I think what the above people have said are very good advice, here is my two cents-from the perspective of a fourth year uni student who didn't get 99.60.
1.I understand how you feel. Not because I have felt this way in high school, but because I have felt this way in uni. I have had times where I just wanted to avoid studying, avoid thinking about other things, and procrastinate. I have also seen my past students do the same thing.
What you need to remember is, you are not the only student who have ever felt this way, and that whatever your parents expect of you and how they are treating you is not right and it is NOT YOUR FAULT THAT THEY HAVE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS FOR YOU.
2. I get it, it is a very stressful time, assessment tasks are often make or break-particularly when you are aiming for such a high ATAR-for your parent's sake, that one bad performance might really mean your chances of getting your desired ATAR becomes much harder. When I was where you are, ATAR meant everything to me, and I ignored anyone's advice telling me that ATAR is not the end all or it all. But four years out of uni later, I will honestly tell you that ATAR will only define you as a person if you let it to be.
The fact is, strive for an ATAR that you think you want to achieve (not the one your parents are telling you) and do everything in year 12 that enables you to say I have really tried my best, through all that adversities with unsupportive parents etc. I think if you can finish your HSC and say I have had hiccups, but I have managed to move out of it and given it my best shot, regardless of what score you got, you should be very proud of yourself and leave year 12 with absolutely no regrets.
3. Rather than blaming yourself and making yourself feel worse, you should shift your thinking instead and think how can I make this situation better. What resources do I have, what steps I can take (even if it is baby steps) that can make myself feel physically, emotionally better. For example, write a positive quote every day and stick it on your wall, i.e. my personal motto, if you fail, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again. Baby steps can just be-okay lets try to concentrate for 30 minutes at a time, take 5 minute break (not going on internet, but like walk around the house, or drink some water etc), or it can be talk to a trusted friend and it might help you vent out some of the negative emotions out, or it might be-go for a walk and enjoy nature for half an hour or something and get back to study, make a study plan/to do list for today, and try to stick to it for a week etc...
it doesn't need to be ground breaking or perfect, and I honestly don't think you are ready to do past papers under timed conditions, just do them under untimed conditions, and when you feel comfortable enough with the questions, start doing it under timed conditions. Everyone progresses at different speeds, don't think you must progress to an A+ student immediately-because it puts significant emotional strain for yourself and do more bad then good.
4. I know you are struggling a lot emotionally, I would recommend perhaps going to your school psychologist to see what they can help you with. Don't feel like going to the psychologist means that you are defeated, or you are crazy, you are just acknowledging you have a problem-e.g. depression and you are seeking extra help that you need to help you get through difficult times.
5. I think thinking about what you really want to do/what would get you up in the morning and making it your goal during your HSC to get to that goal eventually will really help you to bring more focus to your life. I am not gonna pretend it is gonna be easy, but I know that you need to keep things in perspective, try your best in your assessment tasks, and if you do get a bad score, think about what you can improve on for next time. One of the most valuable lessons I have ever learnt during my education and from life is it is not what you get, but how you react to things that defines you.
Beneath every motivational stories-whether it be Walt Disney, KFC founder, Albert Einstein etc... is often a story of overcoming adversities and reacting against the odds. I think you have what it takes-even if you need some help from others. Adversities in life is inevitable, and parents often don't understand us as well as we would like to be understood. But instead of focusing on the bad, focus on the good, focus on what you can do, how you can shift your way of thinking, how you can choose to react that will make you feel better, focused, and happier.
6.
http://community.boredofstudies.org...r-year-studies-yr-11-12-99-atar-graduate.html -check out this study guide if you ever need some subject specific guidance
7. I know you might probably have tried this, but perhaps try talking to your parents and telling them their expectations are unrealistic and it is putting a lot of pressure on you and asking whether you can worry less and not have such high expectations of you-b
ut talk to them in a CALM MANNER, THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO LISTEN TO YOU IF YOU ARE GONNA YELL/BE FRUSTRATED/ANGRY WHATEVER, be calm, collected, assertive and people will respect you for who you are-even if not in the short term, in the long term. Empathy will go a long way, I know it can be hard to empathise with your parents, but whenever a problem gets too big, just look at it from another person's perspective and see where their interests lies, ultimately I don't think your parents will really disown you-as much as you believe in them right now, I think they are just wanting you to be able to get a really high ATAR so you have a lot more choices in what you can do in first year of uni-They want the best for you (But they may be going about it the wrong way). By acknowledging the common interests between them and you-both want you to have a bright future,
I think it might make the conversation easier because now they know you are actually listening to what they have to say and trying to understand things-even if you don't agree with them.
8. HSC is an important time, not necessarily because of the end result of ATAR, but because it is a time where you can train your time management, stress management skills in a way and with an intensity that is not possible before.
Just always keep things in perspective, take a step back when things get too heated and remember-you are in control of how you react and what you feel-even if the situation itself feels uncontrollable. And assessment tasks are not there to trick you, they are there for you to show to teachers what you have learnt and take this as an opportunity to make your teachers proud, make yourself proud by showing them how much you have understood. In this way, hopefully it alleviates some of your stress and anxiety about the assessment tasks (they are just a part of education-even when you get to uni-there will be many assessment tasks-so just look at it positively rather than end of world kind of thing.
9. If you can afford it, I highly recommend you to get a good tutor or two-a good tutor and mentor will go a long way to alleviate your emotional and academic anxieties throughout the year. Best wishes and never be too harsh on yourself
