I regret not dropping economics (1 Viewer)

[Houjuunue]

I genuinely dread everyday I see economics on my timetable, no matter the amount of subjects I enjoy on my timetable the second I see economics my day gets instantly ruined, I find it extremely difficult to pay attention in class and understanding most of the content. I'm dead last in the subject and I don't see myself improving or even getting at least a low band 5 because I'm currently sitting at a low Band 4. Is there anything that I can do to actually slightly improve my economics mark or will my ATAR just get bombed from my awful economics mark. I only stayed because I thought it would be better and I had a lot of friends who do this subject with me but I didn't expect just how much memorisation of stupid statistics and definitions and essays I needed to do for this. I'm just here to vent but if there's any other tips that will help me maybe slightly enjoy economics or at least be interested in the content that would be appreciated.

 

[Hehehe22]

As someone who enjoys economics, it can be EXTREMELY annoying. Memorising stats seems so pointless. I just try to find elements that I enjoy. For example, sometimes I try to get invested in the news (there's a lot of global economic news these days because of you know who) and it's satisfying when some of the concepts we've learned in class can be applied to them. Also, try thinking of definitions as concepts - in this way, you'll get past the "define" part of the syllabus and actually have a holistic understanding of each of the concepts. This helps to connect the ideas together so that you can see the bigger picture, and remembering things will feel like less of a chore. Sorry if this is vague but I hope you can find some joy in eco!

 

[aqwerty13402]

I genuinely dread everyday I see economics on my timetable, no matter the amount of subjects I enjoy on my timetable the second I see economics my day gets instantly ruined, I find it extremely difficult to pay attention in class and understanding most of the content. I'm dead last in the subject and I don't see myself improving or even getting at least a low band 5 because I'm currently sitting at a low Band 4. Is there anything that I can do to actually slightly improve my economics mark or will my ATAR just get bombed from my awful economics mark. I only stayed because I thought it would be better and I had a lot of friends who do this subject with me but I didn't expect just how much memorisation of stupid statistics and definitions and essays I needed to do for this. I'm just here to vent but if there's any other tips that will help me maybe slightly enjoy economics or at least be interested in the content that would be appreciated.

how many units are u on?

 

[Houjuunue]

how many units are u on?

10 now with eco I was on 12 in year 11 but decided to drop bio

 

[oml]

I genuinely dread everyday I see economics on my timetable, no matter the amount of subjects I enjoy on my timetable the second I see economics my day gets instantly ruined, I find it extremely difficult to pay attention in class and understanding most of the content. I'm dead last in the subject and I don't see myself improving or even getting at least a low band 5 because I'm currently sitting at a low Band 4. Is there anything that I can do to actually slightly improve my economics mark or will my ATAR just get bombed from my awful economics mark. I only stayed because I thought it would be better and I had a lot of friends who do this subject with me but I didn't expect just how much memorisation of stupid statistics and definitions and essays I needed to do for this. I'm just here to vent but if there's any other tips that will help me maybe slightly enjoy economics or at least be interested in the content that would be appreciated.

Honestly, I have this same feeling with one of my subjects, which is considered relatively "easy" and I'm also at a high band 3-low band 4.. which is terrible but it's okay. The best we can do is try and get our internal mark and ranks up, which can boost your HSC bands. A lot of people average terrible in their trials/internals and get 50-60% but still end up with band 6's because of their rank, most cohorts will outperform in their HSC exams, so if your rank is good, essentially your internal mark can be boosted. A big factor is large cohorts and school ranking though) Don't stress out too much if you do end up getting a low mark in one subject, I know someone who got a mid-band 4 in bio (also doing 10 units) and still ended up w a 95 atar because they performed well in their other subjects, as long as you're doing well across, you're not bombed.

 

[Neogotmyback]

There is still hope. Econ was a huge drag for me toward the end of year 12 because it was always such a grind, but looking back I am SO grateful I chose it as a subject because it goes beyond the exam room. When you graduate, you will have the knowledge to be involved in the conversations about the world around you and critique it. The greatest piece of advice to get through subjects like this, is to try to find the wonder in it. For example, you could look into world events, like Trumps implementation of tariffs on Australian exports. Take examples like this and try to connect your hsc knowledge to it. I know this has been done to death, but it really helps for a range of reasons:
- helps to consolidate knowledge
- makes you more knowledgable on world events (you will mog people in discussions)
- brings the subject to life. A lot of the time students lose interest in subjects when it feels too theoretical. Make it real. Look at the world around you and realise economics is giving you the tools to navigate it.

 

[Study to success]

I regret not picking eco. Opposite problem to u lol

 

[jane1820]

I regret not picking eco. Opposite problem to u lol

Eco is such a baddie subject

 

[ben_from_econtools]

Eco can feel like a massive grind, especially when it feels like all theory and memorising stats and definitions for essays.

Here are a few things that can actually help shift things a bit:

• Stick to a few killer stats. You really don’t need to memorise everything. A handful of good stats can be reused across multiple topics. For example, unemployment data works in essays on economic growth, inequality, and policy effectiveness — it’s all about how you apply it.
• Try topic-based review. Don’t just go chapter-by-chapter — take a topic like “Unemployment” and pull together causes, impacts, policies, and stats into one summary. That kind of clarity helps a lot.
• Engage with the story behind the content. Economics becomes so much more interesting when you follow the headlines and real-world events. Whether it's how the RBA is reacting to inflation or what’s happening in the housing market. Understanding the world around you actually makes the content easier to care about (and easier to remember in exams).

If you're looking for tools to make all this easier, I actually built econtools.com.au for students like you. It includes:

• A free live dashboard with the latest stats (CPI, GDP, unemployment, cash rate, etc.)
• A pop-up form to sign-up for a free newsletter that breaks down the latest news and research in a simple, relevant way - including how to use it in actual questions
• There are also paid tools which you can try for 1 week free, which help you build Band 6 notes using a massive database of pre-organised statistics and arguments

Eco’s tough, but once you start connecting the dots, it gets way less painful. Feel free to reach out if you ever want help breaking down a topic.