The HSC can be the most challenging and demanding time of your school life. It might feel that your 13 years of studying has led to this very moment, so it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed, anxious or even lose motivation during this time when tackling the endless studying, workloads and the pressure. A lot of students struggle with motivation during this time as you feel like you have been studying all year but if you want to achieve the results you want you need to stay motivated and keep calm. Here are some practical tricks to help keep you focused and motivated during this time.

1. Set clear and realistic goals
Break down your tasks into small and manageable bits. Rather than focusing on cramming in the whole syllabus, set weekly or daily goals. This will help you track what you have done as well as keeping you focused on the immediate task.

2. Create a study schedule
Have a structured plan of what you want to study and when/for how long. Allocate time for each subject and focus on the subject that you may need additional study in. But be sure to include breaks and personal time.

3. Reward yourself
To stay motivated you want to celebrate small victories, after completing a task take the time to reward yourself, whether it’s with a fun snack, hanging out with friends or watching a movie. These incentives will give you something to work towards keeping your motivation high!

4. Take breaks and look after your wellbeing!
Make sure you get enough sleep, eat nutritious meals and incorporate physical activity into your routine. It’s extremely hard to continuously study without taking a break and can lead to you feeling burnt out, exhausted and unmotivated. So make sure you prioritise your wellbeing throughout this time!

Daniella