Jiaqi Emily Xue has received the top mark in New South Wales in English EAL/D and has been named one of Meriden’s twenty-seven All-Round Achievers. She received a mark of 90 or above in every HSC course in which she was enrolled, including Biology, English EAL/D, Mathematics, Mathematics Extension 1, Modern History and Spanish Beginners.
Emily dreams of a career as a User Experience (UX) Designer and is planning to study computer design at university in 2020. She is currently working as an intern in a bank, where she helps to translate documents to and from Mandarin and English.
Emily began to learn English in China when she was in Year 2. She arrived in Australia at the end of Year 7 and her academic achievements have matched her persistent hard work and dedication throughout her school years.
Emily said she enjoyed the practicality of the English EAL/D unit in which she topped the state.
“The content of the course was very interesting, particularly the topics that looked at individuals’ transnational experiences and multiculturalism, which were very relatable and reflected my class’ personal experiences as international students,” Emily said.
While Emily’s approach to studying for the HSC involved some twenty-first century plug-ins – she utilised apps to help minimise distractions during study-time – her success comes down to tried and trusted study habits.
“I preferred to break down my study sessions into small chunks, taking regular breaks to snack and relax – this gave me something to look forward to!” she said.
“I also made small study goals, like aiming to write one paragraph of an essay or analyse one quote by the end of the session, so I always felt like I had achieved something at the end of my study block. I found that continuing with my hobbies of swimming, photography and cooking helped me relax and clear my mind.”
The Meriden community congratulates Emily on her wonderful achievement and looks forward to hearing about her future successes.
