I'm seeing media stories of kids getting 98.5 and crying they didn't get 99 on their TER. If you're a parent, please share this with your kids:
I Marcus Ryan, the famous celebrity you know today was one of my senior high school student leaders in Year 12, I was on the junior student council in years 7-9, I was my primary school president and primary school summer sports house captain even though I couldn't swim and was 4ft tall and questionably talented in other sports. With all of those accolades you might've thought I was gifted or showed promise to be the next Prime Minister or dare I say it... a nerd who always put their hand up in class.
Although I had a near perfect attendance and teachers liked me and thought I was a respectable and a somewhat role model student, in all honesty as my high schooling days drew to a close and my puberty was in full swing (zits, braces and all) I was lost and confused and suffered depression & anxiety which I didn't know were things at the time. I lacked drive, I wasn't confident and had no idea where I wanted to be in life because everything was so overwhelming and making decisions was terrifying. I had 3 older brothers so luckily most decisions weren't mine to make, I had to go along with whatever the brothers did.
Like most comedians I know who have only just figured it out, I too am pretty sure I have ADHD that was undiagnosed back then, which explains so SO much!
I'm still on a waitlist to be seen about it. Oh joy.
But at least I know there's something going on that had a huge impact on my learning ability, my focus and productivity over the years and indeed my interest in school. It sucks but as much as Cher will try to convince you otherwise, you can't turn back time.
I "graduated" (shuffled out of school) with a TER of 30. I felt like a complete failure because in the eyes of the world, I was.
While many knew they were getting a trade apprenticeship or going to TAFE or UNI or pregnant, I still had no idea what to do next but I certainly wasn't planning on working with tools or getting pregnant!
All I knew was I had an inkling of becoming a comedian or in a sit-com or something, but there was no Wonthaggi Chuckle Hut and I didn't come from a showbiz family and the careers counsellors weren't exactly telling me to follow my dreams. I was in limbo.
Many high school leavers will be going through this now.
The first few years out of high school were some of the worst of my life. When I discovered travel and regular gigs I knew I had made it. I was successful for merely getting through that difficult period of life. I was unsuccessful in asking for help and doing it alone. I only wish I was grown up enough or aware enough that I needed support but there wasn't a lot of literature or networks to reach out to then, the internet has so much now that even though social media is destructive, there is so much good learning online that I didn't have growing up, so be proactive and ask ChatGPT!
Fast forward many years...
Against the grain and many peoples wise advice, I've become a stand-up comedian. I've made somewhat a living out of it. I'm alive at least. It's never been easy but the thought of settling for a random job working for someone else making more money just to please others or to fit into a society that wasn't meant for me wouldn't have been easy either. Not knocking anyone who has done that, we all have our own paths. And you probably have your own path to your own house now because you got a job that paid for it. Good on you! I get free drinks at gigs sometimes!
In 2019 at the peak of my fame (no sit-com yet but I had done a hair-loss commercial so I was kind of a big deal) I was invited back to my high school to give the end of year speech at the graduation to which I'll forever claim means I've been given an honorary doctorate like when other famous people go back to give a graduation speeches at YALE or something and they all throw those silly Fez hats in the air.
I got a pen instead. And that pen is in a draw somewhere. But whatever.
My point is, scores don't matter, (unless of course the institution you are striving to be in demands you have a certain score then yes, they do) ultimately though, they don't. Because whether you get into that course or you miss it, that's what will happen and the following will shape your life and teach you resilience and you'll still need to eat, sleep and work out public transport and taxes and relationships and finding somewhere to live and shopping for groceries and going to the doctor to get that thing looked at, and remembering passwords and resetting passwords and not using the same password you've already used and making sure your password is stronger than that week password you just used that doesn't have any characters or upper case letters in it you failure!
So chase your dreams whether they be academic, artist, sporting or whatever else falls in between and don't be hard on yourself if you fail, because you only fail if you try and trying is not failing, trying is succeeding. Also, no one cares what you do.
If you have kids or don't have kids, if you buy a house or don't buy a house. If you have a fancy car or take the bus. If you holiday on the Greek Islands or take a caravan to Bonnie Doon.
Do what makes you happy. Do your best not to hurt anyone along the way and accept your lot in life. It's not a level playing field and there's nothing you can do about it. Some are born into wealth and are given a free ride and end up miserable, some start out from broken homes and become a huge success. Others are refugees coming to Australia simply looking for a home and safe place to live. Comparison, jealousy, envy, expectations and grudges are all toxic. Learn to love yourself, your body and stick to the path that's in your heart and those who are truly in your corner will have your back, those who aren't, that's their own lot of emotional baggage and you can only give that so much energy. And if your parents and peers judge you based on your scores at school then they're missing the point, we're all built different and some are good at school, others are just sexy and will become influencers so don't waste your time trying to impress others unless it's on the dance floor because that's where you can really make an impression.
Might I suggest the lawnmower/ sprinkler combo. Never fails.
I got a 30 TER (ATAR) and look at me now! I have a BLUE TICK on my Instagram! I didn't need university for that! What's more successful than a social media verification I ask?! Nothing!!!
FYI, I had to pay for my blue tick just to speak to an actual person after 2 months to try and get my disabled account back. I sadly rely on having these accounts for work, if I didn't, I would be spending far more time away from the screen.
There you go, it's all a lie. Don't fall for social media and how people's lives look and think you have to be as successful or cool or happy as that or have all the material things.
So good luck to all those who have reached the end of their high schooling days, whether you dropped out, failed or became the valedictorian, it doesn't matter, we all end up dead and it goes fast, real fast. Have some fun between now and then and try not to take the failures personal or dwell on the crap times too long, go forth with a positive attitude, with gratitude and love and drive safe. You may have just got your P plates but trust me, you are a terrible driver. Peace out nerds.
PS. If I could offer you one piece of advice, wear sunscreen.
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