Consistency is key — we know it’s easier said than done but being consistent throughout your HSC pays off in the long run and feeling burnt out from too much work isn’t the way to go.
And that’s definitely the case for Koushik who turned his approach to his studies around so that he was more consistent throughout the year which saw him walk away with a 99.3 ATAR!
Koushik shares his experience and advice on how to stay consistent, even when everything feels overwhelming and you’re burnt out, so be sure to keep reading!
Tip 1: Identifying and Addressing Inconsistency
Tip 2: Staying Consistent
Tip 3: Remember that School isn’t Everything!
Tip 1: Identifying and Addressing Inconsistency
Koushik realised throughout Years 11 and 12 that his desire to do well actually got in the way of him working consistently. He told us his “overarching goal” to do his best and be perfect became a “burden” for him and ultimately led to his inconsistent study approach. So, this feeling actually distracted him from doing the work he needed to.
But Koushik was able to identify the problem, which was the first step in changing his approach from inconsistent to consistent.
“I dialled back a bit, I was like, well, maybe I don’t have to be perfect all the time, maybe having a couple of mistakes is fine,” he said.
His friends and family were also supportive of his decision to “dial it back”.
He recalls being nervous when he decided to tell his friends and family about his decision. “I painted this image of myself that I really wanted to do well, so I thought maybe going to my friends and my parents and talking to them about this idea that I might let them down,” he explained.
“But in the end, it turned out to be fine,” he added.
While for other students, it might be something different causing inconsistency when it comes to studying, what Koushik did is a great example of how important it is to pause, reflect, identify the reason for inconsistency and make a plan.
In this case, Koushik’s plan was to ‘dial back’ his goals and expectations.
Koushik shared a piece of advice for opening up to family and friends about why you’re struggling: “Give it a go because I mean, in your head, you always think they might go wrong but in reality, most of the time it doesn’t… and you’ll be surprised about the end result,” he said.
Looking for some help with identifying issues with your goals and expectations? Get in touch with our Rouse Hill tutoring team!
Tip 2: Staying Consistent
#1: Have a timetable
Staying consistent day in, and day out is challenging, and you’ve got to find ways to stay motivated.
For Koushik, having a scheduled timetable really helped. He didn’t have one at the start and soon realised that he was just doing everything as it came in and had no plan.
“But then I realised, having an actual timetable, structuring my work for the week was more efficient, because I could cover all subjects equally, and that made me do better,” he told us.
It did take Koushik quite a while to develop the timetable that fit him. He told us he spoke with friends and teachers who pointed him in the right direction.
Koushik told us that it was important for him that his timetable was flexible. There’s no point having a really strict and unrealistic timetable and you can’t stick to it.
Koushik had certain days for different subjects, so he knew when he woke up in the morning: today is Tuesday, which means I’m focussing on physics and chemistry. That way there was a plan, but it also wasn’t too restrictive, making it more achievable.
If you’re someone who struggles to stick to your timetable, you’ve just got to stick with it which sometimes means, you’ll follow it perfectly and other times not. But that’s okay!
“Even if you don’t follow it this week, or next week, you kind of have it in your mind as to what to do, when to do it so, that kind of gives you a clarity of mind as to the things you need to do and get done by the end of next week,” Koushik explained.
Make sure you have your timetable somewhere you can always see it! Koushik stuck his timetable on his desk!
#2: Take a day off
Koushik made sure he had one rest day every week — for him, it was a Sunday.
“It lets you take your mind off studies for a while because always having it in your mind kind of wears you out,” he said.
“Taking that time and spending it with friends and family is really good to rejuvenate you for the upcoming week,” Koushik added.
It’s so important to take time for yourself and have a break from studying!
#3: Don’t give up your extracurricular activities
Keep doing your extracurricular activities because they give you a break and will help you be more consistent in the long run.
Koushik took part in soccer, was in his school’s play and was also a prefect!
“That also helped me take my mind off studying because sometimes, taking your mind off studying is what helps you be consistent as it gives you the energy to keep going,” he explained.
#4: Have an end goal
This will help motivate you to stay consistent!
Koushik knew he wanted to do something such as computer science, or computer engineering at UNSW.
“Having that goal, and knowing that consistent practice, consistent approach will help you get there was probably an important thing to have,” he said.
So having something to work towards, especially on those days where you’re struggling, reminds you of why being consistent is worth it — there’s a goal in sight!
Tip 3: Remember that School isn’t Everything!
“Don’t give up on your hobbies, your passions, because they can really help you do well,” Koushik told us. He continued with his passion for football all the way throughout Year 12!
He also said that it’s important to “socialise with friends” and “just have a good time”. “Even though the ATAR is important… it shouldn’t be it shouldn’t define your life,” he said.
“It should be an important part of it and you should also balance it with other stuff,” Koushik added.
Something that Koushik mentioned he would do differently is be less nervous! “At the beginning of Year 11, everyone around me is telling me from now on, everything counts… everything is super serious,” he told us.
“I would probably tell myself to relax a little bit — take the days as they come by, essentially just live in the moment,” Koushik said.
And that’s it!
Koushik shared some great advice on how to become more consistent and stay consistent to not only maximise your ATAR, but also make the most out of your final year of school!
He managed to turn around his whole approach: he became more consistent, walked away with a 99.3 ATAR and at the same time, took a rest day every week, spent time with his family and friends and continued his passions and hobbies.
Looking for some extra help with study?
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Tanna Nankivell is a Senior Content Writer at Art of Smart Education and is currently in Germany completing a year of study for her double degree in Communications (Journalism) and Bachelor of Arts (International Studies). She has had articles published on Central News – the UTS Journalism Lab and wrote a feature piece for Time Out Sydney during her internship. Tanna has a love for travel and the great outdoors, you’ll either find her on the snowfields or in the ocean, teaching aqua aerobics or creating short films.
