FOR hundreds of teenagers across the region, and thousands across South Australia, December 19 was the first page in their next chapter.
No doubt many would have been elated after logging into their South Australian Certificate of Education profiles and viewing their ATAR, breathing a sigh of relief after securing their University place for next year.
It is the culmination of 13 years of hard work, and they should be proud of what they have achieved, especially having had to endure two years of an interrupted education thanks to the pandemic.
But for some though, they wouldn’t have had that relief. Instead that exhale would have been swapped for a sharp inhale of panic, a crippling feeling of anxiety having realised that their score wouldn’t have been enough to get into their chosen degree.
Many right now will feel like a failure, something that this writer can relate to.
Looking back to 2012, the morning SACE results were published in late December lingers as clear today as it was back then.
At that time journalism was a fifth choice having chosen to prioritise on a career in Physiotherapy or Sport Science instead.
With ATARs in the high 90s required to get into those degrees, the score that flashed up on the computer screen dashed those hopes in an instant.
About 30 seconds was all it took for the anticipation to flip into fear.
What to do now?
The fact of the matter is that the number that showed up on the monitor was just that, a number.
Your ATAR doesn’t define you.
This writer looked to another path, found a similar degree with a lower entry score and enrolled in that in time for second offers to come out in January.
After a semester studying Creative Writing, a mid-year transfer to Journalism beckoned and the rest is has written itself.
For those students fretting over their next steps, take some time to reflect but don’t become consumed – there is always another avenue.
And if you want it bad enough, you will get to where you want to be
