Kia ora, I’m Chloe, and I’m excited to be your Academic Prefect for 2023.

Have you ever reached the end of the year and been so exhausted that you’re just holding out for the holidays? I know I often feel burned out at the end of a stressful term, especially after exams. So, last year when it came time to make those unrealistic New Year's resolutions that get abandoned a week into January, it got me thinking. Surely I could set some achievable goals for a less stressful and more productive school year in 2023. Today I’d love to share some of these goals with you so that both you and I can ace this school year and come out the other side with a smile.

Number 1: Don’t settle for average.

School can be hard work, and doing well requires time and energy. It can be easy to just do the bare minimum and do a school day without achieving much. But you are capable of so much more than the bare minimum. You have potential and skills and abilities that will take you places if you’re willing to put the work in. So this year, I dare you not to settle - aim higher than scraping through with those Achieved grades or the minimum number of credits. Choose one class, or an assignment per subject and challenge yourself to bump up those results for your own sense of achievement and success. But remember, don’t compare yourself with others. Don’t minimise your successes by putting them beside your friends’. Everyone is different, and if you work hard to achieve your personal best, then that is something to celebrate.

Number 2: Prioritise, don't procrastinate.

I didn't realise until last year how easy it is to procrastinate. At one point, I even procrastinated by reading a book about productivity. If school isn't your biggest passion, it can be hard to find the motivation to do the work. But I encourage you all to be organised and productive, because life gets busy, and the time you think you have will shrink and make you more stressed. So get onto school work ASAP and you'll thank yourself later. Make a to-do list, and plan your assignment checkpoints and due dates on a calendar so you can see how much time you have. I recommend making a list of your priorities with school near the top and finding the balance between doing what you love and achieving the purpose you have right now as a high school student. And if you're struggling to find that motivation, make your own. Give yourself incentives, like letting yourself binge-watch that series once you’ve handed in your work.

Number 3: Don't base your self-worth on your achievements.

It can be easy to buy into the idea that how well we do at school or in other areas reflects our value as a person. If we reach the expectations we set for ourselves, we feel confident and successful, but if we don't achieve those goals, we feel like a failure. I have learned that you can't put your self-worth in something so changeable, or you will be trapped in a cycle of self-esteem that is dependent on performance. But you don't need people or success to validate you, because you are valuable and you are loved as you are. So next time you're disappointed in yourself, I challenge you to put it in perspective. Ask yourself, in ten years' time, will it even matter? In the moment, what feels like a failure can be debilitating, but no matter your successes or failures, achievements or lack thereof, remember that you are valuable and nothing can take that away.

So, as we start assessments and internals this year, will you settle for average or aim for personal excellence? Will you procrastinate, or will you prioritise? If you’re willing to work hard to achieve goals that challenge you, be organised, and remember that you are immensely valuable regardless of performance, I think you’re looking at a successful year ahead.

Thank you.