As year 12 results were received by anticipating students in Victoria yesterday I was reminded of myself three years ago. Two years of hard work summed up in one text message. For some the vibrating of the mobile will bring great happiness as endeavor is paid off and the future seems set. And hearty congratulations must go out to these students. However, for a greater percentage of students results bring about a sour feeling in the pit of the stomach as the disappointed start to worry about university preferences.

This was the position I was in at the end of 2006. My marks came out and, whilst a solid ENTER, was not enough to get my into my first preference, that was Law at LaTrobe Bundoora. Despite being devastated my mind was already planning out my contingency plan and three years later I have only a handful of subjects to complete a Law degree through LaTrobe at Bundoora. For many students the next few days is going to be very difficult. Questions of what could have been and self-worth will start cropping up. It is important, therefore, for students to remember that while an ENTER score may seem essential right now its significance diminishes like any other result. Your result does not reflect who you are as a person nor does it really limit your future directions. For me, I undertook Law at LaTrobe’s rural campus in Bendigo and within two years was where I had aimed to be in year 12. For my sister, a year of good results in Occupational Therapy saw her transfer into Physiotherapy. There are backdoors to the study you wish to undertake.

In the end your year 12 results are only a pinprick along the spectrum of your life (and that is in significance too). After three years I place next to no value on the ENTER I gained. It does not rank me nor does it restrict me. And above all remember that God is in control of your destiny.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalms 46:1