seriously, I know what I'm doing is wrong, I'm putting my study score (and ATAR) in jeopardy, and I still continue in self-destructive behaviour such as winging my SACs. But what has happened in the (more than) 3 weeks that I have not posted?

I did my Argument Analysis
Integrals test for Specialist Maths
Rates of Reaction and Equilibrium SAC for chemistry.
Oh, and we started (and finished) electricity.

Something to brighten the mood, I'll be in the University of Melbourne for a Chemistry excursion!! I have been anticipating this day since last term, but it's going to be my final excursion in school, while also being the first excursion I have ever been to since 2019, rough ain't it. I have received my scores for my chemistry and physics SAC, 81 for electrolysis and 87 for physics, surprisingly, I'm rank 2 in physics so that's great. Looking further, I'm going to get serious this holiday, and I am, this time not going to falter. I have two SACs next week, one on my Chemistry Unit 4 AOS3 poster outcome, and the other on Electricity. Well, I got some serious work to do this weekend.

Watch 8A, 8B, 8C on Edrolo Chemistry
Revise for Physics SAC
Work on my English oral presentation

Have a good day👍🏿
¹Regerts is an intentional misspelling of regrets