Lily Matthews, of St Ignatius College, Geelong.

LILY MATTHEWS, 17, ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE, GEELONG

I am really pleased with how year 12 has gone. It has not been easy and, despite the stresses and worries that are inevitable, I have had a truly satisfying and rewarding time. It feels a bit surreal now that I am finished. In some ways it's sad because school has formed such a big part of my life and St Ignatius has certainly been a place where I have developed and grown so much. I will miss turning up each day to a community of supportive friends and teachers, and the special learning environment that the college offers. It is hard to imagine what it will be like not going back next year.

This year I did English, health and human development, psychology, literature and further maths. I haven't had a set score as such in mind this year, even though the bachelor of psychology (honours) that I hope to do at Deakin University next year requires around a mid-70s ATAR score. 

Mahakaran Sandhu, left, with his Melbourne High School rowing team.

Instead I set my own personal goal of trying to attain the highest score that I possibly could, by doing my absolute best, and that in itself will ensure a result of which I am proud. My immediate goal is to become a qualified clinical psychologist, with a specific focus on child psychology. 

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I participated in several activities this year. I attended a local refugee holiday program, which involved spending time with children and young adults who had recently arrived in Australia; helped bake and sell cupcakes at the Xavier College Fair in Melbourne to raise money for East Timor; and was also involved in "the Cage", which sought to raise awareness for those in Australia who are homeless. Other extra-curricular activities included playing netball for my club, and continuing piano lessons. I was also the inaugural Academic Captain. My role has been to encourage, support and promote learning within the college. I have been involved in the development and introduction of a new initiative: the introduction of individual digital portfolios for students in years 7 to 9. I created my own digital portfolio to demonstrate its values and discussed its features at a staff meeting and to a forum of Catholic secondary school curriculum representatives from the Western region. 

I think that it would be naive of me to have no concerns surrounding job prospects for the future, but I am confident that the health and psychology sectors I wish to enter will provide sustainable employment for many years to come. Many people are finding it difficult to gain employment in Geelong and this is definitely something I have thought about. Whether this means I will have to relocate, I'm not sure, but I guess it's something I will review once I am qualified.

Darcy Cummins, of Cobden Technical School.

MAHAKARAN SANDHU, 17, MELBOURNE HIGH SCHOOL

I've always had a strong interest in academic things so VCE was the way for me. I did literature, history revolutions, chemistry, maths methods and physics. I did biology last year. I'd be happy with anything above 95. I'm considering studying science at ANU next year, majoring in either biology or psychology.

To be frank, year 12 is not as bad as many make it out to be. There is a quote I love from Star Wars: "Do. Or do not. There is no try." You should not drift through year 12 but always have set goals, both short-term and long-term. These goals will change but they give you a sense of direction, which is paramount to success in VCE and life. It is certainly not a walk in the park. At times, it is depressingly daunting, overwhelming. But that's just because things are out of perspective. 

Jennifer Phan, of Reservoir High School.

I'm not particularly worried about finding a job because I know once I set my mind on something, I can accomplish it. With regards to the university fees debacle, I, being a student, can only hope that the legislation does not pass. My great worry for the future is the blurriness. Some people have their entire lives planned out. All I see is purple haze when I look at my future, because I have no idea what vocation I'll do.

MHS has a huge extracurricular program, which absolutely enriches lives. In terms of academic achievement, since everyone is on the ball, the competition is tough. It encourages you to try harder and be better academically. The rowing season kicked off in November last year, but we only got serious in February this year. Rowing was a lot of hard, hard work. A lot of dedication and commitment went into juggling studies and training, and I'm sure my mates in year 12 who did rowing would agree. I'll never forget the day when a member of our crew literally flew out of the boat during a race after his oar "crabbed" [got stuck in water]. After rowing I had about three months of "rest" before I auditioned for the school play, Our Town. I had never acted before and this was completely out of my comfort zone. But as they say, outside your comfort zone is where life begins. To my surprise, and to the surprise of many others, I got the lead role. It was a mixed blessing: I had up to three rehearsals a week while juggling my studies. Now I'm thinking about where I'll be with rowing in the next few years, hopefully competing at national level. And the same with acting. I've always had a thing for film and acting, and now I have opened so many doors for myself.

Making new friends and going far beyond my comfort zone in many areas is what I'll remember of year 12, not the endless classes on definite integrals or acid-base equilibria. I'll miss the brotherhood of Melbourne High. It truly is a fraternity, a band of brothers. I'll miss the shenanigans and the gags, the work and the play. I'll miss the wonderful teachers who made our experience at MHS so worthwhile. I'll miss the castle on the hill. 

Ayisha Abdul-Rahman, of Minaret College.

DARCY CUMMINS, 18, COBDEN TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Cobden Technical School gives students the opportunity to try a range of classes and gives employment preparation skills for the future. My learning experience was completely different to a normal high school because of the range of trade opportunities I was given, and other subjects that if you wanted would lead to further education such as university. 

There are huge benefits in being a student in a country school compared to a city school. One big benefit is smaller class sizes and having a better student-teacher ratio. Being a smaller country school allows more personal relationships, where everyone knows everyone. As a technical school it is often a much more hands-on approach to learning. At the beginning of the year I chose to take the VCE pathway, because I believed  the subjects on offer would better my future and increase my chances of achieving an apprenticeship. I also chose to take the VCE pathway, because I was up for new and challenging things. 

The subjects I chose this year were systems engineering, business management, further maths and English. I chose these because they left my options open for future career choices. I have chosen to pursue an apprenticeship in the electrical industry, after the electrical class the school offered and the numerous work experience weeks I completed left me enjoying the work and wishing to pursue a career. I'm uncertain whether a job will become available this year but I'm doing all I can, including talking to potential employers and handing my resume around. My only worry is if an electrical apprenticeship doesn't arise I will have to reassess my situation and follow a new career path, hopefully pursuing an apprenticeship in another industry. 

With only doing four subjects, along with my electrical school-based apprenticeship (and therefore missing every Tuesday of school), four weeks' trade school in Warrnambool throughout the year and having a part-time job at Safeway, the year was quite busy, but I'm happy with what I have achieved during my year 12 experience, whatever the results may be. 

I have managed to juggle it all by having understanding workplaces that allowed me to concentrate on my schooling whenever I needed. The teachers were very understanding of my commitments and helped me catch up whenever I needed. 

As well as work, I have been involved in extra-curricular activities such as the Cobden Technical School energy car team, which raced in the RACV Energy Breakthrough Challenge. We competed against a range of other schools in a 24-hour race. Cobden Tech has won the past three years! I have also been involved in raising money for the school by holding a barbecue, so we can improve each year with new technology. 

My tips for surviving year 12 are maintain balance and organisation, don't stress too much and enjoy the experience. Time flies.

JENNIFER NGHI PHUONG PHAN, 17, RESERVOIR HIGH SCHOOL

If I had to describe this year in three words, they would be: busy, fun and memorable. I wouldn't change a single thing about this year, even if I had the chance [even if it meant being able to correct the stupid mistakes I've made in SACs or exams] because I believe that it's crucial to accept reality to grow as an individual.

I have chosen to complete VCE because it would provide me a direct and enjoyable pathway into university, which would then lead to many more anticipated experiences. I took maths methods, specialist maths and psychology in year 11, and English, chemistry, physics, biology and further maths in year 12. I am very satisfied with my completion of year 12. Although it's a bit upsetting to say goodbye to high school and all these familiar faces, I am keen and excited to enter adulthood and see what other challenges lie ahead. 

The course I am applying for, RMIT – bachelor of applied science (medical radiation), doesn't require an impossible ATAR. However, I am still aiming for 95-plus because I want to open myself up to more scholarships – you should always aim for more. Although the ATAR system in itself is really a massive competition, the thing I love most about my cohort is that we're essentially all friends and we never forget to have fun and truly enjoy the moment while we're still there.

In year 12, everyone is guilty of procrastination! Personally I am guilty of pointless and never-ending YouTubing. But that's OK, because it's impossible and unhealthy to study 24/7. 

The secret to surviving year 12 is like the secret to surviving life: balance! Having healthy proportions of everything is key. For example, you should be confident in yourself but you also need to accept your weaknesses and failures. You should be working hard towards an ideal ATAR but you can't just study. What's most important in this experience is the knowledge and maturity you gain, not the score itself. There needs to be a good balance between ambition and fun in order for you to obtain a satisfying year 12 experience.

The best advice I was given during VCE came from one of my teachers, who said something similar to "students like you don't tend to discover their passion until maybe second or third-year university. It's never too late. Why the rush?" 

I believe many students can relate to this, because it is normal to find you don't have any specific passion. Don't panic! It's natural to feel a bit lost and unmotivated to complete year 12 without a certain goal but you should always strive for your absolute best. Keep your options open and there is no such thing as a wasteful experience.

AYISHA ABDUL-RAHMAN, MINARET COLLEGE 

I expected the year to be challenging – I mean, it is VCE! But it was only challenging sometimes. I went to school in Ghana from kindergarten to grade 4. My dad passed away when I was pretty young; my uncle brought me here to help out my mum. My mum always tells me to study hard. I guess because my uncle has done a lot, I want to make him proud of me and make my mum happy. 

My uncle always likes to remind me when I complain about school that it is much easier here than it was and may still be in Ghana. So I endure and when it gets too hard, I say to myself, some people have it worse than I do. At least I can use a calculator in maths!

I took four subjects this year: English, further maths, psychology and religion and society. I had the opportunity to take two VCE subjects last year, biology and business management. I wanted to have a feel of each different area. There was no question of which path I wanted to take. It was always VCE.

I want to do a primary teaching degree at either Monash or Deakin. I have always wanted to be a teacher, but just in case I don't end up enjoying teaching, which is unlikely, I have applied to do a couple of double degrees that go with primary teaching as a back-up. I have a dream of one day going to Africa and other disadvantaged countries and teaching children there. I want to make a difference in the lives of those who are not as lucky as me and the other children in the country. 

As school captain, I set goals to be there for other people. My team and I started a hijab program for middle-school students. It's for those who want to start wearing it outside of school, to explain what the hijab is and be buddies for them. We started a discussion group to talk about religious issues or other issues that people have – we want to continue this in the future and we've already picked our successors for next year. I think the religious focus at school definitely helped me this year. Here, the freedom to practice one's religion reduces one's stress more than it would at a secular school. You won't have to add the stress of not belonging to your list of stressors.

Year 12 is a big year. It could be the best year of your education or it could be the worst. Make sure you are focused on your studies, but also make time for mates. Have fun together. It is what makes the memories more special.