Throughout Lillian’s six years at St Catherine’s School she has demonstrated a proactive outlook to her academic and Co-curricular pursuits at School. As Captain of the Chess Club for 2021 Lillian provided confident leadership and mentorship of the younger girls, particularly those from our Junior School who joined the Club for the first time. 

Lillian also performed in Chamber Flutes, Choir and the Senior Concert Band. Lillian’s outstanding work ethic, exceptional time management skills and commitment to her studies saw her create a balanced study program that allowed her to achieve remarkable results across her six VCE subjects, as well as flourish in her Music and Chess activities. 

We wish Lillian every success as she continues her learning at university and beyond. 

Lillian shares her reflections on her two years of VCE and life at St Catherine’s in her profile below. 

What do you plan to study post School?  

Most likely a double degree in Psychology and Teaching, but I am also looking at pathways into Law depending on my ATAR. 

Where do you hope to study?  

University of Melbourne, University of Sydney or Monash University. 

 Has completing your two years of VCE within the COVID-19 pandemic changed your perspective?   

The pandemic did throw me off for a short period of time in Year 11 when the learning style completely changed. However, everyone adapted pretty seamlessly so it did not impact greatly on my perspective, and more specifically, where I wanted to take my life and education.  

What do you see yourself doing in five years’ time?  

In five years, I will probably be continuing my tertiary education, potentially trying to obtain a Post Graduate Juris Doctor degree, alongside a job in the Psychology or Teaching field.  

 What have been some of the highlights of your time at St Catherine’s?  

An absolute highlight for me was the Year 9 Heyington to Highlands trip to Fiji. I felt like our Cohort really bonded after this shared experience, which was so incredible.  

I always loved the House events, especially House Athletics and House Arts, which really brought out the creativity and potential of all the Senior School girls.  

 Despite COVID-19 what will you take away from this year?  

For me, the COVID-19 lockdowns really pushed me to remain consistent and on top of my work, so it did generate a lot of self-driven motivation. Moreover, I found myself becoming much more resilient and capable of overcoming challenges, or unexpected turns that come around the corner. I have learnt so much from this year, both in and out of class. I will leave St Catherine’s equipped with a more in-depth knowledge of the world than I ever had before.   

 What are some life lessons you have learnt from your time at St Catherine’s, and particularly from 2020-21?  

To focus on the process rather than the goal. At times I was too concentrated on obtaining a certain mark, which put more pressure on me than was necessary, when I should have been only concentrating on completing the work at hand every step of the way. Overall there would be less stress and actually more effort.  

What has COVID-19 taught you that will be able to transfer into the next phase of your journey? 

COVID really boosted my productivity and taught me the importance of staying vigilant and not get thrown off-guard by unpredictable changes. Moreover, it taught me the importance of self-driven learning, which is something that I will definitely take into the next phase of my life.  

 How do you believe St Catherine’s and your teachers have helped you reach your goals?  

Nothing in Year 12 has been purely my work alone. All my teachers were available to provide helpful feedback and support, which really helped me to become much more confident in striving for my best personal results.  

 What advice would you provide to future Year 12 students?  

It is crucial to figure out study techniques that work best for you. Test them out before commencing Year 12. Moreover, I encourage them to create notes throughout the year, rather than just before a SAC or exam.