2021 STUDENT DIARY Building Character & Resilience - Createl Publishing
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®
Catholic Edition
p l e
v i e w Sam
P re
2021
STUDENT DIARY
Building Character & Resilience
Name
HOLIDAYS 2021 IMPORTANT DATES, EVENTS,
Australia & New Zealand
Friday 1 January New Year’s Day
Australian Capital Territory
Monday 8 March Canberra Day
SPECIAL DAYS
Tuesday 26 January Australia Day (ex NZ) Monday 31 May Reconciliation Day
Friday 2 April Good Friday Monday 14 June Queen’s Birthday
January July
Sunday 4 April Easter Sunday Monday 4 October Labour Day
Monday 5 April Easter Monday
Queensland
Sunday 25 April ANZAC Day
Monday 3 May Labour Day
Saturday 25 December Christmas Day
Wednesday 11 August Brisbane Show Day*
Sunday 26 December Boxing Day (ex SA)
Monday 4 October Queen’s Birthday
Monday 27 December Christmas Day Holiday
Tuesday 28 Devember Boxing Day Holiday (ex SA) Northern Territory
Monday 3 May May Day
Victoria
Monday 14 June Queen’s Birthday
Monday 8 March Labour Day
Monday 14 June Queen’s Birthday
Monday 2 August Picnic Day February August
Tuesday 2 November Melbourne Cup Day Western Australia
Monday 1 March Labour Day
South Australia
Monday 7 June Western Australia Day
Monday 8 March Adelaide Cup Day
Monday 27 September Queen’s Birthday
Monday 14 June Queen’s Birthday
Monday 4 October Labour Day Tasmania
Sunday 26 December Proclamation Day Monday 8 February Regatta Day*
Tuesday 28 December Proclamation Day Holiday Monday 8 March Eight Hours Day
Tuesday 6 April Easter Tuesday
New South Wales
Monday 14 June Queen’s Birthday
Monday 14 June Queen’s Birthday March September
Monday 1 November Recreation Day*
Monday 2 August Bank Holiday*
Monday 4 October Labour Day New Zealand
Saturday 2 January Day after New Year’s Day
Saturday 6 February Waitangi Day
Monday 25 October Labour Day
* Local areas only
SCHOOL TERMS 2021
Victoria Western Australia
April October
Term 1 Wednesday 27 Jan – Thursday 1 Apr Term 1 Monday 1 Feb – Thursday 1 Apr
Term 2 Monday 19 Apr – Friday 25 Jun Term 2 Monday 19 Apr – Friday 2 Jul
Term 3 Monday 12 Jul – Friday 17 Sep Term 3 Monday 19 Jul – Friday 24 Sep
Term 4 Monday 4 Oct – Friday 17 Dec Term 4 Monday 11 Oct – Thursday 16 Dec
New South Wales Northern Territory
Term 1 Wednesday 27 Jan – Thursday 1 Apr Term 1 Monday 1 Feb – Friday 16 Apr
Term 2 Monday 19 Apr – Friday 25 Jun Term 2 Tuesday 27 Apr – Friday 2 July
Term 3 Monday 12 Jul – Friday 17 Sep Term 3 Tuesday 27 Jul – Friday 1 Oct
Term 4 Tuesday 5 Oct – Friday 17 Dec Term 4 Monday 18 Oct – Thursday 16 Dec May November
Australian Capital Territory Tasmania
Term 1 Monday 1 Feb – Thursday 1 Apr Term 1 Wednesday 3 Feb – Friday 9 Apr
Term 2 Monday 19 Apr – Friday 25 Jun Term 2 Monday 26 Apr – Friday 2 Jul
Term 3 Monday 12 Jul – Friday 17 Sep Term 3 Tuesday 20 Jul – Friday 24 Sep
Term 4 Tuesday 5 Oct – Friday 17 Dec Term 4 Monday 11 Oct – Thursday 16 Dec
Queensland New Zealand
Term 1 Wednesday 27 Jan – Thursday 1 Apr Term 1 Monday 1 Feb – Friday 16 Apr
Term 2 Monday 19 Apr – Friday 25 Jun Term 2 Monday 3 May – Friday 9 July
Term 3 Monday 12 Jul – Friday 17 Sep Term 3 Monday 26 Jul – Friday 1 Oct June December
Term 4 Tuesday 5 Oct – Friday 10 Dec Term 4 Monday 18 Oct – Monday 20 Dec
South Australia
Term 1 Wednesday 27 Jan – Friday 9 Apr
Term 2 Tuesday 27 Apr – Friday 2 Jul
Term 3 Monday 19 Jul – Friday 24 Sep
Term 4 Monday 11 Oct – Friday 10 Dec
2 3
He said to them,
2021
“But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter replied, “You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God.”
LITURGICAL CALENDAR
Matthew 16:15-16 (RSVCE)
Who is
1 January Mary, The Holy Mother of God
6 January The Epiphany of the Lord
Jesus?
10 January The Baptism of the Lord
17 February Ash Wednesday
17 March Saint Patrick
19 March Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
25 March The Annunciation of the Lord
Who do you
say that I am?
28 March Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday)
1 April Holy Thursday
2 April Good Friday “I am the bread of life;
3 April Easter Vigil he who comes to me shall not
hunger, and he who believes
4 April Easter Sunday in me shall never thirst. ”
16 May The Ascension of the Lord – John 6:35 (RSVCE)
23 May Pentecost Sunday
“I am the light of the world;
24 May Our Lady Help of Christians he who follows me will not walk
30 May The Most Holy Trinity in darkness, but will have the
light of life.”– John 8:12 (RSVCE)
6 June The Most Holy Body
and Blood of Christ “I am the door of the sheep.”
(Corpus Christi)
– John 10:7 (RSVCE)
11 June The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
“I am the good shepherd.
24 June The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
The good shepherd lays down
29 June Saints Peter and Paul his life for the sheep.”
6 August The Transfiguration of the Lord – John 10:11 (RSVCE)
8 August Saint Mary of the Cross (St. Mary Mackillop)
“I am the resurrection
15 August* The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the life;
14 September The Exaltation of the Holy Cross he who believes in me, though
he die, yet shall he live.”
1 November All Saints
– John 11:25 (RSVCE)
2 November All Souls
21 November Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe “I am the way, and the truth,
and the life;
28 November First Sunday of Advent
no one comes to the Father,
8 December The Immaculate Conception of the but by me.”
Blessed Virgin Mary – John 14:6 (RSVCE)
25 December* The Nativity of the Lord
“I am the true vine.”
26 December The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph – John 15:1 (RSVCE)
*Holy Day of Obligation (every Sunday is a Holy Day of Obligation).
Image:
“Ecce Homo” (Behold the Man)
painting by Antonio Ciseri
66 77
t h o
The Ca Truthl i c C h u r c h
Defending the
One Flock, One Shepherd
We cannot imagine a world where some things had no explanation or
purpose at all. We all know that life is not meaningless, but how often do As the years went by, some people broke away from Jesus’ Church to form their own. This
we ever stop to think what the meaning really is? We live in a society where is why there are so many denominations of Christianity today. But Jesus wanted there to be
people often argue over ‘who is right,’ or ‘who is wrong’, but how often do one Church, so that they could all be guided by Him, the one true Shepherd.
we ever think about what the real truth is? “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also,
and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”
d the life.”
“I am the way, and the truth, an – John 14:6
– John 10:16 (NRSVCE)
What is the Truth? The Catholic Church today goes back to the Church
Humans, as we have known since the Truth is not an unreachable idea. Truth Jesus founded when He passed His authority to St Peter.
dawn of time, search and yearn for the is a person, Jesus, who came down to
There are four signs that tell us that the Catholic Church
truth about life. The truth about life is us so that all could have eternal life with
inseparable from the truth about who Him. Before He ascended into Heaven, belongs completely to Jesus Christ:
God is, because we know through our Jesus completed His mission by passing
faith, without God, life would not exist. on His authority to His disciple, St Peter.
God became Man to tell the world that Jesus would continue to guide us through
everything does have an explanation. the head of His Church; St Peter, the first Unity – We all believe the Holiness – Those who truly
When Jesus was questioned by Pontius Pope. St Peter was the first to announce same thing, regardless of who live in accordance with the
Pilate on Holy Thursday, He said: the good news of the gospel on the day we are. We profess this in Church’s teachings become
of Pentecost. Of those who heard Peter
“You say that I am a king. the Apostles’ Creed and the holy, ready for eternal union
speak that day, 3000 were converted and
For this I was born, and for this Nicene Creed. We have one with God in Heaven. The saints
the Church we know today was born. The
spiritual leader, the Pope. No throughout the centuries – the
I came into the world, to Church was born in response to Christ’s
parting promise to the apostles: “And Jesus matter where we go in the holy men and women who
testify to the truth. Everyone
came and said to them, all authority in world, we participate in the lived for Christ – are the perfect
who belongs to the truth same Mass and we have the
heaven and on earth has been given to example of the holy fruits of the
listens to my voice.” me. Go therefore and make disciples of all same seven sacraments. Church.
– John 18:37
ONE HOLY
nations, baptising them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:18-19).
CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC
Universality – The word Apostolic Succession - The
‘catholic’ means ‘universal.’ authority of Jesus, which
The Church teaches all was passed on to St Peter,
of the truths, at all times, has been passed down the
in all places. Nothing is centuries in an unbroken
excluded. It is the longest chain to the current Pope,
existing Church – and the also known as the successor
only one that existed for the of Peter. It is the assurance
first 1,000 years of Christian of the truth, based on the
history. Its teachings have fact that the authority is
remained consistent and traceable back to Jesus
complete. It isn’t exclusive Christ, the Truth.
to any particular country; it
embraces all nations.
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t – W e ’r e m a d e fo r
Be a Sain
Holiness Talking to God
“All are called to holiness.” Prayer God has infinite love for us, so He is always listening to what we ask, but unfortunately
a lot of people treat Him like a vending machine. Imagine a small child who comes
– Pope St John Paul II
Before Study home from school and wants to tell their parents every detail of their day. This is the
way God wants us to trust Him, as His children.
People often think of sainthood or holiness as being
something reserved for ‘extraordinary’ people, but
this is not true. The journey to holiness can start at Here is a prayer by “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
any time! God has hand-crafted all the details of St Thomas Aquinas
(the patron saint of
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
our lives to make us holy and lead everyone to – Matthew 18:3
Him. When we do the ordinary tasks of life with love students) that you ca
n
for God, even when we don’t feel like it, God is use to help you offe God’s love for us is more than all the love of all the parents in the world put together.
making us holy, right then and there. But we can’t
r
up your study to Go When we pray, we are having a heart-to-heart conversation with Our Heavenly Father.
do it on our own. God nourishes us through the d,
giving it a higher
sacraments that He has given us in the treasure Here are some tips to get you started:
purpose:
trove of His Church and in the Deposit of Faith that 1. Keep it regular. Schedule it in, or it won’t 4. Posture. Our exterior reflects our interior
is the Catholic Church. happen! Set aside at least 10-15 minutes at the disposition – if you are lying down, you are
“…you were made for greatness.” Creator of all things,
true source of light an
same time each day. That will be the time that probably not as attentive to God as you
– Pope Benedict XVI d you set aside for God and no one else. could be.
wisdom,
origin of all being, 2. Choose a quiet place. The ultimate place to 5. Persevere. Even if we’re tired or distracted,
Everyone can be a saint graciously let a ray of
your pray is in front of the Blessed Sacrament but of it’s more important to show up than not to
light penetrate course this is not possible every day, choose a pray at all. If can’t think straight, just say,
The Catholic Church has a long history of saints.
the darkness of my quiet place that is free from distractions. “Lord, here I am.” If you don’t feel like
In fact, there are up to 10,000 saints. In this diary
understanding.
we have provided every few weeks ‘Think Like 3. Choose a topic. Pray about something praying, tell Him!
Saint’ to let you reflect on some of the inspiring specific, so you can see what God is asking That way, you’re praying already.
Take from me the do
words and insights that the rich history of saints uble
darkness you to do in that area of your life. Make some
has given the Catholic Church over the last
in which I have been resolutions from your prayer. You can also:
2000 years. They were all like us, with their flaws born,
an obscurity of sin an
and failings, but day by day, by accepting d – Read a bit of the Gospel. Imagine
ignorance.
God’s graces, their sufferings and always yourself there. Apply it to your life. Talk to
striving to improve and grow holy, they had Our Lord about that. What do you want
an impact on the world and in the process, Give me a keen
understanding, to ask Him? What is He trying to tell you
became saints.
a retentive memory, through that Gospel?
and
the ability to grasp thi
Make a resolution – ngs – Use a spiritual book, like the writings of
correctly and
Something specific that you one of the saints.
will focus on for improvement. fundamentally.
Review your resolution each week – – Examine your conscience – what is
how did you go putting it into practise? Grant me the talent separating you from God?
Focus on one thing at a time. of being exact in my
explanations
Being a saint is not a matter of doing grand things,
and the ability to ex
but even the smallest thing becomes grand in the press
myself with thorough
eyes of God when we do it with love for Him. With ness
God’s help, each day, we will be better than
and charm. “For me prayer is a surge of the heart,
yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow. With it is a simple look towards Heaven,
Point out the beginnin
continued practise and patience every day, we g,
direct the progress, it is a cry of recognition and of love,
all can become a saint. No matter where we are and help in the comp
on our journey, it is never too late to begin. letion . embracing both trial and joy.”
- Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
10 11
10 11
Daily P ra yers
nts
for Stude
Magnificat Prayer Before Meals Prayer to St. Michael
Start the day with a prayer. On these two pages we’ve included some My soul proclaims the greatness of Bless us, O Lord, and these your St. Michael the Archangel, defend
the Lord, gifts which we are about to us in battle;
of the most popular Catholic Prayers you can say during the day. my spirit rejoices in God my receive from your goodness. be our defence against the
Saviour; Through Christ our Lord. wickedness and snares of the
for he has looked with favour on Amen. devil.
his lowly servant. May God rebuke him, we humbly
Sign of the Cross Apostles’ Creed Nicene Creed From this day all generations will Prayer After Meals pray;
In the name of the Father, I believe in God, I believe in one God, call me blessed: and do you, O prince of the
We give you thanks
and of the Son, the Father almighty, the Father almighty, the Almighty has done great heavenly host,
for all your gifts,
and of the Holy Spirit. Creator of heaven and earth, maker of heaven and earth, things for me, by the power of God,
almighty God,
Amen. and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, of all things visible and invisible. and holy is his Name. thrust into hell Satan and the other
living and reigning
our Lord, I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, He has mercy on those who fear evil spirits
now and for ever.
The Our Father who was conceived by the Holy the Only Begotten Son of God, him who prowl about the world for the
Amen.
Spirit, born of the Father before all ages. in every generation. ruin of souls.
Our Father,
born of the Virgin Mary, God from God, Light from Light, He has shown the strength of his Amen.
who art in heaven,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, true God from true God, arm, Act of Consecration to Mary
hallowed be thy name; O my Queen, O my Mother, I love
thy kingdom come;
was crucified, died and was begotten, not made, he has scattered the proud in Prayer to St. Joseph
buried; consubstantial with the Father; their conceit. you and give
thy will be done The Protector of the Church
he descended into hell; through him all things were made. He has cast down the mighty from myself to you. I give to you this
on earth as it is in heaven. Father, you entrusted our Saviour
on the third day he rose again For us men and for our salvation their thrones, day my eyes,
Give us this day our daily bread; to the care of Saint Joseph.
from the dead; he came down from heaven, and has lifted up the lowly. my ears, my mouth, my heart, my
and forgive us our trespasses By the help of his prayers may
he ascended into heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was He has filled the hungry with good whole self.
as we forgive those who trespass your Church continue to serve its
and is seated at the right hand of incarnate of the Virgin Mary, things, Since I am yours, keep me and
against us; Lord,
God the Father Almighty; and became man. and the rich he has sent away guard me as
and lead us not into temptation, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
from there he will come to judge For our sake he was crucified empty. your child forever.
but deliver us from evil. with you and the Holy Spirit,
the living and the dead. under Pontius Pilate, He has come to the help of his Amen.
Amen. one God, for ever and ever.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, he suffered death and was servant Israel
Amen.
the holy Catholic Church, buried, for he has remembered his Memorare
Hail Mary the communion of saints, and rose again on the third day promise of mercy, Remember, O most gracious
Hail Mary, full of grace, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the Scriptures. the promise he made to our Virgin Mary,
the Lord is with you. the resurrection of the body, He ascended into heaven fathers, that never was it known
Blessed are you among women, and life everlasting. and is seated at the right hand of to Abraham and his children that anyone who fled to thy
and blessed is the fruit of your Amen. the Father. forever. protection,
womb, Jesus. He will come again in glory implored thy help
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Hail Holy Queen to judge the living and the dead Act of Contrition or sought thy intercession,
pray for us sinners, and his kingdom will have no end. was left unaided.
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of My God,
now and at the hour of our death. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Inspired by this confidence,
mercy, I am sorry for my sins with all my
Amen. Lord, the giver of life, We fly unto thee, O Virgin of
Hail our life, our sweetness and heart.
who proceeds from the Father In choosing to do wrong virgins my Mother;
our hope.
Glory Be to the Father To thee do we cry, poor banished
and the Son, and failing to do good, to thee do we come, before thee
Glory be to the Father, who with the Father and the Son is I have sinned against you we stand, sinful and sorrowful;
children of Eve:
and to the Son, adored and glorified, whom I should love above all O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
to thee do we send up our sighs,
and to the Holy Spirit. who has spoken through the things. despise not our petitions,
mourning and weeping in this
As it was in the beginning, prophets. I firmly intend, with your help, but in thy mercy hear and answer
valley of tears.
is now, and ever shall be, I believe in one, holy, catholic to do penance, them. Amen.
Turn then, most gracious
world without end. and apostolic Church. to sin no more,
Advocate,
Amen. I confess one Baptism for the and to avoid whatever leads me
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
forgiveness of sins to sin.
and after this our exile,
and I look forward to the Our Saviour Jesus Christ
show unto us the blessed fruit of
resurrection of the dead suffered and died for us.
thy womb, Jesus.
and the life of the world to come. In his name, my God, have mercy.
O clement, O loving, O sweet
Amen.
Virgin Mary! Amen.
Guardian Angel Prayer
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
to whom God’s love commits me
here, ever this day be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and
guide. Amen.
16 17
16 17
Catho l i c R e s o u r c e s Wha t Is Bu ilding
c t er & Re s il ie n c e?
C hara
Do you ever think about why it’s so difficult to stop scrolling through new
Category Website Description social media posts on our phones or drag ourselves away from the latest
Catholic Answers – Explanations on every aspect of the Catholic Faith. online game when we’re called for dinner? Or why it’s so easy to give up
ANSWERS AND
https://catholic.com when something becomes challenging or the going gets tough? Then
SUPPORT
Chastity Project – To support young people in the search for later, when we think about it, we don’t feel too happy about it because
https://chastityproject.com authentic and lifelong love.
we’ve let ourselves and others down. It’s at these moments that we wish
A safe, secure, proven and effective
Covenant Eyes – accountability-based service to help members we had more self-control or self-mastery.
https://covenanteyes.com to use the internet with integrity and remain pure
online. We’re here to help you win! How do we develop better self-mastery or self-control? Self-mastery means
developing lots of good habits that help us manage our impulses and fears,
Faith, pop culture, and headline reflections from
The Fr Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast – Fr. Mike Schmitz, the chaplain for the Newman respect others and think before we act.
https://thefrmikepodcast.fireside.fm Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth in the
PODCASTS – FAITH, POP CULTURE, REFLECTIONS AND ADVICE
United States of America. Developing good habits allows our character to grow
A weekly podcast hosted by Michelle Benzinger, and it’s our CHARACTER that sums up our qualities The
Abiding Together –
Sr. Miriam James Heidland, and Heather Khym,
providing a place of connection, rest and not only as a person, but also as a follower of Christ. Four Core
Good habits like being hopeful, optimistic and
Virtues of
https://abidingtogetherpodcast.com encouragement for people who are on the
journey of living out their passion and purpose in
courageous can also help us persevere through
Character
Jesus Christ.
A new podcast featuring Ryan DellaCrosse, Ryan
challenges or setbacks and help us develop
The Catholic Talk Show – Scheel, and Fr. Rich Pagano. The show is hilarious, RESILIENCE. In fact, developing good habits means
https://catholictalkshow.com entertaining, and informative! In this diary, we’ll
we have more self-belief, feel more secure and we
introduce you to
A podcast run by Australian-born Catholic speaker, become happier, well-rounded individuals with the 47 good habits or virtues
Matt Fradd and atheist, Noah B.E. Church, who
Love People Use Things – obviously disagree on a few things, but they both ability to call on our core character strengths during that can help you develop
https://lovepeopleusethings.fm agree that your life, your relationships, and society difficult times. your character. Each of
as a whole would be a whole lot better, more
beautiful and healthy without pornography. these good habits fall
Real, relatable, and often comical, Adam and under four core virtues of
The Catholic Man Show –
David have a conversation promoting the lost art
of living virtuously, and the need for every man
How do we develop good habits? character. You’ll be able
to identify them by the
https://thecatholicmanshow.com to embrace authentic masculinity in their lives We form habits by repeated action. Biting your nails
through Jesus Christ and the saints. Every episode is four logos below:
broken up into 3 parts. is a habit (a bad one) because you develop it through
repetition and before long, you don’t even realise you are
Weekly reflections by a priest of Opus Dei that, in
the spirit of St. Josemaria Escriva, guide us to set doing it. Regular repetition of GOOD HABITS, done for Respect and
St. Josemaria Institute Podcast – time aside to listen peacefully, to pray, and to the right reasons, are called VIRTUES. Daily routines help Responsibility
https://stjosemaria.org/podcast examine your life in the presence of Jesus Christ:
to see what is going well, to see what needs to us develop habits. So, for example, when we stick to a
change, to make resolutions, and to begin again. daily routine of starting homework at a set time, without
A podcast run by Dr. Edward Sri, an American wasting time, it gradually gets easier and easier to do until Sound
All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri – theologian, author and well-known Catholic
speaker who appears regularly on EWTN. He
it becomes a good habit or virtue. Judgement
https://edwardsri.com/all-things-catholic speaks on a variety of topics within the Catholic
faith and its teaching. Making virtues part of daily life
It may sound like leading a life full of virtuous habits is only
Christian Daily Life – Articles and videos from Opus Dei, founded by St Self-Mastery
FINDING GOD IN DAILY LIFE
https://opusdei.org/en-us/section/ Josemaría Escrivá, focusing on living as Catholic in for very religious people, but it’s something we can all
christian-life/ your daily life, in the middle of the world. strive for. As Catholics, we have already received important
Word on Fire – Uses contemporary media to draw people into the virtues from the Holy Spirit like faith, hope, and love but
https://wordonfire.org Catholic faith. Founded by Bishop Robert Barron. there are many other virtues or good habits that we can Courage
UCatholic – https://ucatholic.com Catholic resources for the modern world. develop. For instance, did you know that being joyful, and Strength
Blessed is She – A blog for Catholic women, daughters of the King,
having courage, showing generosity or even being curious
https://blessedisshe.net featuring prayer and reflections. is a virtue? Who wouldn’t want to be joyful, courageous For well over two
The Catholic Gentleman – A blog for Catholic men, focusing on the manliness and generous? In fact, most people, without knowing it, thousand years, since the
https://catholicgentleman.net and classiness of holiness. live out many virtues every day. And as we’ll explain, by time of Socrates, human
Life Teen –
making virtues part of our daily life, we not only build beings have striven to
Leading young people to a deeper relationship
https://lifeteen.com with Jesus Christ. character and resilience, but we become closer to God. develop good habits in
these four core areas.
18 19
T he Fou r Core How To Use The
Virtu es o f Ch a ra c t er Character Virtues Every Week
Homework/Assignments/Tasks
These FOUR CORE VIRTUES OF CHARACTER are the
habits that allow us to live our own lives free from external Why is all this
peer group and media influence and free from our internal important?
weaknesses like laziness, vanity and impatience. They
You will be introduced to a new
provide a foundation that allows us to develop qualities
CHARACTER VIRTUE every week.
that help us succeed, like determination and leadership;
Don’t think of virtues as a wish list 1. Read the virtue and quote each week
qualities that help us interact better with others, like
of ideal qualities. We need good Each week you will be introduced to a character virtue
forgiveness, honesty and generosity; and qualities that
habits and cannot be happy or (good habit) that we break down into three questions.
strengthen our commitment to justice, fairness and
resilient without them. If you have Using examples and ideas to help you understand it, you can
respect for others. Without respect and responsibility,
poor habits and therefore lack discover how you can live out the virtue in the Catholic faith.
sound judgement, self-mastery and courage & strength
important character virtues, you
we would not be able to fully function in our society,
can only be happy if everything • What is it?
for example:
goes your way 100% of the time. • What does it look like?
• Without habits of respect and responsibility to keep The good news is that developing
our selfishness in check, our decisions would hurt or character and resilience can be • Why do we need it?
neglect others. taught – no one is excluded – and
• Without sound judgement, we would be unable to set this diary will provide you with 2. Discuss as a class or in groups/pairs
goals, to self-manage, to listen to our conscience and practical and helpful information
not fool ourselves.
• Without self-mastery, our impulses or anger would distort
to assist you develop into a kind
but strong person who will thrive Let'S Ask Discussion and examples are
a great way to really understand
our decision-making, harming ourselves and others. in the face of adversity and have
the ability to make a positive
OURSELVES a new idea. Each week, you
could discuss with your teacher,
• Without courage and strength, our fears would paralyse parents or friends how you could put this new character
contribution to the world
us and stop us thinking clearly. virtue or habit into practise.
around you.
List of Good Habits/Character Virtues
In the table below you’ll see a list of 47 good habits or character virtues that you’ll come across Research has shown that without the ability to have
in the diary throughout the year. For easy reference, we have grouped them into the four core self-mastery, it becomes very difficult to develop
virtues of character explained above and the page number where you’ll find them in the diary. character and resilience, properly interact with others
and develop caring and respectful relationships.
People who possess a well-developed self-belief and
ability to control temptations and impulses are also
able to achieve long-term goals because they are
better able to persevere through challenges and
Respect and Sound Courage setbacks. That’s why learning good habits or virtues
Responsibility Judgement Self-Mastery and Strength through your behaviour and actions can help build
Acceptance 24 Awe 30 Graciousness 64 Confidence 40 character and resilience in you.
Appreciation 28 Curiosity 44 Gratitude 66 Fortitude 56
Charity 32 Decisiveness 46 Humility 76 Honesty 68 The Character and Resilience diary was written in collaboration
Commitment 34 Detachment 50 Joyfulness 78 Hope 74 with former Headmaster of Redfield and Wollemi Colleges,
Compassion 38 Discernment 52 Mercy 88 Leadership 86 Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Notre Dame
Australia, public speaker and author of the book Parenting
Courtesy 42 Justice 82 Patience 96 Optimism 94
for Character: Equipping Your Child for Life, Dr Andy Mullins.
Faith 54 Perspective 100 Perseverance 98 Resilience 110
Friendship 60 Prayerfulness 104 Prudence 106 Sacrifice 118 Mischel, W. (2015). The Marshmellow Test. Transworld Publishers Ltd
Generosity 62 Thoughtfulness 130 Purity 108 Benard, B. (1995). Fostering resilience in children. Champaign,
Honour 72 Understanding 136 Serenity 120 ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Childhood Education.
Kindness 84 Wisdom 138 Temperance 128 Park, N. (2004). Character strengths and positive youth development.
Obedience 92 The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science,
Respect 114 591, 40-54.
Responsibility 116 Seligman, M.E.P. (2002). Authentic Happiness. New York: Free Press.
Sincerity 124 Seligman, M.E.P. (2004). Can happiness be taught? Daedalus.
Teamwork 126 Seligman, M.E.P. & Peterson, C. (2004). Character strengths and virtues:
Trustworthiness 132 A handbook and classification. Oxford: Oxford University Press
20 21
February
acter
Building top 4 PRIORITIES
Cha&rRESILIENCE
THIS WEEK’S M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
“Charity is the form, mover, mother, and root of all virtues.” 1 _____________________________________ 3 _____________________________________ 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
– St. Thomas Aquinas 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
2 _____________________________________ 4 _____________________________________
School Events & Reminders Tasks Due 3 Subject Homework, Tasks & Assignments Due
Monday 15
February
Monday 15
Charity
What is it?
Charity means loving God above
Tuesday 16
February
Tuesday 16
all things for His own sake and then
loving our neighbour as ourselves
for the love of God. It means to
do something for another person
or group, a simple act of kindness
even though you may not receive
anything in return. In 1 Corinthians
13: 1-3 Paul writes, “If I don’t have
love....” referring to the fact that
without the context of charity and
love, our actions have no meaning.
Wednesday 17
February
Wednesday 17
What does it look like?
Ash Wednesday
Showing charity could mean
volunteering at a local soup kitchen,
a Vinnies store or just saying a kind
word to someone when they need
it. Look for ways that you can make
other people’s lives easier as you
go through your day. Instead of
thinking, ‘What works for me?’
ask ‘What works for them?’ and
‘What works for the love of God?’
Thursday 18
Thursday 18
February
Why do we need it?
The practise of charity helps us act
towards others out of pure-hearted
love, precisely because each
person has the dignity of a child
of God. You might be surprised
how rewarding it can be to put
others first. There’s nothing like
contributing to someone else’s
happiness or success.
Friday 19
February
Friday 19
Let'S Ask
OURSELVES
1 When was the last time I
served someone without
expecting anything in return?
2 How could I make a difference
in my classroom this week
and beyond? Saturday 20 Sunday 21 Parent-Teacher Home-School Communication
3 Why do you think charity is
often described as the summit
of the Christian life?
Parent/Guardian:................................................................... Teacher:...............................................................................
32 33
February
acter
Building top 4 PRIORITIES
Cha&rRESILIENCE
THIS WEEK’S M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
“I cannot be called any other name than what I am, a Christian.” 1 _____________________________________ 3 _____________________________________ 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
- St. Perpetua 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
2 _____________________________________ 4 _____________________________________
School Events & Reminders Tasks Due 3 Subject Homework, Tasks & Assignments Due
Monday 22
February
Monday 22
Commitment
What is it?
Commitment means sticking with
Tuesday 23
February
Tuesday 23
a task until the end or fulfilling
a promise. Someone who is
committed doesn’t give up when
problems or difficulties arise. Their
ability and resolve to persevere
instead of running away makes
them reliable, loyal and someone
people can trust.
What does it look like?
Commitment is personified in
someone who finishes what they
Wednesday 24
February
Wednesday 24
start. Let’s all try to be sincere in our
promises and commitments. Our
Lord says, “He who endures to the
end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13).
We must persevere in doing good
as well as loving God and others
within our lives, despite difficulties.
Why do we need it?
Without commitment we just drift
along without a plan and tend to
Thursday 25
Thursday 25
February
be untrustworthy and unreliable.
True love is shown by commitment.
On the supernatural level, we must
persevere in our love for Christ.
This is clear in the example of the
heroes of our faith, with St. Paul
suffering much for the sake of the
gospel (being stoned, cast out and
shipwrecked) and St. Mother Teresa
of Calcutta persevering through
immense difficulties in her faith
for almost 40 years.
Friday 26
February
Friday 26
Let'S Ask
OURSELVES
1 What is a commitment
I am currently keeping?
How long have I kept it?
2 Has someone ever broken
their promise to me?
How did it feel?
Saturday 27 Sunday 28 Parent-Teacher Home-School Communication
3 How can faith in God help
you improve the virtue of
commitment?
Parent/Guardian:................................................................... Teacher:...............................................................................
34 35MARCH MONTHLY TASK PLANNER
PRIORITIES
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
THIS MONTH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Labour Day (WA)
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Labour Day (Vic)
Adelaide Cup Day (SA)
Canberra Day (ACT)
Eight Hours Day (Tas)
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
The First Christians
The First Christians’ beliefs, based on
the truth and morality of the life and
teachings of Christ, altered the course
of civilization. They believed in the
sanctity of life, and unlike the Greeks and
Romans of the time, they did not practise
infanticide, artificial birth control or Saint Patrick Saint Joseph
abortion. They did not divorce or have sex
before marriage because they believed 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
in the sacred and indissoluble unity of
marriage. They accepted all children,
CATHOLIC FAITH FORMATION
including the handicapped, even going
to street corners in Rome and Corinth to
take in abandoned infants. To pagans,
this behaviour seemed madness, yet this
new way of thinking and acting slowly
changed the ancient world.
Many Christian women were married to
pagan men and because they raised their
children in the faith, often their husbands The Annunciation of the Lord Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday)
converted. Christians were noted for their
joy even though they could be killed at 29 30 31
any time, evidenced by the thousands of
Christian martyrs in the first 300 years.
Christians looked at pain and suffering
in a different way: they believed in a life
beyond death and in the positive value
of suffering. “See how they love one
another” was the cry of the pagans. In a
world of power, money and cruelty, the
first Christians showed an understanding
and kindness to each other and to non-
Christians that filtered down through the
centuries to the world we live in today.
36 37March
acter
Building top 4 PRIORITIES
Cha&rRESILIENCE
THIS WEEK’S M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
“When Jesus saw Martha weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit 1 _____________________________________ 3 _____________________________________ 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
and troubled … and Jesus [also] wept.” – St. John, John 11:34-35 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
2 _____________________________________ 4 _____________________________________ 29 30 31
School Events & Reminders Tasks Due 3 Subject Homework, Tasks & Assignments Due
Monday 1
March
Monday 1
Labour Day (WA)
Compassion
What is it?
Compassion is the sincere and
Tuesday 2
March
Tuesday 2
sympathetic concern for others
who are suffering, with a desire to
do something about it. In terms of
our Catholic faith, it’s like empathy:
the ability to put oneself in other
people’s shoes, understanding their
situation and being considerate
of their feelings. Christ’s disciples
witnessed first-hand his sensitivity
to the suffering of others like when
he cried with Martha and Mary
before Lazarus’ tomb.
Wednesday 3
March
Wednesday 3
What does it look like?
Compassion can be exercised
in any area of your life: home,
school, sports or friends, as well
as in practical ways that show our
kindness and understanding. It may
be a sad classmate or a homeless
woman. We should not get
desensitised by seeing a need
and not doing anything about it.
Thursday 4
Thursday 4
March
Why do we need it?
Without compassion in our lives,
we can’t form happy relationships
with friends and family or function
within our community (who would
want to live in a community where
nobody cared for you?). Showing
solidarity and respect for the true
dignity of others will allow us to stay
close to our Lord’s Heart and help
mould our own heart, filling it with
Friday 5
March
Friday 5
the sentiments of Christ.
Let'S Ask
OURSELVES
1 What was something that
recently tugged on my
heart strings?
Parent-Teacher Home-School Communication
2 How often do I personally act
when I see someone in need?
Saturday 6 Sunday 7
3 With a classmate write down
3-4 things that either promote
or discourage compassion in
the world.
Parent/Guardian:................................................................... Teacher:...............................................................................
38 39June
acter
Building top 4 PRIORITIES
Cha&rRESILIENCE
THIS WEEK’S M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4 5 6
“Love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another 1 _____________________________________ 3 _____________________________________ 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
in showing honour.” – St. Paul, Romans 12:10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
2 _____________________________________ 4 _____________________________________ 28 29 30
School Events & Reminders Tasks Due 3 Subject Homework, Tasks & Assignments Due
Monday 7
June
Monday 7
Western Australia Day (WA)
Honour
What is it?
Honour is the habit of doing what
Tuesday 8
June
Tuesday 8
you know to be morally right, even
when it’s difficult, inconvenient or
no one is watching. It means
giving priority to our duties
to others, being faithful to
commitments we have made
and to codes of conduct.
What does it look like?
Honour can mean maintaining
respect for everyone’s opinions
in school group projects and
Wednesday 9
June
Wednesday 9
balancing time management to
meet a deadline. It could also be
keeping your commitment to tutor
a younger student even though
you’ve just been invited to a party.
Honour doesn’t take advantage
of power or slip into gossip and
complaining. As Christians we
are particularly called to show
honour by recognising the human
dignity of every person and by
Thursday 10
Thursday 10
June
showing respect for people’s
names and reputations.
Why do we need it?
Acting honourably is something
you need to practise so you can
be successful and at peace with
yourself in the future. No one
wants a friend, student, employee
or partner who is dishonourable.
We should pray to our Heavenly
Father to help us speak and act
Friday 11
June
Friday 11
carefully so that we treat all
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
people with the honour, love,
and respect they deserve.
Let'S Ask
OURSELVES
1 Do I do the right thing even
when no one is looking? Saturday 12 Sunday 13 Parent-Teacher Home-School Communication
2 Am I true to myself and my
values no matter who I am
around?
3 What do I do in a conversation
where someone is being
spoken about badly? Parent/Guardian:................................................................... Teacher:...............................................................................
72 73June
acter
Building top 4 PRIORITIES
Cha&rRESILIENCE
THIS WEEK’S M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4 5 6
“Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry.” – St. Pio of Pietrelcino 1 _____________________________________ 3 _____________________________________ 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
2 _____________________________________ 4 _____________________________________ 28 29 30
School Events & Reminders Tasks Due 3 Subject Homework, Tasks & Assignments Due
Monday 14
June
Monday 14
Queen’s Birthday (except WA, QLD)
Hope
What is it?
Hope is usually described as
Tuesday 15
June
Tuesday 15
a sense of realistic optimism
and looking forward to good
things that have a chance of
happening. For Catholics,
hope is more than this; it’s a
total trust in Jesus, that one day
we’ll have eternal life with God
in heaven. This hope helps us
continue in the face of adversity,
mockery and difficult times,
and is best summarised in the
Our Father prayer.
Wednesday 16
June
Wednesday 16
What does it look like?
The Beatitudes are a practical
example of hope. Having hope
ensures that circumstances
won’t make you give up,
despite feeling down sometimes.
If you fail a school test or don’t
get selected for the team,
remember that there is hope
and that tomorrow is always
Thursday 17
Thursday 17
June
a new day. Hope allows us to
believe in the good we see in
others and to encourage them
to become the best version
of themselves.
Why do we need it?
Just like the disciples of Jesus
who endured many trials, we
can have hope to achieve our
goals even if the road is long
to bring them to reality. Hope
Friday 18
June
Friday 18
is always nourished by a strong
prayer life, clear realistic goals
and a practical plan of action.
Let'S Ask
OURSELVES
1 What am I currently hoping for
this year? Saturday 19 Sunday 20 Parent-Teacher Home-School Communication
2 Are my hopes realistic? Are they
based on faith in God?
3 What are some of the examples
of hope mentioned in the
Beatitudes?
Parent/Guardian:................................................................... Teacher:...............................................................................
74 75June
acter
Building top 4 PRIORITIES
Cha&rRESILIENCE
THIS WEEK’S M T W T F S S
“Let your old age be childlike, and your childhood like old age; 1 2 3 4 5 6
that is, so that neither may your wisdom be with pride, nor your 1 _____________________________________ 3 _____________________________________ 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
humility without wisdom.” – St. Augustine 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
2 _____________________________________ 4 _____________________________________ 28 29 30
School Events & Reminders Tasks Due 3 Subject Homework, Tasks & Assignments Due
Monday 21
June
Monday 21
Humility
What is it?
Humility is the act of holding
Tuesday 22
June
Tuesday 22
an objective view of our own
personality. It’s a self-knowledge that
recognises our total reliance on God
for all that we have, like our health,
our good looks, our possessions
and even our friends. Humility is in
fact a gentleness in our disposition
and behaviour. It is the opposite of
pride. Whilst we should celebrate
our achievements, humility means
we don’t need to dwell on them or
make sure they are noticed.
Wednesday 23
June
Wednesday 23
What does it look like?
We can practise humility daily.
For example, we can be happy
for a classmate when they win an
award, let our siblings take credit
for a house chore well done or
refrain from bragging. Unlike the
current trend in society and social
media, humble people don’t need
constant praise; they don’t show
Thursday 24
Thursday 24
June
off. God sets our example, He
humbled Himself and embraced The Nativity Of Saint John the Baptist
the weakness of the smallest of
beings, a baby in a manger.
Why do we need it?
“God humbles the proud and
exalts the humble.” This message
is repeated many times in the Bible
by Jesus. We are drawn to modest
people because they don’t make
us feel overshadowed. Humility
Friday 25
June
Friday 25
also helps us to accept our failures
Term 2 Ends (Vic, NSW, QLD, ACT)
and not feel like they define our
worth as a person.
Let'S Ask
OURSELVES
1 Why do I think humility was
constantly highlighted by Jesus?
Saturday 26 Sunday 27 Parent-Teacher Home-School Communication
2 Think of a humble person you
know that you enjoy being
around. What makes them
humble?
3 What is a humble act I can
perform today to show my
value for someone else? Parent/Guardian:................................................................... Teacher:...............................................................................
76 77July
acter
Building top 4 PRIORITIES
Cha&rRESILIENCE
THIS WEEK’S M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4
“Leave sadness to those in the world. We who work for God 1 _____________________________________ 3 _____________________________________ 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
should be light-hearted.” – St. Leonard of Port Maurice 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
2 _____________________________________ 4 _____________________________________ 26 27 28 29 30 31
School Events & Reminders Tasks Due 3 Subject Homework, Tasks & Assignments Due
Monday 28 June
June
Monday 28
Joyfulness
What is it?
Joy is the happiness that we
Tuesday 29 June
June
Tuesday 29
have from possessing charity.
Charity is the love of God in Saints Peter and Paul
our soul that puts us in union
with God and sets us on the
wonderful road to heaven. We
can always grow in joyfulness
through godly, loving acts but
when we lose our joyfulness, for
example, disobedience to the
Commandments, the Sacrament
of Reconciliation restores it.
Wednesday 30 June
June
Wednesday 30
What does it look like?
True joy means finding happiness
and peace in life, throughout all its
ups and downs. In times of both
happiness and suffering, the most
important thing is ultimately being
close to God. The saints found joy
even in difficulties knowing that
hardship brought them closer
to God, who is the source of all
peace and joy.
Thursday 1
Thursday 1
July
Why do we need it?
If you are joyful, it spreads! Your
joy will bring joy to others. People
will want to know why you are
happy, and where this comes
from. This is a way to bring people
closer to Jesus, the source of
true joy. Being joyful all the time
isn’t easy, but if we practise it, our
joyfulness will become a character
strength that will radiate to others.
Friday 2
July
Friday 2
Term 2 Ends (SA, WA, NT, Tas)
Let'S Ask
OURSELVES
1 Am I joyful? Would people
describe me as joyful?
2 Do I let difficulties and bad
things take away my peace?
Saturday 3 Sunday 4 Parent-Teacher Home-School Communication
3 Do I let God work through me
with my cheerful attitude?
Parent/Guardian:................................................................... Teacher:...............................................................................
78 79December
acter
Building top 4 PRIORITIES
Cha&rRESILIENCE
THIS WEEK’S M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4 5
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of 1 _____________________________________ 3 _____________________________________ 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
kindness is on her tongue.” – Proverbs 31:26 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
2 _____________________________________ 4 _____________________________________ 27 28 29 30 31
School Events & Reminders Tasks Due 3 Subject Homework, Tasks & Assignments Due
Monday 13
December
Monday 13
Wisdom
What is it?
Wisdom is the first and highest
Tuesday 14
December
Tuesday 14
gift of the Holy Spirit allowing
us to have good judgement
and the ability to make sensible
decisions that display intelligence,
understanding and love. Wisdom
tends to grow as the years go by
and the difficulties that worried us
in the past become softened as we
see things with new eyes.
What does it look like?
Wisdom could mean getting
Wednesday 15
December
Wednesday 15
enough sleep on week nights to
avoid tiredness and irritability
in class, spending less time on
your mobile or choosing not
to contribute to gossip about
classmates. It could also mean
visiting a career counsellor and
heeding parental advice when
choosing subjects or work
experience. The Book of Proverbs
says, “Where there is humility,
Thursday 16
Thursday 16
December
there is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2).
Practising humility helps us to be Term 4 Ends (WA, NT, Tas)
wise because it makes us ready
to listen to godly advice.
Why do we need it?
Wisdom helps us in every area of
life because smart decisions benefit
us, our future and people around
us. Wise and successful people are
only as successful as their decisions.
What better way to gain wisdom
Friday 17
December
Friday 17
in our daily life than by practicing
Term 4 Ends (Vic, NSW, ACT)
our faith through prayer, reading
scripture and attending Mass?
Let'S Ask
OURSELVES
1 Do I consider myself a
wise person? Saturday 18 Sunday 19 Parent-Teacher Home-School Communication
2 What is my strategy for making
important decisions?
3 Looking at the book of Proverbs,
why do I think humility helps
with wisdom?
Parent/Guardian:................................................................... Teacher:...............................................................................
138 139CONTENTS
School Events & Reminders Tasks Due 3
Monday 20
Term 4 Ends (NZ)
Tuesday 21
Getting Motivated 142
Steps for Study Efficiency 143
Referencing 144 - 145
Wednesday 22
Preparing for your Exams 146
Résumé 147
Managing Stress 148
Thursday 23
Creating a Mindful Attitude 149
Healthy Lifestyle 150
Healthy Mind 151
Friday 24
Switching Off 152
People Problems 153
Bullying and Harassment 154
Saturday 25
Christmas Day, The Nativity of the Lord
Cyber Bullying 155
Assignments & Assessment Tasks Record 156 - 157
Timetable 158 - 159
Sunday 26
Boxing Day (ex SA)
Proclamation Day Holiday (SA) Exam Timetable 160
Priority Topics to Revise 161
Test, Exam & Assignment Results – Semester 1 162
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
DECEMBER
27 Christmas 28 Boxing Day 29 30 31 1 New Year’s Day 2 Test, Exam & Assignment Results – Semester 2 163
Day Holiday Holiday (ex SA),
Proclamation Day
Holiday (SA) Out of Class Permission 164
3 New Year’s Day
Holiday
4 5 6 7 8 9
School and Personal Directory 165
Homework and Study Planner 166
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Notes 167 - 168
JANUARY 2022
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 Australia Day 27 28 29 30
(ex NZ)
31
140 141Motivation
GETTING
6
STEPS
allows you to take
action to achieve
FOR
MOTIVATED
your goals. It is a
STUDY EFFICIENCY
combination of
your beliefs,
desires and values.
If you place
great importance THE FOLLOWING TIPS
ACHIEVE and value on WILL HELP YOU DEVELOP
SUCCESS JAR SUCCESS something, you
are more likely to
EFFECTIVE STUDY
HABITS:
Every time you reach IN THREE be motivated to
attain it.
a goal you’ve set for
yourself, write it down SIMPLE STEPS 1. Find a good place
on a piece of paper, to study
fold it, and put it into a STEP 1 – Recognise your
You will need to set up a good
“success jar”. beliefs, desires and values.
At the end of the study area, which will be free
What is important to you?
year you’ll have a of distractions such as the
GOAL SETTING
Make a list of all that comes to
tangible record of your television or radio. Try to
mind when you ask yourself this
successes! establish a regular time
question. School, work, career
Be smart about how you set goals in
and place for study. The
paths and family are just some of
life. Make sure they are achievable and place of study should
the areas you should examine.
that you can stay on track so that you have good lighting and be
can succeed. organised with your relevant study materials.
STEP 2 – List your strengths and weaknesses. When setting your goals they must be:
When making a list of all your strengths and
weaknesses, be honest! Remember that your 1. Specific 2. Get organised
goals will take into account this list and there Make sure you have narrowed down your Use your homework and study plan to help you block out periods for study time. Your
is no point in over-estimating your abilities as goal by asking yourself some simple study segments should be between 30–60 minutes. Take a short break after each segment.
you will only disappoint yourself in the long questions, such as "who, what, where, Using your study plan will help you become more organised and visualise how much free
run. Maintaining your motivation levels is highly
when, how, and why?” time and study time you have each week.
dependent on the accuracy of your goals. 2. Measurable
Your goals must be measurable. For 3. Break it down
STEP 3 – Establish goals based on your example, ‘I would like to increase my Assignments that need to be completed over a set period of time should be broken
desires, taking into account your strengths average grade in Mathematics from into small chunks. This will make the assignment more manageable and enable you to
and weaknesses. a C to a B+ by the end of the year’. complete it in stages, rather than all at once or the night before it is due.
Now that you know your beliefs, desires, values, 3. Attainable
strengths and weaknesses, it is time to use that 5. Try to stick to your study plan
ion and
Make sure you set goals that you can
4. Revis notes
information to establish your goals! realistically achieve. This is where you As much as possible, try to stick to your study plan and
y avoid interruptions such as using your mobile, TV shows
summar
will need to refer to the strengths and
weaknesses you identified earlier and plan sh ou ld and visitors. If you want to watch a TV show, include it in
a course of action that is based around w h a t y o u h a ve lea rnt . your plan and then work around it.
developing positive attitudes and skills, as
R e v is in g ou r st u dy ti m et a ble
be pa rt o f y r y ou r n ot e s a n d
well as establishing a time frame.
R ea din g o veu r u n d e rsta n din g o f n nt
ew 6. Take a break and reward yourself
4. Relevant ch e c k in g y o n im p o rt a After each study period of 30–60 minutes, take a short
in cla ss is a e 10–15 minute break, have a snack, take a walk, and
If circumstances change, you will need top ics lea rnt y. Ea ch we e k, set a si d r
to be prepared to adjust your goal pa rt o f st u d n ot e s fo have a good stretch as this will help to keep you alert
accordingly. If you are not flexible, you ri od fo r re v is io n o f y ou r and focussed. Your body can become lethargic if it's
a pe
may not achieve your goal and in turn . subjected to long periods of inactivity. Don’t forget to
decrease your motivation levels.
ea ch su bje ct
also eat plenty of healthy foods at regular times.
5. Time Management
When setting a time frame, make sure you
set a goal date so that your mind will kick
into action as soon as possible. Saying,
‘someday’ won’t make you believe that
you will really accomplish your goal.
142 143You can also read
