Student stories
Margo's advice for Year 12 students
Making it through Year 12 and deciding to take the leap from high school to uni can feel overwhelming at times. If you’re feeling nervous about your Year 12 final exams or still deciding what would be the right step after high school for you, try not to worry! It's more common than you may think to not have all the answers.
Third-year CDU Law student Margo Hi can relate. She shares some advice on how to approach this important time in your life.
It's okay to change your mind midway through your degree
I completed Year 12 in 2015 after studying at Darwin High School and I still remember it to be quite stressful; especially the last few months where all our assignments counting towards our ATAR were due at the same time as exam preparation. At that time, Maths was one of my most challenging subjects (even though in hindsight it was also one of my favourites) and I really enjoyed subjects such as Business and Enterprise.
Looking back, when I was figuring out my options for uni, I wish I had looked more closely at the courses I was considering. Before starting my Bachelor of Laws degree, I wasn’t fully aware of the array of pathways it could lead to nor the massive workloads I was getting myself into.
If I could time travel, I would tell myself that I won’t necessarily enjoy every single unit that I would have to study in this degree, but it would all be needed to get me to my dream career. I’d also tell myself that it’s okay to change your mind midway through your degree; I’ve seen several people do it and they are much happier after they changed, so don’t be afraid to reach for the stars.
Don't stress, these grades will not make or break you
I chose to study in my hometown of Darwin to have the support I needed from my family and friends close by. Studying on campus is best for me as I learn better when attending class in person.
Even though CDU is a small university compared to some of the other Australian universities, I find that this works in our favour because the lecturers can dedicate more time to each student. I also love that I don’t have to wake up at the crack of dawn to enrol myself into a class that would be filled out in seconds.
After I graduate I plan to stay in Darwin (for the meantime, or perhaps for the long-term) to explore the possible paths I could take with my Law degree.
To all Year 12 students I would like to say: “Don’t stress; these grades will not make or break you. There are 99 different paths you can take to get into your dream career, and you will get there if you’re determined. The questions in the exam are also not there to trick you, so stop over-complicating them".
At CDU, you’ll have easy access to lecturers, classmates and student support - whether you’re studying online or in the classroom, so you won’t be studying alone. If everything seems a little daunting when you first start studying, Student Central is your first port of call. We’re here to help and can answer almost all your questions or point you in the right direction. So take the first step and apply with a university for your new world today.
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