Should you go on exchange?

Hi everyone! This year, I participated in a study trip to France in which I stayed at my French correspondent’s house for two weeks to practise my language skills and learn about a different culture. The experience was amazing and I would highly recommend it to ANYONE. Before going, though, I wasn’t sure if I was interested or not and was searching heaps of questions online. Hopefully this can help you decide on whether or not you should go!

Pros

• Your listening and reading comprehension capabilities will skyrocket and you will also have heaps of chances to practise your language skills by speaking to the family.
  Don’t be afraid to make mistakes as your host family will be the most supportive and helpful people with language learning.
• You will build strong relationships across the globe that you can count on in the future.
  You don’t need to become lifelong friends to be able to maintain in contact over the years.
• Your independence and confidence will improve.
  Before leaving for the trip, I was too embarrassed to order food but now I have no problem speaking to anyone I don’t know as I had to do it so frequently in France!
• Your motivation to learn the language will be fresh.
  You will have gathered heaps of resources like songs, websites and YouTube channels, inspiring you to love the language and culture there.

Cons

• Your correspondent’s friends will be unsure of how to act with you.
  It was really awkward with them as they didn’t know how much French I knew and weren’t sure if I could understand them or not. I highly recommend just introducing yourself to their friends and asking them simple questions so they will feel comfortable talking to you.
• The host family you stay with may have different customs to you and will do some things differently.
  Their way of doing things will not necessarily be right or wrong but you will need to adapt a little to what they do and how they do it. For me, this mainly had to do with bedtimes and meals.

I hope this short list helps you with your decision as choosing to go to France opened my eyes to so many things and improved me heaps! Even if you decide not to go, good luck on your language-learning journey!

How to Recover from Study Burnout

It happens; sometimes you can work too hard without realising it, other times it hits right before exam season. Burnout can happen to anyone and it’s important to address it as soon as possible so that you can get back on track. Today we’re discussing the top three things you can do to recover from study burnout and if you’re interested in study-break-related tips to help prevent it, you can click here. Otherwise, without any further ado, here are today’s tips!

The first anti-burnout strategy you can undertake is to set time for yourself to do what you enjoy. You could journal, go for a run, do some yoga, watch a TV show or read a book. All of these things can be really beneficial to your mental health and will assist you in rediscovering your passions. I think this step is really important as sometimes, studying makes it feel like there’s nothing more to life than school. Doing something you truly enjoy can definitely improve your mindset and mood – it’s a crucial part of my recovery strategy.

Next, do something to look after yourself (mentally, physically, emotionally and/or socially). Spending time to reset your daily routine and make yourself feel good can prepare you for the next chapter of your life. You can go to a spa session, cook one of your favourite meals or catch up with your friends. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy but it can make you feel physically better, subsequently improving your mental and emotional wellbeing.

Lastly, make sure you’re sleeping well. Physical fatigue is a huge contributor to study burnout and feeling tired can make it difficult to retain new information at school. Go to sleep at a decent time for an entire week and set an earlier alarm in the morning. By improving your sleep schedule, you can get into healthy habits for later in life as well as feeling super refreshed.

That’s it for my top three burnout-curing tips, I really hope you found them useful. I’m not trying to give medical advice here so make sure you consult your GP if excessive fatigue is plaguing you and take these tips as simple suggestions. Remember, support is always close at hand!

French Playlist September 2019

During my trip to France, I heard so many catchy songs that I can’t wait to share with you all! I love the French language and even if I usually don’t like rapping, French raps are some of my favourite songs! Without any further ado, enjoy this list of seven french songs!

Réseaux – Niska
This song is sooooo catchy! Trust me, as soon as you sing it once, you’ll have it stuck in your head for days. It’s really heavy rap and although I don’t like the lyrics, it is definitely popular in France since it is so catchy.

Côte Ouest – 47ter
I LOVE this song. Each time the chorus comes around, it’s played twice so it gives you a chance to truly practise your French when singing it.

Aristocrate – Heuss L’enfoiré
Super popular in France right now, teens just won’t stop listening to it! The chorus is really catchy in this one too.

Paris sera toujours Paris – Zaz
This is my all-time favourite French song, it has such a classic feel and somehow reminds me of the good old days (although I never lived in them)😆.

Je veux tes yeux – Angèle
The singer Angèle is really popular in France right now and this song is one of my favourites from her. Another really catchy song with a double chorus.

Jalousie – Angèle
A great song by a great singer. Need I say more?

Elle me dit – MIKA
An old classic and a personal favourite of mine since before the trip. Would definitely recommend this song.

Did I miss out on any of your favourite songs in another language? Please do let me know if you think I should add any more songs to my foreign language playlists as I love listening to music in languages other than English!

Australia to France Culture Shocks 🇦🇺 – 🇫🇷

As you may already know, I recently travelled to France on an exchange trip. While there, I discovered some very different social norms and so I wanted to share some interesting differences between the two countries with you. Of course, none of my comments are attacks on anyone and they are broad generalisations that are not meant to offend people neither in France nor Australia. Keep in mind that I love both countries and these are just some observations I made during my time overseas.

• skinny jeans
  In Australia, most teenagers love to wear wide leg jeans or cropped jeans and very few people wear tight denim pants. I hate to break it to you but I guess you could say that it’s the complete opposite in France: EVERYONE has them. People of every age and gender wear skinny jeans almost daily in a variety of colours (from every wash of blue to black or white as well). Rips are also uncommon in jeans so most people wear unripped, skinny jeans, a clothing item that you can hardly find in Australia!

• music
  I love French music so I didn’t find it too annoying that teens always played the same few songs on repeat. I’m used to listening to heaps of songs and rarely hearing the same song twice on the radio but in France, it felt like everyone was just rotating through a couple of top hits.
  
  
  

• chocolate!
  I am definitely not complaining about this but after a while, eating chocolate with EVERYTHING can get a bit tiring. From “pains au chocolat” and yoghurts to muffins and muesli, most sweet treats had chocolate in them!
• too many sweetS ?
  I’ve always considered myself a sweet tooth but even I couldn’t keep up with all of the desserts in France. At each meal, there would be a dessert and at snacktime after school, we would also be munching on something sweet (most likely with chocolate in it)!

• branding
  I feel like wearing popular/expensive brands is really important to teens in Australia and everybody wants to wear clothes that are considered “cool” but I didn’t notice anything like that in France; most teens wore unbranded clothing.
• handbags
  I had never seen anyone go to school with a handbag instead of a backpack before travelling to France but there, most girls brought all of their books and pens in one. Those who opted for backpacks mostly bought them from a very particular brand called Eastpak.
• smoking
  Smoking is just so much more prevalent in French society compared to Australia. At every street corner, there would be someone with a cigarette and in certain areas, the smell of smoke would cling to the walls and you could smell it when walking down the street!
• pin-stripe pants
  Another fashion-related cultural difference is the abundance of pin-striped pants in France. Every French girl I knew owned at least one pair of pin-stripe pants and wore them regularly, swapping out her skinny jeans for a pair of these every once in a while.

Have you ever been overseas and noticed something similar? I thought it was so cool to recognise that the French and Australian cultures are more different than one might think!

Paris Travel Diary – Day Four

Our last day in Paris was another amazing experience and by the evening, I had decided that my fate was to live in the City of Light.

In the morning, we took a relaxing cruise on the Seine where we had some stunning views of the very famous Tour Eiffel. Notre Dame was still under renovation but we were able to see some very typical Parisian alleyways and churches from the water nonetheless.

After a packed lunch under the hot sun (and right beneath the huge Tour Eiffel), we decided to head off to our next stop. While a group of the boys rode off on their electric scooters and many of the girls left for (yet another) shopping trip, my friends and I decided that we wanted to immerse ourselves in yet another building of culture; the museum of Centre Pompidou.

On our way, we took a detour to another famous square so by the time we had arrived at Centre Pompidou, we were itching for an icecream. Ordering in French was making us a little nervous but luckily chocolate is the same as English except for the final 'e' (chocolat)! 😉
Before heading into the art gallery, we decided to look inside one of the vintage shops Paris is teeming with. The little store had so many cool pieces of denim - I wish I could have stayed there WAY longer... 

The works in the modern and contemporary art museum of Centre Pompidou were fascinating and we particularly enjoyed an exhibition tracing humankind’s life from prehistory.

By then it was time to meet at the restaurant for our dinner. Crepes awaited us once again and we were given two huge ones each! I adored my egg crepe for the main meal but the chocolate-filled one for dessert was unbelievably good!

In the cooler temperatures of twilight, we left for the Tour Eiffel. It's sparkling lights helped us navigate our way through the Parisian evening and soon, we were in the elevators and on our way up! The view was astounding in the night as the Parisian lights sparkled from all corners of the city. We were able to see the most famous landmarks of the City of Light with fresh eyes .

Paris Travel Diary – Day Three

Day three in Paris was our most jam-packed day by far. In the morning, we spent a few hours at the Musée du Louvre, only just managing to score a selfie with the Mona Lisa before the security guards moved us along. All of the artwork there was amazing but by the end, we felt like our feet were going to fall off! We then headed to the Jardins des Tuileries for lunch.

After our sandwiches, salads and pains au chocolat (taken from the buffet breakfast at our accommodation of course), we headed to the Place de la Concorde, a famous square in Paris.

Frenetic shopping on the Avenue des Champs Elysées ensued with no spending except for a $14 smoothie (nice one, Maddi). After a long day, we met at the foot of the Arc de Triomphe and tried to muster enough energy to climb the famous monument.

The views from the Arc were amazing! You could see every corner of Paris! Mont-Martre was a stunning hill in the backdrop and it would have taken a while to pull ourselves away from the amazing view if we hadn’t heard the word ‘dinner’ being uttered.

Dinner at Le Bossu was, of course, delicious and after a busy day, we were ready to finally head home to our hostel.

Paris Travel Diary – Day Two

Our second day in Paris was just as exciting as our first! We spent the morning at the Chateau de Versailles, the main royal residence of France for the period before the French Revolution. Unfortunately, whilst there, I lost my camera! For that reason, I don’t have many good photos from my first two days in France (but never fear, I used my phone on the other days!).

At the Palace of Versailles, we visited the living area and then spent the rest of the morning in the ENORMOUS gardens. Seriously, they were practically a park with all of the fountains and pathways.

In the afternoon, we went for a self-guided tour of the Musée D’Orsay, the museum which turned out to be my favourite Parisian art museum thanks to its large collection of Impressionist artwork.

In the evening, a sumptuous dinner awaited us at Le Gourbi, a Moroccan restaurant in Paris. The food was delicious but it was sooo much! Nevertheless, he scoffed it down after a long day of sight-seeing.

Paris Travel Diary – Day One

Yes, you read the title right, I recently went to Paris! I study French at school and went on exchange to France. We spent a few days in Paris before heading off to our host families and so I wanted to share the things that I did!

We arrived early in the morning on our first day in Paris. Our first stop? The Trocadero! The view towards the Eiffel Tower was amazing although slightly tainted by the construction site in front of it ; ( . After a delicious crepe, we headed off to the Catacombes to see some relics.

The Catacombes were so interesting; I could have stayed inside for ages! The morbid quotes and stacks of skulls provided a window into the past and were definitely food for thought. I would never have expected to enjoy them as much as I did.

In the evening, we took the metro to Montmartre and ate at a typical restaurant of the area. Just as the sun was setting, we went for a beautiful walk on the hill. The view from Sacre-Coeur was astounding! After entering the church and looking around for a while, we decided to go home after a long but very enjoyable first day in Paris.

How to pick your Year 12 subjects

Subject selection is in full swing here in Australia and all I can think about is how to choose which subjects I want to do in Year 12. In the past I was very determined about what I wanted to do but I’ve been worried that not changing my mind may lead to regrets in Year 11 and 12.

Today, to help you out, I’ve decided to create the ultimate guide to subject selection which you can use for any year level’s subject choices.

Do you already enjoy the subject?

Choosing a subject that you don’t like for your last two years of schooling is not a great idea; it can make your teenage years feel like such a drag. And anyway, you’ll do much better in a subject that you like than one you don’t as you’ll probably be willing to dedicate more time and effort to it. Don’t forget that you’ll also be meeting other people with similar interests to you so it can be a great way to make new friends.

Does it complement the other subjects that you’re doing?

Are you doing any similar subjects that would give you the contacts of teachers and friends who can help you with the class content? If so, choosing this subject can be a great way to strengthen friendships and create a support network of teachers and students at school. On the other hand, you may be trying to choose too many subjects with a large workload or lots of content. Make sure that you think through how you much work you would need to do for your subjects to not overwork yourself. You definitely don’t want to spend two whole years of your life doing nothing but studying!

Is it the last chance you have do to do this subject?

In other words, will you be studying it in further education? If you love the subject but won’t have any other chances to work on it, you should probably pick it. Firstly, it will give you a foundation for the topic if you ever change your mind and decide to go back to it but secondly, it will allow you to connect with other people who have similar interests to you. You never know, it may change your university and career preferences, maybe even your whole life!

Is it a pre-requisite for any courses you wish to complete in further education?

From what I’ve heard, universities are really strict on pre-requisites. If you don’t complete a subject required, you will be automatically be disqualified from gaining a place in the course. Choose various courses of a similar scope as there can be very similar classes at different universities that require different foundation subjects. Often, the more specific a course is, the more pre-requisites it will have but you may be able to achieve a similar degree with fewer pre-requisites. On the flip side, don’t lock yourself in too early. Make sure you achieve the pre-requisites for some university courses that you might be interested in taking as lots can change in two years.

Will it have enough other students to go ahead?

At my school, if a subject doesn’t have enough students undertaking it, it won’t run and the students who had picked that subject need to choose a different one. Be strategic in your back-ups and don’t just pick random subjects that you’re not interested in. If there aren’t any other ATAR-contributing subjects that you enjoy, consider applying to university extension programs, TAFE courses or applied learning subjects. These can be fun subjects that you’ll look forward to every week rather than boring ones you only picked because you had to.

I hope this post helped you work out what subjects you want to do in upcoming years. If half the words on this page are jibberish to you, it may be because all my advice is directed towards Australian students. Our final two years are graded differently to many other countries and applying to university is done with your final score. If you’re interested, you can read more about Australian schooling here.

The Lotus Diagram

I’ve got another super useful study resource for you all today, The Lotus Diagram. I found out about this revision technique at school in my forensics class and I think the Lotus Diagram is an amazing way to revise for subjects with a lot of content.

I used it for science, biology in this case, and I think it’s a great way to define key concepts and summarise information. Since it doesn’t always provide enough space for writing, I used sticky notes to add detail but please leave me a comment if you have another idea for including more information! But for now, make the most of the Lotus Diagram…

Straight lines aren’t your thing? Check out the Lotus Diagram’s curvier relative, the Mind Map, here.