This is an account of Marina's year 11. Written by her mum. The purpose is to capture a bit of this not very easy journey. Those are not her direct quotations or phrases.
When I start year 11 , I suddenly find myself so old especially when I see those young looking year 7. I really wanted to go back to those primary school days. Mum of course could not wait for me to finish my high school so that she can retire.
When term one started, With six ATAR subjects, teachers competed with each other wanting to ensure we are capable to achieve a good result by giving us loads of homework and continuous assessment. Having two assessments in a day is nothing unusual. But I knew well enough that after the ten weeks, I was going to Hawaii to board ‘Pride if America’ for a seven night cruise. The anticipation and excitement provided me with the right spirit and support to work hard . The Hawaiian trip was amazing, cruise turned out to be better than I thought. I was even able to spend a few hours to do my revision for biology ready for an assessment in the first week of Term 2. The only regret was my anaphalaxia was triggered by a careless waiter that eventually forced me to attend emergency in Maui. Good that I was in an ambulance with paramedics chatting away about my holiday. Photos and snapshot of Hawaii trip is : https://youtu.be/aeig6SPPWaA
I kick start of doing an ATAR - economics in year 10 so that means I’m indeed doing one year 12 ATAR in year 11. As we have so many subjects to choose form, none of my good friends have the same combinations of subjects similar to me, I felt quite unhappy but there was nothing else I could do. Even we are doing the same subject, we are placed in two different classes, so unfair.
I hate all these assessments to the guts, so much to remember and once we complete one, it appears nothing is retained. Mum of course would say no one is going to take away what I have learnt. And what I learnt will stay with me and is gradually helping me to develop my interest and capability without myself realizing. No one knows at what stage in my life I can re-use them but I do hope what Mum says is genuine.
Term two in year 11 was reckoned to be the most busy term so far. My issue of not able to get to sleep fast enough and not sleeping well at night took a physical toll that there was not a day I do not feel not tired. I told Mum to find stuff to do on weekends as that was the time for me to catch up a bit of sleep and to complete homework or revision for assessment. Mum reckons that studying is so unhealthy as I am confined to my desk day and night. There appears to have no more social life in these ten weeks. We have a total of three weeks for examination and right after examination we had assessments again and again , we had two in Week 10. I always wonder how some friends are able to find time to do sports or work.
Visual arts project really took over a lot of times. Mum estimated I spent at least 100 hours on the colouring project. I never like using colour pencil and to colour in on a A2 poster with complex drawing and minimal colour contrast was simply criminal. I never realised one had to use various color pencils to colour on top of each other and then use a colourless pencil to blend in to provide a smooth effect. Mum had never used that much threat and positive reinforcement to get me through this and on the night I finished, I said I did not even want to see it again.
The first one is the original enlarged photocopy.
Project started now.
Take note of the date stamp.
Arts has always been my passion but mum said I do need to find out what the requirement are for any future project, not just arts but every subject so that I am able to have a better time control. I do put lots of time to understand all subjects and both mum and myself were so happy when I was awarded two subject awards - biology and religion.
