Sleep vs HSC (1 Viewer)

[Wight]

I balanced all 3 and added a fourth (keeping fit)

For example...
During the HSC I played first division soccer (although a bit more relaxed than previous years, but still).
That involved 2 training sessions twice a week (about 1.5 hours each), and weekend games.
I always had at least 5 hours sleep a night (had one or two all nighters... but we can forget those). However I would often get 8.
I had my fair share of social outings (I got my P's early that year so spent a fair amount of time at Liverpool KK's) + gaming sessions (you know...the 12+ hour ones).
And, because I managed my time right. I kept mostly up to date with my schoolwork and achieved a 95+ atar.
Oh also, in the 6 week Christmas holidays, I did ~90 hours of driving because I was made to do all 120.

(That's enough bragging from me)

All you have to do is manage your time right and you'll be fine.

I did homework the night before it was due (2-3 nights before if I had the time).
I started assignments when I got them.
I didn't complain (well I tried not to, English was a bit of a bitch).
And any time left over, I studied, studied, studied.
Then slept.

 

[jnney]

The HSC is primarily about finding the shortest path from A to B. Of course with A being 0 and B being completeness of an assignment or exam readiness. With that said if you find the shortest path, (meaning the quickest in this instance) you may well have enough to time socialise and sleep.

Many great points in this thread, Enoilgram was really on the ball with the "you need to sleep" point. But I would just like to add that the only time you REALLY need to sleep is before your exams (short period before) because that is really when you need to be alert, think on the spot, adapt etc. If you have an assignment due or just a class task to finish writing an essay, an all nighter is by no means a bad thing (of course preferably it should be avoided). Back to my point which is, find the quickest, most efficient way to do a task to a high standard, think outside the box, dare to be different and not slave away.

I think this thread and the whole HSC extravaganza brings to mind Parkinson's law "work expands to fill the length of time which exists to complete it". A powerful tip I can give is to allocate yourself time for tasks to be completed, your own personal deadlines. Arrange a social outing at 6pm on Saturday, and that is your deadline, the assignment might be due on Tuesday but not for you. It seems small, but it indeed is powerful so give it a go.

Hopefully you will be rested, have lots of friends, and dux in no time

Great advice

 

[fatboi]

if you like...can't even cope in the HSC

how do you expect to manage your time and cope in uni

or real life

 

[Rawf]

Atm, Im kinda cbs to read what everyone's said already. But for me...

HSC > Sleep

I only slept on average 5 hours a day in year 12. But most of the time I spent awake wasn't even relevant to HSC or study lol

 

[fatboi]

Atm, Im kinda cbs to read what everyone's said already. But for me...

HSC > Sleep

I only slept on average 5 hours a day in year 12. But most of the time I spent awake wasn't even relevant to HSC or study lol

n yet u only managed to get into comm at unsw

rofl

 

[LoveHateSchool]

They say you can only have two of the three in the HSC: sleep, a social life or good marks.

I have assignments due in 2 weeks (half done), half yearlies in 6 weeks and I havent even finished my notes from term 4!!!!
Should I pull all nighters trying to finish my assignments, or would it damage my attention during class?

Oh, and I need a social life to keep me sane......or should I study during lunch/recess??.....

I am asking you people who have tried an tested their methods to PLEASE enlighten me with their views. And please tell me how you ended up doing in the HSC with your ways. Thankyou

You can definitely have all three lol.

I had at the bare minimum, 7 hrs of sleep at night, mainly 8-9 hrs. In Yr 12, I had a fairly rigid sleep pattern for the most part. I can tell you that not enough sleep just zombifies you, and often you need to catch up on it in the end lest it have a toll on you. I do late night shift work now, and there's nothing worse than the "out of it" feeling that comes from not having enough sleep. I can't see it helping anyone at the HSC or uni level.

So in Yr 12, yes you can have them all. I went to 18ths and such, got good results and the healthy amount of sleep. I went overseas for 3 weeks pre trials and even I didn't feel the need to all night coming back. I did a whole range of extracurriculars on top of the base three you've mentioned, like dance, debating, public speaking, charity etc. There's plenty of time in HSC year if you make good use of it.

So my advice to you to approach the HSC, it's always about taking the shortest path to greatest return. Assessment work always takes priority over doing notes! For some subjects at half yearlies, you may not need a full set of notes for what you have done yet, if possible splice your notes with another persons to cut down on the time and catch up. Always do what will maximise your performance for the upcoming assessments.

 

[Spiritual Being]

hahaha, this guy speaks the truth. He did three all nighters in a row coming up to our preliminary exams, he got over 90% for five of his subjects as well.

98+ in two of the prelim exams as well. If you sleep more than 3-4 hours, you are limiting yourself to a 95 atar and that 99 is just out of reach. It also leaves time for other activities such as working on other swork, chucking a bat etc...

I'm very serious.

 

[LoveHateSchool]

98+ in two of the prelim exams as well. If you sleep more than 3-4 hours, you are limiting yourself to a 95 atar and that 99 is just out of reach. It also leaves time for other activities such as working on other swork, chucking a bat etc...

I'm very serious.

Too bad I know numerous examples of 99+ers that typically got double the sleep you're recommending-stop trolling the OP.

 

[Spiritual Being]

Too bad I know numerous examples of 99+ers that typically got double the sleep you're recommending-stop trolling the OP.

I'm not trolling. I'm just providing my opinion foregrounded against experience. In no way was I recommending that the OP should mimick my sleeping patterns, I was simply providing my relevant input in response to the posed topic.

 

[Capt Rifle]

Sleep is optional.

Definitely. +1

 

[Absolutezero]

HSC is the least important thing you'll do this year.

 

[Capt Rifle]

Sleep is for the weak!

 

[deswa1]

Sleep is for the weak!

I know its been said in this thread a lot of times but just to clarify for the final time- I know a LOT of 99.95'ers who slept 7+ hours a night. You don't need to limit yourself for sleep in order to get good marks.

 

[RishBonjour]

Atm, Im kinda cbs to read what everyone's said already. But for me...

HSC > Sleep

I only slept on average 5 hours a day in year 12. But most of the time I spent awake wasn't even relevant to HSC or study lol

n yet u only managed to get into comm at unsw

rofl

what if he wanted to do commerce fatboi?

also OP, it has heaps to do with how much content you have to cover. people who consistently study from year 11 should easily fit 8-7 + social life in their day and achieve great results.

 

[MagpiesFreak7]

Sleep>HSC

 

[timeslowsdown]

Personally, I didn't have much of a social life. I'm sure you can fit all three in, but I put my social life on hold. I somewhat regret this, because whenever my friends would occasionally ask if I could go out one night, I turned them down, and probably didn't end up studying much those nights. It's all a balancing act; you can do all three, but I think one of them will have to be in smaller amounts. You're kidding yourself if you think you'll be able to maintain a strong social life, and do well, and get enough sleep. You can still do it, but probably not as much as you used to.

I think the most important of the three is sleep and exercise. If you've got those covered then yes, go out, because this will help you study effectively.

 

[Spiritual Being]

Personally, I didn't have much of a social life. I'm sure you can fit all three in, but I put my social life on hold. I somewhat regret this, because whenever my friends would occasionally ask if I could go out one night, I turned them down, and probably didn't end up studying much those nights. It's all a balancing act; you can do all three, but I think one of them will have to be in smaller amounts. You're kidding yourself if you think you'll be able to maintain a strong social life, and do well, and get enough sleep. You can still do it, but probably not as much as you used to.

I think the most important of the three is sleep and exercise. If you've got those covered then yes, go out, because this will help you study effectively.

Exactly.

 

[LoveHateSchool]

Exactly.

I don't think you are kidding yourself.

On the scale of things in life, (things way bigger than the HSC), should you expect to drop everything in life when big things come along? Will you have the same mentality at uni? Is sacrificing sleep/good food/exercise at any point in life a wise choice, from academic drive to having to care for sick relatives to any big other stressful time in your life.

You may as well try to learn to balance now, it may come in useful in uni and may come in essential when you enter the big wide world out there. I can absolutely guarantee I know many people who did the exceptionally well who did so much in HSC year. I know 99.5+ers that went overseas for a few weeks of yr 12. I know people who received 95+ with extreme pressures of caring for sick relatives, working massive hours at a job out of necessity, health issues etc.

In yr12(and basically any other life stage), there is the possibility for people to manage, at varying levels;
Sleep, food, exercise, good results, social life, family responsibility and other extracurricular activities. You just have to prioritise. I couldn't keep up a 20 hr dance load once I hit the HSC, also coupled with going overseas in yr 12 and family responsibility. So I scaled back my dancing a bit, but I didn't completely cut things out of my life. Everything in moderation.

 

[Spiritual Being]

I don't think you are kidding yourself.

On the scale of things in life, (things way bigger than the HSC), should you expect to drop everything in life when big things come along? Will you have the same mentality at uni? Is sacrificing sleep/good food/exercise at any point in life a wise choice, from academic drive to having to care for sick relatives to any big other stressful time in your life.

You may as well try to learn to balance now, it may come in useful in uni and may come in essential when you enter the big wide world out there. I can absolutely guarantee I know many people who did the exceptionally well who did so much in HSC year. I know 99.5+ers that went overseas for a few weeks of yr 12. I know people who received 95+ with extreme pressures of caring for sick relatives, working massive hours at a job out of necessity, health issues etc.

In yr12(and basically any other life stage), there is the possibility for people to manage, at varying levels;
Sleep, food, exercise, good results, social life, family responsibility and other extracurricular activities. You just have to prioritise. I couldn't keep up a 20 hr dance load once I hit the HSC, also coupled with going overseas in yr 12 and family responsibility. So I scaled back my dancing a bit, but I didn't completely cut things out of my life. Everything in moderation.

Would you drop everything and run?

 

[LoveHateSchool]

Would you drop everything and run?

No, though in the argument of sleep it's pretty silly. Yes, you may be able to pull an all nighter now and again without adverse impact, have only a few hours sleep a night rarely but you when it becomes a non rare thing it will takes its toll, and often if you skim on sleep during the week, you tend to need to catch up that sleep debt on weekends. If you fall into sleep deprivation, you may not even realise the toll it takes on you easily. And if you're going to skimp on sleep at some point, don't do it half yearly/trials/HSC time, see so many people do it and it just hurts them because the a good night's rest would often help them cognitively more than a last minute cram. There's plenty of time to utilise in the year if you so choose to avoid skimping on sleep.