Go to James Ruse and still can't find motivation (2 Viewers)

[frozenyoghurt]

Hi people,

so what do you reckon? Do you think going to a school that pressures you gives you more motivation? I've been at Ruse since year 7 and have no idea what it's like to be at a 'normal' school? Other selective/private school people [which is probably a lot of you], what do you think? Do you ever regret going to the school you go to? Don't get me wrong, I love Ruse to bits but it all gets a bit much sometimes. When someone cries over getting in the 98s for their atar, being disappointed in what most other people consider to be a good mark, all of that? Just a food for thought. Thanks

 

[starshine02]

I don't regret choosing my school. Sometimes I do get those phases of wishing that I did go to a "normal" school but when I actually think about my life now, I'm pretty much just a normal school kid and I still have a social life and good grades. Pretty much at a normal school people would still get homework and exams and stuff. Although something that really annoys me is how some people get great marks (in my opinion) and they still get sad/annoyed over it. I remember once my friend got 49.5/50 and she was really upset and kept ranting about that for weeks! Anyways because my cohort is quite competitive I always feel like I have to keep up so that sort of motivates me to do work I guess...

 

[LoveHateSchool]

I really do like my comprehensive high school-had great opportunities, good teachers and good peers. Yeah there's some kids that don't give a care about school, but that's okay, it's not for everyone to be school maniac. With self motivation, you can still compete against yourself.

I live really far from a selective school but can't help but think what an amazing opportunity it would have been. But then again, I think it'd be tough to be in that highly strung competitive environment that maybe I would have cracked going somewhere like Ruse.

I think if you focus on yourself, it may be easier?

 

[Leviathan96]

I think it's all dependant on how you decide to take on your environment - pressure is a strange thing, it's very relative. You either crack under it or you grow! You have the choice of wallowing in regret, OR, taking your knowledge/observations of those around you and doing something greater. What do you want from life? Do you value your education? Try your hardest and you won't regret it in the future. I think you're asking the wrong questions.

I think it's wonderful that you get to experience Ruse, it's not something that everyone can be a part of. I wish I had tried out for selective, but... I guess at selective schools you're surrounded by people that are generally smart[er] than most kids, and that's pretty unrealistic. The world is full of idiots and people that don't give a damn about gaining knowledge about the world.

 

[dalonga]

Hi people,

so what do you reckon? Do you think going to a school that pressures you gives you more motivation? I've been at Ruse since year 7 and have no idea what it's like to be at a 'normal' school? Other selective/private school people [which is probably a lot of you], what do you think? Do you ever regret going to the school you go to? Don't get me wrong, I love Ruse to bits but it all gets a bit much sometimes. When someone cries over getting in the 98s for their atar, being disappointed in what most other people consider to be a good mark, all of that? Just a food for thought. Thanks

Just follow Mr Alder's line of inspiration ...GO TO CUMBERLAND...

 

[Arex123]

I feel exactly the same way. I just feel as though the stuff i'm learning has no relevance at all (*ahem* English) to any of my career options. I don't see how learning about Hamlet and belonging and all that bullshit will help me in life. My school is very competitive (people get very edgy if they get below 85) and it has rubbed off on me, but not in the way the one would think. I genuinely couldn't give a shit about my year ranking or my marks; i just want to get out of there so i can learn about things that are relevant and interesting and that i enjoy.
Your motivation should be getting the fuck out of there!
Put it this way:
You have about 14months until your HSC. Now you can either smash it and have the best chance and doing whatever it is that you love or you can mope about and come out with an average mark and be disappointed with yourself that you didn't try harder.

 

[such_such]

Hmm.. I love the 'pressure'. That indescribable feeling. Maybe you think YR11 doesn't count which is why you're not motivated. Being competitive is great, but it's important to go at your own pace; one step at a time. You'll have enough time to catch up. And anyway, you go to JR. A mediocre rank in your school could be the top at another. Don't forget your cohort is your strength as well.

 

[jackerino]

I don't regret choosing my school. Sometimes I do get those phases of wishing that I did go to a "normal" school but when I actually think about my life now, I'm pretty much just a normal school kid and I still have a social life and good grades. Pretty much at a normal school people would still get homework and exams and stuff. Although something that really annoys me is how some people get great marks (in my opinion) and they still get sad/annoyed over it. I remember once my friend got 49.5/50 and she was really upset and kept ranting about that for weeks! Anyways because my cohort is quite competitive I always feel like I have to keep up so that sort of motivates me to do work I guess...

Hey hey man some of us perfectionists get pissed when we get less than 100 k? We get annoyed others get annoyed. People have different expectations of themselves, and everyone must learn to accept everyone else's expectations of themselves and not complain.

 

[Memento-mori]

Hey hey man some of us perfectionists get pissed when we get less than 100 k? We get annoyed others get annoyed. People have different expectations of themselves, and everyone must learn to accept everyone else's expectations of themselves and not complain.

Well you can keep those ''I'm so annoyed at my awful 99% mark'' to yourself, because next to you, someone might have gotten a much lower mark and put in just as enough effort, and hence, felt worse. No one will sympathise with you.

 

[barbernator]

Well you can keep those ''I'm so annoyed at my awful 99% mark'' to yourself, because next to you, someone might have gotten a much lower mark and put in just as enough effort, and hence, felt worse. No one will sympathise with you.

people can have their own feelings and they can say whatever the hell they want. Last year I came first in my year accelerated for extension 1 maths, came first in the externals and still was not happy and decided to repeat. Do I care that nobody sympathised with me? No. But I still had those feelings of not reaching my expectations like any other person. People set the bar as high or as low as they want, and if they don't make it they have the right to be a little disappointed.

 

[someth1ng]

At my school (rank ~40 selective), most students are happy when they're in the top 15 or so. Personally, I'm very competitive and it irritates me when I'm so close to the top but I don't go around crying about my mark unless the marking scheme was stupid such as expecting incorrect information (eg science at my school). It's less irritating when I'm 90th (English) of 152 or 23rd of 30 (MX2) than 3rd in ~70 in Physics. There are some that get top 10 in English and have a sook about their marks.

Everyone is different but some people are more motivated than others and more competitive than others. At the end of the day, that's how your survival instincts work. You will always want to be the best but sometimes there's people better than you and in some cases, much better than you. Maybe motivation might get you towards the top but sometimes the top seems like an unclimbable mountain - just live with it.

 

[Memento-mori]

people can have their own feelings and they can say whatever the hell they want. Last year I came first in my year accelerated for extension 1 maths, came first in the externals and still was not happy and decided to repeat. Do I care that nobody sympathised with me? No. But I still had those feelings of not reaching my expectations like any other person. People set the bar as high or as low as they want, and if they don't make it they have the right to be a little disappointed.

but it's kinda insensitive. Really, if you are in year twelve and you don't know how to keep something to yourself like a mark, well, that's just sad. I'm not saying that people shouldn't be disappointed, but I do not like it when I have studied weeks and weeks for an exam only to get a 55%, whilst someone next to me is whining about their 80%, they know I've got a lower mark, and suddenly, I'm their councillor.

 

[frozenyoghurt]

Thanks guys, I understand what you're all saying

 

[SuchSmallHands]

I got to a small rural school and I get my motivation from the knowledge that schools like James Ruse exist. I know I have to work so much harder to make up for the disadvantage and that's what makes me focused. Teachers are really a bit apathetic as to whether we study or not, and there's really no competition in my own school, so I have to get all of my competitive motivation externally.

 

[goldish]

At my school (rank ~40 selective), most students are happy when they're in the top 15 or so. Personally, I'm very competitive and it irritates me when I'm so close to the top but I don't go around crying about my mark unless the marking scheme was stupid such as expecting incorrect information (eg science at my school). It's less irritating when I'm 90th (English) of 152 or 23rd of 30 (MX2) than 3rd in ~70 in Physics. There are some that get top 10 in English and have a sook about their marks.

Everyone is different but some people are more motivated than others and more competitive than others. At the end of the day, that's how your survival instincts work. You will always want to be the best but sometimes there's people better than you and in some cases, much better than you. Maybe motivation might get you towards the top but sometimes the top seems like an unclimbable mountain - just live with it.

are you from penrith high?

 

[Kurosaki]

He is

 

[laura-jayne14]

Regardless if you go to public or private school you are still getting an education. It is up to you how well you achieve. If you stay focused, organised.study hard and reach all your goals you will stay motivated and achieve good results. Whereas, If you are disorganized, don't put in all is required and leave assessments/study to the last minute your results will become lower.
Stay focused, priorities your time and try your hardest.

 

[seremify007]

I think the key thing about certain schools (and even where you may work in the future) is the people around you set your expectations on standards. For example, you may not do that well relative to your cohort at Ruse and feel down about it, but relative to the state you are probably doing quite well. The benefit of this is it a) pushes you to reach those higher standards; and b) pushes you to push those around you to also reach those higher standards (e.g. group work, group study sessions, etc since they too are under similar expectations). Admittedly the environment doesn't work well for everyone (and you don't need to be in a certain environment to set yourself high standards), and there are other factors which will influence whether or not it is 'right' for someone, but I think at least in my case, I enjoyed it as I don't think I would have done well in a non-academic school (given I'm not very sporty or well.. interesting!).

As one of the PE teachers told us once, it's great to learn in an environment where intelligence is something which is respected rather than something to be ashamed of.

 

[marlow415]

i regret not going to a selective school

 

[daboom69]

screw ruse