You should read books during Year 12. And no, I’m not just talking about your English books – although you absolutely need to read those too! Making the time to read other books is one of the best decisions you can make: for your school results, creativity, and for general wellbeing.
In my very first Year 12 English class, our teacher (who had also been an examiner) sat down and calmly told us all that our final scores in English would be largely to do with one thing: how many books each student had already read in their lives. He proceeded to advise us to read books other than our school books during Year 12, chuckling that probably no one would do it.
I agreed with my teacher on one thing – reading is important. However, I disagreed with the other assumption that our scores were predetermined, and that how hard we worked in the final year wouldn’t alter them that much. This was another debate altogether.
Putting aside questions of predetermination, research has found that reading is possibly one of the very best ways of reducing stress. Explored in this Telegraph article, it was found that reading could reduce stress levels by 68%, better and faster than listening to music, going for a walk or having a cup of tea. In the high-pressure environment of Year 12, taking time for yourself is far from a waste of time: it is essential to reset your stress to function at best. You don’t even have to read whole novels to feel the benefits; the same study found that simply reading for six minutes can have the same calming effect.
Furthermore, reading is an amazing way of improving your abilities at schoolwork (admittedly, especially for humanities and English subjects), without having to put in any effort. Your vocabulary will improve, as will your instinctive feel for sentence structures, and it can even help you to become more creative. So what are you waiting for?
If you loved this article, you will LOVE all of our other articles, such as: How To Structure A Comparative Essay (VCE English Tips), 2U Maths Tips from a Past Student (98 in 2U Maths)! and Chemistry – Oxidation & Reduction explained!
About Learnmate
Learnmate is a trusted Australian community platform that connects students who want 1:1 or small group study support, with tutors who are looking to share their knowledge and earn an income. From primary school to high school subjects — from science and maths to niche subjects like visual communication — Learnmate can help you improve academic performance or boost confidence, at your pace with the tutor that you choose.
We pride ourselves in offering a reliable and positive experience for both our students and tutors. Every tutor that joins the platform is vetted to meet a level of academic excellence, teaching qualification or relevant experience. All tutors are provided the opportunity to complete professional training.
Students and parents can easily find and screen for tutors based on their location, their subject results or skill level, and whether they provide in-person or online sessions. Learnmate is proud to provide tutors in Melbourne, Sydney, Geelong, Brisbane, Hobart, Canberra, Perth & Adelaide, and other locations.