Captains' Corner | Vice Captain, Patrick Gleeson

Tucked between the recent Year 12 mock exam block and the swiftly approaching holidays, this Captains’ Corner is both the first in a few weeks and the last for a few more. Right now, feels like a key moment for the Year 12 cohort, so this week I thought I would give a little insight into where we are on our Terrace journey – and how very rapidly it is coming to an end. In fact, this may very well be my last ever Captains’ Corner, so bear with me if it is a little longer than usual.

This year, external exams are the defining feature of the new ATAR system. Almost every Terrace Year 12 student walked into their first proper practice exam three weeks ago and the following two weeks of assessment saw us realise just how close the real exams are. This week we began putting the feedback into practice, and in under two weeks time, many students will give up a week of the holidays to continue that process.

Just how close to the end we are is impossible to miss, and not just because of exams. Friends are turning 18 – in greater numbers than any Senior cohort before us. It seems that every week someone new is getting their Ps (alas, I haven’t finished my hours), while sport seasons come to a close and applications for tertiary study loom. There is still plenty to look forward to in the near future – Senior Formal, Inter-House Track and Field, the odd barbecue and, for some, the final Kairos retreat – but nothing to change the fact that in just over two months, 13 years of schooling will be over.

For many, the next two months really are a motivation game. There are countless quotes I could put here, all of which the Year 12s are familiar with: don’t count the days, make the days count; nobody said it would be easy, they said it would be worth it;the harder you work, the luckier you get. This last one is a favourite of mine. More often than not, chance hides hard work, instead of just replacing it – whether it is Year 7, 12, or beyond.

All in all, it is really hard to imagine what Year 12 is like before you have experienced it. I would be interested to hear any insight into how the other years are travelling, and if you catch me, I am always up for a chat.

Have a great holiday!