Merry a Christmas to you @scared01!   And to everyone, I hope you have a great day and a Happy New Year.    I apologise for for being a bit absent. I really struggle this time of year 😕 ... View more

I have to send you all good night hugs. Off to sleep for me with an exam tomorrow! Yay!! :P Thanks for your responses! ... View more

Cow! <3 How cute!! Because cows are so gentle and adorable. Look at his face!! Way to go @Jesssister2001!! ... View more

@ Esperanza your favourite TV show is Brooklyn 99 and @ErinsAntics made the thread ... View more

I can't find it! Ahhhh :P ... View more

2. Find a favourite quote from a GR   This post from @Butterfly Wings in the GR: How Pets Affect our Mental Health It rings so true!     ... View more

Hi @scared01 ... View more

They are some great posts everyone. We definitely need to bring those threads back!   Now it's time for our next question:   2. Find a favourite quote from a GR ... View more

@Esperanza67 the video of the Hunger Games on that thread is hilarious!!! ... View more

OMG! Love it @litgym ... View more

I do this on occasions @lokifish! hahaha 9:36am :P  ... View more

Love the Brooklyn Nine-Nine @Bee :P ... View more

Sorry I missed the GR but it’s been really interesting reading your responses. They are really good! ... View more

Hello @Xyrume, I am also here for you and I am willing to listen. It's always best to get things off your chest and I think it's very brave and courageous of you to have spoken up about your concerns. Thinks will get better, i'm sure! Just remember to take care of yourself. ... View more

7. Do you think society puts too much pressure on those sitting exams? How can we lessen the pressure? I think we have come a long way. There is still too much emphasis on exam results and the amount of time one should be studying etc. but it is much less than it was a few years ago. In terms of mental health, I think it has finally come to the realisation of people that there has been too much pressure on students (And at such a young age). The curriculum is now changing next year (for the HSC anyway), so this will definitely help lessen the pressure and reinforcing that there are so many alternatives to Uni out there will help reduce this as well. ... View more

6. What are some other ways to go to uni if things don't work out? What @N1ghtW1ng said! Transferring across is so easy these days and they don't care about your ATAR after the initial year. ... View more

Very true @N1ghtW1ng and thank you for that @Puppies026. I'm keeping a broad mind and am open to all things that come my way. Hopefully I soon find something I really love and can really focus on that. When you love something, you tend to try harder. So studying a little more, doing readings etc. etc. And at the moment i'm struggling with that. Would I be right in saying that? ... View more

4. How can we keep busy while waiting for exam results? How do you feel about your results? I really just focused on other things and kept myself busy. I got a part time job as soon as exams were over and went on a holiday as a celebration. I actually forgot about the results (what day it was) and things like early offers meant I didn't have to worry either. I had really low expectations so was ecstatic when I got my results. That's why I was careful to pick a course that would be too difficult to manage (so I thought) :P ... View more

Good question @Birdeye. At the time, I think it was important for me to get into things. If I had of taken a gap year, I don't think I could have got going again. I also didn't have any money for travel. Whilst I didn't always like it and found it hard to motivate myself, I knew that having a schedule, so the Uni timetable and joining a few sporting groups would be good for me. I also don't really have preferences towards anything, ever, so not sure that will change too much. Unfortunately, that's something i've just had to live with. ... View more

I am @N1ghtW1ng! It's very interesting and although it's content heavy, I think it was a good decision. Science is so broad as well, so there are plenty of opportunities. ... View more

3. Did your exam marks affect what you ended up studying? Are you liking what you are currently doing? My marks didn't really matter because I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I just picked something that sounded interesting, knowing that I could change later anyway. As I was struggling at the time, I picked a course at Uni that was below my ATAR so as not to stretch myself too thin as I got back into things. ... View more

1. When you were in high school what did you want to do? Or if you still are in high school, what do you want to do? I really had no idea what I wanted to do (and still, i'm not certain). I just did basically one of each type of subject as I didn't have a preference. In the end, I picked a science type degree at Uni and yet I did no science in high school.   2. For those who are studying exams, what are your plans like for the future? How do you feel about finishing high school? I'm not studying for high school exams, but I just want everyone that is to know that they really aren't the be all and end all. These days, your marks mean almost nothing and there are always ways to get into courses and things you like.  ... View more

 Do you know the difference between mental health and mental illness? How are they connected?  I think mental health is the state of being aware how you are emotionally, spiritually, cognitively etc. So the ups and the downs and realising that that is something that also needs to be maintained and kept healthy, not just your physical body. But I think mental illness is when there is an issue with someone's mental health. When things are more down then they are up. They are connected as a mental illness is the state of having poor (or worse than normal) mental health.    If you are struggling with your mental health who could you talk to it about?   I completely agree with everyone @Bee has said.  I also find talking to family or just a pet is really helpful. Pets are the best listeners!   ... View more

How do you feel about your mental health at the moment - is there anything you need to work on? My mental heath is a lot better than it was. It fluctuates a lot, but I think I just need to try and stay in the present. One thing I could work on is self validation and acknowledgement. I think no one ever gives themself enough credit for the things they do and often only take out and remember the small mistakes they may make. ... View more

How can we bring up mental health and our struggles with it in everyday conversation? I think this is something that is going to rely heavily on courage, bravery and practise. To just trust in people when you tell them of your own struggles. People are more willing to open up when they realise they are not alone and it is much easier to follow and reply to someone than to initiate it. Over time, this will hopefully become a natural and common topic of discussion as the stigma slowly goes away. I think it would be easier to start generally, such as did you know it's Mental Health Week or that it is coming up/just passed. Or something like, I haven't been my best lately as I find it hard to deal with... instead of just responding with "I'm fine" when someone asks how you are. (Something I am often guilty of). ... View more

How can we help society see that mental health is just as important as physical health? Sorry for the delayed response, I had Uni and didn't get home until late. I think we can help society see mental illness for what it is by continuously talking about it. I think the main solution here will be exposure. Eventually and hopefully, the stereotypes and stigma around mental health will be chipped away at until they are almost insignificant. Realistically, I think we still have quite a long way to go, but with constant awareness such as Mental Health Week, I think we are definitely on the right track. It is hard for people (especially if they haven't experienced a mental illness) to view the illness as something that is really there. This is because it can't be seen visually like a physical illness can. It's about teaching and exposing people to the very real issues that mental illnesses can cause. ... View more

Why is Mental Health Week important and how can we promote Mental Health Week? I think Mental Health Week is important because it is inevitable that you or someone you know or love will be affected by a mental illness. Knowing just the basics about where to reach out for help or what can be done to assist someone is a skill I think everyone should have. Mental Health Week helps to remind people of this and to actually dedicate some time to learning more about mental health and wellbeing. I think we can promote it by reaching out to our local members of government and friends etc.. However, I think the best promotion would be actually partaking in Mental Health Week by attending organised events and actually starting those conversations with people. Word of mouth is a very effective way to spread the word and eventually, the stigma of mental illness can also be reduced along the way.   ... View more

7. What if you have lots of homework/assignments to do, should you break your exercise schedule and study or just exercise?     As I constantly find myself in this situation, for me, I find continuing the exercise schedule beneficial. I only do organised sport and so think it's important to continue to attend trainings etc. regardless. However, if I were to self initiate a trip to the gym (very unlikely  ) then I might miss this to get on top of my work.  Things like walking the dogs are also important to continue doing in my opinion. It doesn't just benefit you, but also your dogs and teammates when doing organised sport. ... View more

I think your body is really good at letting you know, physically when you are or have done too much exercise. It will get to the point where you aren't performing at a certain level and then that's the time you should know you've done too much. Mentally, it may be harder to convince yourself you've done enough, that's why it's always good to set small goals to build up to and rewards once you reach them. ... View more

Hey guys, sorry i'm late. I'll just read through the Q and A's. ... View more