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HSC vs university - which is more stressful? (1 Viewer)

Omnipotence

Kendrick Lamar
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FINS1613 Lecturer - "I'm going to exercise my rights"
Nek minute makes the hardest fucking quiz ever.
 

timeslowsdown

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I'm in first year combined law and the stress continues. Everyone said to me that uni is so chilled, you only have to pass etc. If you're in a field like law and want to get a decent job, you have to do quite well. But it's also important to do extracurriculars. I'm very much like you - I stress very easily and had many mental breakdowns throughout the HSC. And I still have those breakdowns, but in uni I have them less because you know you're in this for another 5 years. Idk just don't expect uni to be relaxing. But if you're doing something you like, then it's bearable.
 

someth1ng

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I'm in first year combined law and the stress continues. Everyone said to me that uni is so chilled, you only have to pass etc. If you're in a field like law and want to get a decent job, you have to do quite well. But it's also important to do extracurriculars. I'm very much like you - I stress very easily and had many mental breakdowns throughout the HSC. And I still have those breakdowns, but in uni I have them less because you know you're in this for another 5 years. Idk just don't expect uni to be relaxing. But if you're doing something you like, then it's bearable.
I'd like to add to that.

If you're not doing something you like, you aren't at university for the right reason.
 

HeyJes

Academic Tutor @ UNSW
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I found the HSC to be way more stressful, you mature more in uni and have more of a life, so this kind of reduces the stress a lot.
Found it the opposite way
People say uni is lot more fun, turns out in fact that they are bullshitting :(
 

enoilgam

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Found it the opposite way
People say uni is lot more fun, turns out in fact that they are bullshitting :(
Look, if you're doing something you dont really like, then uni in terms of the work and stuff isnt great (although I prefer the independent learning aspect). The uni lifestyle is far better though.
 

madharris

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Found it the opposite way
People say uni is lot more fun, turns out in fact that they are bullshitting :(
really? I enjoy uni, a lot more actually!
Sure the work is more difficult and you have to put in more effort in. However the content is a lot more interesting as you're doing things that you want to do, the social life is so great, everyone is friendly as they're all in the same boat trying to make friends, there's no competition between anyone + there's a lot more freedom
 

LoveHateSchool

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HSC work:
*Easier in sheer difficulty
*More 'life consuming' due to the hype on it and you feel like you should be studying all the time and have guilt.
*Easier because it's quite formulaic learning with strict dotpoint boundaries, and depending on your school ethos, you may be spoonfed without much independence.

Uni work:
*Work is harder but you don't notice it as much as A) you are normally doing something you were proficient in at HS level or B) Something you are interested in. But it'd be a little urgh if you don't like what you are doing at uni, and like school, some subs will always be harder for you.
*Better social life with the less contact hrs than pure school (even in science marginally :p) and the flexibility that the work comes in peak periods typically. Final exams if they have high weightings like 60-70% are more stressful due to the higher weighting.

That said, you can have a fun life in both tbh, if you have good time management. In yr 12, I went overseas, debated, public spoke, had lots of 18ths in the year, charity committee etc. Uni, I am/was involved with intercollegiate events like frevue, debating, oration as well as general uni Scirevue/debating/other misc events as well as going out a fair bit.

Same principles apply of not letting your work pile up, otherwise pre trials/HSC or respectively, STUVAC/final exam period will be a hellish retribtuion for slacking off all term/semester.

I'd say I prefer uni more due to the freedom in degree planning, the fact that you will be typically an adult by the time you start uni but it's multiplied fun if you move out from home (living in Syd is great for someone that moved here) :) However I will concede though I like uni more, I probably found it a little more stressful than the HSC in first semester because it's a little more ambiguous to know how you stand with what marks you want to get and getting the hang of it cause it's new. HSC was easy because I knew what the standard was and was pretty confident I'd get my goal.

Study what you like at uni, broaden your horizons, be open to shift your major plans in your degree or even your degree a little if you discover things at uni. Or you can always go back and do like a Masters but that's more expensive :p
 

Jinks

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HSC work:
*Easier in sheer difficulty
*More 'life consuming' due to the hype on it and you feel like you should be studying all the time and have guilt.
*Easier because it's quite formulaic learning with strict dotpoint boundaries, and depending on your school ethos, you may be spoonfed without much independence.

Uni work:
*Work is harder but you don't notice it as much as A) you are normally doing something you were proficient in at HS level or B) Something you are interested in. But it'd be a little urgh if you don't like what you are doing at uni, and like school, some subs will always be harder for you.
*Better social life with the less contact hrs than pure school (even in science marginally :p) and the flexibility that the work comes in peak periods typically. Final exams if they have high weightings like 60-70% are more stressful due to the higher weighting.

That said, you can have a fun life in both tbh, if you have good time management. In yr 12, I went overseas, debated, public spoke, had lots of 18ths in the year, charity committee etc. Uni, I am/was involved with intercollegiate events like frevue, debating, oration as well as general uni Scirevue/debating/other misc events as well as going out a fair bit.

Same principles apply of not letting your work pile up, otherwise pre trials/HSC or respectively, STUVAC/final exam period will be a hellish retribtuion for slacking off all term/semester.

I'd say I prefer uni more due to the freedom in degree planning, the fact that you will be typically an adult by the time you start uni but it's multiplied fun if you move out from home (living in Syd is great for someone that moved here) :) However I will concede though I like uni more, I probably found it a little more stressful than the HSC in first semester because it's a little more ambiguous to know how you stand with what marks you want to get and getting the hang of it cause it's new. HSC was easy because I knew what the standard was and was pretty confident I'd get my goal.

Study what you like at uni, broaden your horizons, be open to shift your major plans in your degree or even your degree a little if you discover things at uni. Or you can always go back and do like a Masters but that's more expensive :p
+1 won't get a better response than this
 

Safraaz

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Tbh, I find uni less stressful!
I remember that things got heated up during HSC trails as we all competed for top rankings. At uni, no one gives a shit what you get or how well you performed. However, you still have to stay competitive; in the sense that you as an individual need to score decent grades to find a job in the competitive market. The lecturers are bullshitting when they say that you need to study 6-10 hrs per subject. Last semester I barely did 2 hrs per subject per week and still got decent grades. Uni is more enjoyable than high school!
 
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HeyJes

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really? I enjoy uni, a lot more actually!
Sure the work is more difficult and you have to put in more effort in. However the content is a lot more interesting as you're doing things that you want to do, the social life is so great, everyone is friendly as they're all in the same boat trying to make friends, there's no competition between anyone + there's a lot more freedom
Not really. I can feel competition everywhere. Also not much social life since studies life occupy huge more
 

dizzlemizzle

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I found the HSC more stressful because I was new to the whole studying thing every night and I was just beginning to develop my study habits, also pressure to get a good atar also got to me. I didn't really manage my time well, so that also made it more stressful. Whereas in Uni, I've refined my study habits and am used to the swing of things. I reckon HSC has to be stressful as it forces you to learn how to manage your time and study 'smartly'.

Although I must say it depends on the degree as well, something like law or engineering most likely needs a lot of time and effort as opposed to commerce/business.
 
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skaterboy1214

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When i was in year 12, i thought HSC was the most difficult and hardest barrier in my life and uni will be much more relaxed; we finally got into our desired course and less contact hours (depends on some course). When uni started, the reality hit me. The workload is crazy and no one cares for you. I miss being in a small class where the teachers care for each other.

I rather sit HSC again any day.
 

Drifting95

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When i was in year 12, i thought HSC was the most difficult and hardest barrier in my life and uni will be much more relaxed; we finally got into our desired course and less contact hours (depends on some course). When uni started, the reality hit me. The workload is crazy and no one cares for you. I miss being in a small class where the teachers care for each other.

I rather sit HSC again any day.
What course do you do?
 

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