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Victoria’s class of 2023 is certainly no stranger to hard work — but they also know the value of hanging out with friends and taking a break from the books.
They have had the middle years of their high school marked by COVID-19 lockdowns and remote learning. Memories of their days in the virtual classroom have given them a keen appreciation of their freedoms.
Having spent his life in Mallacoota, Isaac Morris has already started his move to Melbourne and has aspirations to study teaching. Credit: Justin McManus
This year 57,601 students graduate with the VCE.
Mallacoota P-12 College graduate Isaac Morris said that despite the pressures of the year, there was plenty of fun and “a bit of mischief” to be had with his year 12 class, which included himself and three other students.
“I quite liked it actually, it was a really good year for me,” Morris said. “We’re all pretty good friends. We’ve all grown up together, but this year especially, we all kind of really grew together.”
Morris is currently preparing to move to Parkville and has his sights set on an arts degree at the University of Melbourne, before studying a Master of Teaching. He’ll need an ATAR of 74 to gain entry.
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He’s well aware that teaching can be a tough gig, but after experiencing great teachers himself, he knows the value of the profession.
“I think it’s really powerful, what a teacher can do for a student. I want to be able to teach people and help them out.”
Morris is one of six students who will be part of The Age’s online VCE results coverage on Monday, which will be at theage.com.au from 6am.
Jannat Sha, who finished her studies at Hume Central Secondary College in Broadmeadows, also has her sights set on a challenging profession: medicine.
Sha moved with her family to Melbourne from Bangladesh in December 2019, months before the pandemic plunged schools into remote learning. Her first year at Hume Central was year 10 in 2021, where she spent many hours behind a screen.
“Since I was sitting at home, it was really difficult to cope with this new environment,” she said.
But Sha has built a strong support network since, and says her friends have been key to managing year 12.
She’s spent a lot of time with them over the past few weeks, doing a range of activities from beach visits to escape rooms to keep their minds off the looming results day.
Hume Central Secondary student Jannat Sha came to Australia from Bangladesh in 2019, just before COVID-19 locked down Victorian schools.Credit: Chris Hopkins
She is hoping to study science at the University of Melbourne next year, for which she needs an ATAR of 83. No matter the outcome, she says she’s most grateful for the support of her friends throughout this year.
“One thing is that no matter the situation, we were really close – and we would figure out the strategy and situation.”
Gabrielle Zodo, who studied at Kambrya College in Berwick, is another student with aspirations for medicine. It’s a goal that needs an ATAR of 99 or above for direct entry.
Zodo has also spent the weeks since exams trying to recharge, reading and watching her favourite comfort TV shows as she waits for results on Monday.
Kambrya College graduate Gabrielle Zodo said finding work-life balance was one of the biggest challenges for the year. Credit: Simon Schluter
“The most difficult thing about year 12 is being able to find a work-life balance,” Zodo reflected, noting that setting up a detailed routine and study schedule was the best thing she did for success.
Every student will manage the intense workload differently, Zodo said, but one thing is important: “Make sure you have time to relax.”
South Oakleigh College graduate Sylvia Krozian studied six days a week this year, taking Armenian classes at Saturday school alongside her other subjects and fitting in extracurriculars like singing, dancing and painting in between.
Krozian, who is hoping to head to Monash University next year to study education and fine arts, said events like year 12 camp and the school’s production of Seussical the musical were highlights of the year.
Sylvia Krozian completed year 12 at South Oakleigh Secondary College in 2023 and hopes to study fine arts and education in 2024. Credit: Simon Schluter
“Being able to be a school captain was a really great experience … I was quite honoured to be selected for that position.”
Nicholas Milich also spent his year 12 year trying to get involved in as many activities as possible at his school, Emmanuel College, from joining the debating team to organising a Model UN event for the college.
He said that the final year of school involved a lot of pressure, but that focusing on activities beyond study helped.
“It was a good way to balance the workload and stress with something that’s positive and fun, something I could do to have a good time,” said Milich, who is hoping to start a commerce degree next year.
Emmanuel College student Nicholas Milich, wants to study commerce in 2024. Credit: Jason South
Kilvington Grammar student Charlotte Westaway started Pilates this year as a way of unwinding and breaking up a hectic VCE study schedule.
“It’s actually deceptive, how hard Pilates can be,” she said.
Westaway is hoping to study a double degree in law and commerce at Monash next year, and her year 12 subjects included three mathematics courses – methods, specialist and further.
The highlights of her year were also out of the classroom, including an exchange trip to France where she got to put her language skills into action and celebrate her 17th birthday with her host family.
Kilvington Grammar student Charlotte Westaway spent part of year 12 in France on an exchange program and took up Pilates as a way to wind down. Credit: Joe Armao
“They took me to Paris for the weekend, which was my absolute dream.”
She spent the wait for her results making the most of her free time, working at her part-time job and taking advantage of more spare time to spend time with family and friends.
The wait for that ATAR is stressful, but Westaway has been trying to keep the number in perspective.
“Monday [results day] will probably be quite nerve-wracking,” she said. “But at the same time, it’s such a small moment. It feels really big, but it really doesn’t matter when you get into uni.”
With Daniel Cash
These six students will be among many featured in The Age’s online VCE results coverage on Monday. Follow live from 6am.
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