Dominic Edgell, Prefect – Academic

As we begin to enter the back end of the term with assessments fast approaching and for our Year 12 boys, the presence of the HSC looming closer, I feel as though it is important to address you on how to best approach these challenging times. Given the current circumstances, this time of the year may feel a bit different but it is important to keep things in perspective and get back to our normal routines of school and study.

During my time at Saints, I have learnt that it’s important to aim for your personal best when approaching your academic endeavours. All of us have different abilities and ways of expressing these abilities and in order to attain the results you want, you should work hard and put in sufficient effort to help you achieve your own success. There is no point in trying to compare your abilities with others, as the amount of effort and work you put into your studies should be a true reflection of your academic capabilities and interests. I would highly encourage all students to approach their studies with this mentality because there is a level of self-satisfaction that occurs when you meet your own goals and expectations.

Also, as we begin to return to ‘normal’ life, it’s important to get back to our regular routines of school and study. Whether you draw up a study plan or allocate times during the day in which you aim to complete certain tasks, these routines and patterns establish good study habits which go a long way in helping you achieve your academic capabilities. Since keeping a study routine helps you stay organised and focused, it also becomes useful when maintaining a balance between your social events and school life.

Implemented into your study routines should be times where you take a break from your schoolwork. The workload for the HSC has become more intense and demanding over the past couple of months and I have noticed the importance of taking a break during a study session. Personally, I am finding the time to enjoy and engage in activities and hobbies is a really useful tool to give me a break from my schoolwork because it helps me maintain a high level of engagement when I return to studying. Whether you study for 45-minutes and give yourself a 15-minute break to get some food or play outside, these times during the day become a really useful tool in replenishing you mentally, ultimately helping you become more effective when studying. If there was any advice I would give you when approaching your studies, it would be to take frequent breaks, as they enhance your ability to work smarter, not harder.

This is the time, to really put in the hard work and I encourage everyone to remember that the best approach to your academic success is to achieve your personal best.

Dominic Edgell