Dear all future high school students,
My name is Justin Park, I boarded at The King’s School from years 8 to 12, graduating in 2016. Here is just some of the little advice that I’ve picked up throughout the years, that have helped me mature into the person that I am today.
– Always take advantage of all the opportunities available through school, (for example, camps, Duke of Ed and clubs). Not only would it make your school resume more impressive, but it’s also experiences that are never offered once high school ends
– Make sure to keep close with friends, because there will be a time when you’ll need each other either when it gets too stressful or just when you’re just feeling homesick. In my personal experience the friends that I made at my boarding house, are like none other, they become a second family, because there are little moments that makes high school a special chapter in your life, rather than just being another step
– Take notes early, and have a good study habit, don’t fall into the trap of doing assignments the night before, because it is so easy to be prepared for an exam, and yet it is also very easy to procrastinate like I have before and regret completely. Even though I got an ATAR of 97+, I know I could’ve made year 12 a lot less stressful, if I had these habits and probably done even better. That brings me to another point, which is that you’ll probably think that tutoring will automatically get you a 90+ ATAR, but it comes down to how much work you’re willing to put in and how dedicated you are
– Sometimes you have to take a step back and really enjoy the little things throughout your high school years, such as having lunch with friends, or messing around with said friends the night before an exam. These are the moments that will resonate, not the final number that you get from your HSC studies
– There will be times when things aren’t going your way academically, and that’s completely fine, no matter what your parents and teachers barrage you with, there are so many ways and paths to get what you want, there is no linear path that leads you directly to it.
Regards and best of luck