A lot of seniors find dealing with matric to be intensely stressful and without enough help it can lead to procrastination, illness, depression and time spent in distracting yourself from school, by becoming involved in more interesting events and in some cases habitual practices, like smoking.
There are many concerns in your final year of high school, here are a few noted by a friend of mine who is also a matriculant:
- Too much pressure from parents and teachers.
- Too much work .
- Lack of facilities.
- Not enough time.
- Financial issues.
- Bullying.
- Lack of unity and communication between students.
- Communication problems
with teachers.- Not enough extra classes.
- Matric ball stress.
- Issues at home.
- Self doubt.
* This article will deal with pressure and self doubt. I will produce more posts on the other topics within this week.
University is very different from the high school dynamic; there are a lot more facilities, subject options, resources, curriculum advisors, bursaries and scholarships, psychologists, job opportunities and even accommodation in the form of student residence. The most significant difference for me is the atmosphere generated by a great sense of freedom and confidence that the fellow students emanate. At my campus the people are vastly different and so accepting towards the next person. The vibe is very easy-going simply because nobody has to worry about what the next person thinks about them. This allows me to focus more on my work and simply enjoy the courses that I’m doing.
So, how do you, as a high school kid that just wants the year to fly by, gain such confidence? The first thing you need to do is ask yourself the following:
Do you want to pass this year?
Do you want good marks?
If your answer is yes then you have determined that you don’t need to matriculate because of what everybody else is saying. You are going to matriculate because YOU WANT TO. That is the only thing that matters now. Only your decisions will change your actions, regardless of the lectures from your parents and teachers. Don’t feel pushed by other people, rather push yourself. Don’t do work because you have to, do it because you choose to, at your own pace.
We have established a goal based off your desires: Pass with good marks.
Let’s jump from pressure to self doubt. In grade twelve I used to feel out of my league, there was so much going on around me, so many things I needed to research, apply for, due dates and closing dates to remember and I didn’t really have anybody that I could trust to help me. Some of you may have your parents dealing with a lot of these issues for you or with you, but for those of you who depend on yourselves to get the job done, pay attention. You do not need to be scared of what you don’t know. Matric is by far more hectic than any other academic year I have experienced and the majority of us have to go through it. If somebody is putting you down, underestimating your intelligence, please, PLEASE, ignore them. Whoever is not helping you right now, you do not need this year. It’s time to be selfish and courageous. Got it?
The first thing you need to do is right a schedule of everything you need to research, apply for and perhaps, audition for. I am specifically talking about tertiary education plans, but this could also refer to specific jobs, overseas plans and even events for this year, such as an Eighteenth birthday party. It is better
to be organised and get it out of the way than to have it all pile up when you don’t have enough time or sanity to deal with it.Once you have made this list, immediately find out the closing dates and all other information regarding these. Persist and speak to teachers you don’t even like to get the information out of them. Remember, they are there to help you, whether or not they are nice or friendly people, it is their job to assist you as a student. If you continue to have trouble with these interactions, think of it as a professional conversation and perhaps ask a friend to join you in communicating with the teacher, or simply ask another teacher to find out what you need to know. Be transparent if they ask any questions. If you have the internet make use of it, it’s a great resource that some students may not have. You need to find your own way to deal with browsers and develop your research skills. Don’t let annoying pop-up adds and wrong destinations get you down, the trick is in the way you word what you’re searching for and checking more than three sites to find it.
Write down all your details regarding these important events next to your dates. Plan now how you’re going to get where you need to go. Make sure you acquire forms from a teacher, the library or once again, from those golden people called friends. Check off what you have completed and keep this list in a very visible place, perhaps on your room wall. This excessive planning is important because it eliminates unnecessary stress regarding varsity, technikon, bursary, events and job issues during your mock and final exam times. If you still have trouble organising your year, go discreetly to a helpful teacher, family member or friend and ask them to assist you. Do not neglect this preparation for next year.
In order to maintain a calm state of mind you should spend an hour of your day (every day) doing something you enjoy on your own. Evaluate yourself. Reflect on your strengths, and if you end up thinking about your weaknesses, create this image (bare with me here): imagine each weakness as something physical and then destroy it in your mind. Replace it with an improvement and make sure you enforce that positivity on yourself. People have no idea how capable they are, once you realise this, self-doubt will become a waste of time that you throw aside and laugh at. When you have one of those days when everything goes wrong, go ahead to your comfort zone, be pathetic and self-contained, but make sure that once your eyes have dried and your double chocolate ice-cream is finished that you slap yourself, get to work and acknowledge your competence and confidence.
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