“Normal day for a Year13 student” (An Interview)
By Khanatha Varaponchayanat (Kaow)
From the eyes of our young junior students, there are many of us who are wondering how the Year13 seniors keep themselves organized, study and keep their busy schedule going, and how they manage their time. Knowing someday everyone will reach their last year of high school–a year that some people seem to view as stressful and nerve-wracking–getting to know how their normal day is spent might motivate us or allow us to make sense of how things are going to go when we reach that point in life.
Aim (Chompoonuch Jongkrairattanakul) is a Year 13 Medical track student. Her most recent average IELTS(International English Language Testing System score is 7 (excellent score = 7.0-9). Her favorite subject is chemistry, and her hobby is playing badminton. She aspires to become a doctor of management or an orthopedic surgeon. With her past of being a ballerina, getting injured is not ideal. Getting hurt both physically and mentally to the point where she needs to be treated by the orthopedician inspires her to understand the real side of how Orthopedic doctors work. On the other hand, she wants to be a management doctor after getting to observe how a hospital operates and noticing many flaws that could be avoided. She is aiming for medicine at ‘Rama’, ‘Khon Kean’ and ‘Chulalongkorn University’
Baibua (Chompunek Treewattanasuwan) is a Year 13 medical track student with a recent IELTS score of 6.5. She is interested in dentistry, psychology and is aiming for Bio-technology (BBtech). Her hobbies are devouring cartoons, reading Webtoon, books and watching movies. Her favorite subject is Biology, and the subject she finds hardest is Physics. Currently, she is aiming for medicine at ‘Chulalongkorn University’.
Shokun (Phakhin Lekuthai) is a Year 13 medical track student. His recent IELTS score is 6.5, and he has received his A-level scores with 4- Bs. His pastimes include playing musical instruments, going to the gym, working out, and playing badminton. Because of his prior sporting injuries, he aspires to become an orthopedician in the future. His favorite subject is Chemistry, and his least favorite subject is Physics.
I got a chance to interview 3 medical track students, so let’s have a glimpse of how some Year 13 students spend their day. Will it be different from ours? If so, how different will it be?
Kaow: Hello, so today, I will be interviewing you about how you normally spend your day. It can be how your day is spent in general, or you can be as specific as you like. I feel like most juniors would really like to know this, including me. It will also be motivating for us.
Kaow: First simple question: do you come to school everyday? Is it better than staying home?
Aim: I come to school everyday except for Wednesdays most classes are free-periods so staying home saves time and energy. I get to self-study in a peaceful setting, which increases my productivity. There are moments when the classroom noise level is intolerable and distracting.
Shokun: I come to school everyday to meet my friend and to focus in class rather than staying at home because you can do whatever you want at home.
Kaow: What time do you wake up in the morning? What time do you go to bed?
Aim: I wake up at 6:30. I sleep normally at 10:00-11:00 p.m. Otherwise I wouldn’t feel fresh and this can affect my concentration in classes. Sleeping for 8 hours is really important, so everyone should be doing that.
Baibua: I wake up at 6:30-7:00 a.m., and I read a book for an hour until 8. Then, I have breakfast and come to school. Since we rent a dorm nearby, it is easy to commute. After knowing how tiring it is to travel, I decided to just live nearby.
Kaow: After school, do you guys take any other extra classes?
Aim: Yes, I have extra classes outside school with Baibua every Monday to Friday from 6:00 to 8:00.
Shokun: I don’t have any extra classes, so I focus more on self-studying, reading books and doing past papers instead.
Kaow: I'm sure the medical track needs a lot of revision and studying, so do you normally review after classes? Do you find it helpful?
Aim: Since my dorm is really near the school after I finished my extra class, I come back and review all the questions and answers I asked the teachers and all the things I learned that day. If I still don’t understand, I can come back and ask the next day.
Shokun: Reviewing after class is a very effective technique. I reviewed what I learned because some topics can be a little hard to grasp, and it helps me to reread some topics I still don’t understand very well. Sometimes, I also preview the lesson, so that I can be more prepared for what I am going to learn the next day.
Kaow: Is there something you do almost everyday that other people probably don’t do the same?
Aim: Max Planner. I do my Max Planner (Newton’s planner- for students to write down goals and plan their time) every day, and by the end of the day I tick and check whether I did all the things I put down. I feel like if I write it all at once, and I don't accomplish what I had planned, it can make me really upset.
Baibua: My life-style is pretty boring, so probably scrolling through TikTok since Aim doesn't do that.
Shokun: For me I think- listening to music. It’s not just music I listen to but more on the details to which I can adapt my skills and write some arrangements (altering a song in a way from how it is written originally).
Kaow: How do you spend your free time? Or relax in general?
Aim: Most of my free time is spent reading as I don’t really play games. On occasion, though, I go outside and play sports like badminton. In my free time, I also work on my portfolio and engage in other outstanding activities. The greatest approach I find helpful especially when I am stressed
is talking to people with whom I feel comfortable, and letting it all out. You shouldn’t keep things to yourself.
Kaow: Would you consider your day as productive as most people or anyone around you?
Aim: I would say yes, frankly, it is also important who you have as a friend. A comwho has your personality type can help you both become more productive because your lifestyles can complement one another and make things simpler. I stay with Baibua, so we are both productive and can help each other academically.
Baibua: I’d say yes. In general, my day is probably just as productive as the others.
Shokun: I don’t think it’s more productive than others’, but I try to make everyday as productive as possible. I will get really disappointed if I don’t get to do what I had planned.
Kaow: What’s your favorite moment of the day?
Baibua: When I buy Boba and get to have lunch. They are my favorite moments of the day.
Shokun: Playing games in class–like Kahoot. I think it is very enjoyable and fun.
Kaow: Lastly, is there anything you would like to tell the juniors?
Aim: If you want to accomplish something or have a bright future, you need to be starting it today or it will be harder in the future.
Baibua: I regret not finishing IELTS by Year 11 and not starting to revise BMAT(BioMedical Admission Test - a test used by universities around the world to evaluate and select candidates for medical and health-related degrees) in Year 12 since it was a bad experience last year. I prepared for BMAT 2 months before the exam and during the exam I didn’t know it would be that hard. So good preparation is important. IELTS is also something that you can start doing on your own. You don't need to wait for everything to be crumpled up at the last minute.
Shokun: I want you guys to have a goal–a big goal–and be specific about it. Then you’ll have discipline. It is not going to be easy, but if you start today, it will build up and eventually help you in the future.
Kaow: Those are all the questions I’ve got. Thank you so much for meeting me today. It is so amazing how you guys do so much in a day. It seems like you guys are studying and discussing so I will go now. This interview will be on Newtonian so I hope you look forward to it.