One of the experiences Year 12 student, Hunter Boag, has valued during 2025 is his role as a student representative on the BSSC College Council.
“I really like the way the College Council includes students and people from the community—it’s not just for teachers.”
Hunter took the opportunity to speak to the council about how students were preparing for exams and says, “It gave me a chance to say, ‘we’re doing well’.”
School has always been a place Hunter enjoyed, describing his love of learning as, “an escape from the mundaneness of life”.
He has especially enjoyed the bonds formed with his BSSC teachers and other students in his classes and says these relationships really began to crystalise by the start of second term of Year 11.
“I began making so many friends—and I will probably keep some of them for life.”
Hunter has also observed in others, and himself, how BSSC’s emphasis on freewill and autonomy grows students into more self-reliant people.
“When I think back to what I used to be like, there wasn’t much I did for myself. I think that spilled into other areas of my life. These days I find I ask myself how I can be more productive in my free time as well as my studies.”
His subjects this year have been English, General Maths, VET Business, Legal Studies, and Psychology and—such are the joys and pain of hindsight—he says if he could have his time again he would love to have included VET Music and Theatre Studies in his course.
“I didn’t choose them because I was focused on what would more definitely lead to a job.”
He now fully appreciates how easily BSSC students are able to mix really diverse subjects, and it’s something he wishes he’d paid more attention to when choosing his course.
Hunter also insists senior is easily the best school in the district.
“I might be biased, but from what I can see, everyone here is so much happier and the academics are top-notch. I have met a number of students here who I suspect are genuinely geniuses.”
BSSC’s canteen also rates a mention from Hunter—especially the chicken burgers. “And the chips are like those fantastic ones you get at a really nice town by the beach.”
When he sits down to study, Hunter tries to get rid of all distractions and resists opening extra tabs on his computer.
He uses notes, summaries, and Edrolo, and has found it really matters that he studies in a place that works for him—he highly recommends the college’s library as an awesome option.
When the stress of VCE becomes a problem, a round of golf with his grandfather has been a great way for Hunter to disperse it.
“I also try and find logical ways to resolve stress—so if I’m worried about a subject, I’ll get into it more. If it’s an issue with a friend I’ll talk with them.
“There are things you can’t fix, of course, and you just have to move on.
“Going into an exam feeling relaxed because you have done the revision is the ideal strategy for exams,” Hunter says.
He hopes all his academic preparation will lead into studying Law at RMIT or Swinburne. With aspirations to one day work in regional or rural areas—where legal services are often poor—Hunter hopes to bridge a problem many towns struggle to address.
He does have back-up plans, including beginning Law through TAFE’s legal studies options or even joining the navy.
Other interests include a love of drawing, singing, hanging out with friends, walking—especially in Heathcote’s Greytown National Park—video games, and listening to music.
Like many students his age, Hunter enjoys music by bands that have been around for a while, such as America and Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Kurt Cobain is a musician who has impressed Hunter with his rise to fame from a simple beginning and, despite being “insanely famous”, tried to keep to his moral core.
Perhaps in contrast—and yet with some interesting similarities—Hunter also admires Jesus; someone he says did a lot of good. “When I read the stories about his life, I find them really moving.”
Asked about what concerns him, Hunter says he’s concerned about the often-devastating consequences for people when they lose something fundamental from their lives.
He lists connection to culture, family, or the internal values that drove people like Cobain and Jesus to live life as authentically as possible.
“I’m also concerned that so many people in my generation don’t seem very happy. It’s actually hard to imagine that we will remain married for 50 years as many of our grandparents have done.
“I feel like we’ve been given a really tough start to our adult life due to things like low wages and unreachable prices for houses.”
As well as counselling himself about subject choices, Hunter says he would love to go back and tell his 12-year-old self to “start growing your hair out, bro—the combover wasn’t really your thing!
“More seriously,” he adds, “I’d tell myself that, although I will struggle and doubt myself—wondering if things will get better—I will make it through.
“So, be content and enjoy yourself.”
