Class of 2020 graduate Arjun Sajan understands what it takes to achieve a perfect study score of 50, an ATAR of 97 and to remain balanced in a year like no other.
1. Remain grateful for your opportunities
2. Choose the subjects you enjoy
3. Work hard; and
4. Remember to always look after yourself and your friends.
Habits That Yield Results
Year 12 was definitely a challenging year and maintaining good study habits was essential for keeping up to date with school work and meeting outcomes. My study habits became consistent throughout the year, as I experimented with what worked in achieving better results. Finding out what hours were my most productive and hence what yielded better results, was crucial. Staying organised through the use of a checklist organised into small tasks allowed me to have clear guidelines to follow.
Reward Systems
Staying motivated throughout the year is important and it was important for me to take frequent breaks from studying and take part in activities that I enjoy, such as cycling and watching my favourite TV shows to clear my mind.
Keeping Connected with Teachers
The onset of remote learning during lockdown taught me the importance of staying connected and engaged with my teachers through various forms of online tools. Platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom allowed me to seek help from my teachers easily. I was grateful to have teachers who were always willing to help me outside of school hours and who were open to having individual chats.
Staying Connected with Friends
The difficulties associated with 2020 made it really important to stay connected at all times and I always ensured that I was staying connected with my friends, through social media, video calls, and online games. I found that it was really important to chat with my friends and check in on each other to make sure we were all staying connected and not feeling socially isolated.
What’s next in 2021?
Right now, I am making the most of my holidays and spending my time with family and friends. After my break, I am planning to study Commerce and Computer Science at Monash in 2021.
The standout lessons in 2020?
2020 has taught me the importance of being grateful for the opportunities that are given to me and not taking for granted the privileges we experienced prior to COVID-19. Also, the importance of supporting each other in difficult times became more evident as the year progressed, being socially connected was vital to maintaining wellbeing. I also learnt that it is really important to take a moment to breathe and create space for ourselves away from the busy lifestyle we lead and make time to pursue our hobbies and passions.
Advice for students heading into VCE during this interesting time.
The best advice I can give is to choose subjects you enjoy, work hard and make the most of the resources that are given to you. Ultimately, your health and wellbeing comes before anything so remember to always look after yourself and your friends in this challenging time.
On behalf of Salesian College Chadstone, we congratulate Arjun on the commitment and perseverance he has demonstrated over the course of his time at Salesian College Chadstone and during 2020. We look forward to hearing about all of his future accomplishments.