The Kempsey local stars as one of 14 students selected to be part of the ABC series ‘My Year 12 Life’, which will begin on Monday February 20 at 7.30pm on ABC ME. 

The show will be available on ABC iview that night from 8am and will air on ABC main channel on Sunday Feb 26 at 6.30pm.

The series follows the lives of a diverse group of Australian students as they self-document their final year of high school through daily video diaries.

Shianna secretly applied for the series because she loved the idea of documenting the difficult year ahead of her.

“The show seemed like the most perfect and easy outlet to express my opinion on the education system and the ATAR,” she said. “Because I completed HSC textiles in year 11, I knew how hard that was and realised that Year 12 was going to be just as bad.”

“I didn't tell my family that I had actually applied or auditioned until I had received the text to say the casting producer wanted to skype – naturally, they were super excited and happy for me.”

“My family loved being a part of the filming process, especially my eight-year-old brother! They thought it was such a great opportunity for someone in a small country town.”

Far from being a distraction to studies, the student found the presence of the camera to be ‘a friend’.

“Working with and talking to a camera became a habit more than a hinderance and I enjoyed just clicking it on and having a chat to it as if it was a friend…that strangely didn’t talk back!” She said.

“It made the emotional journey a little easier as I was more aware of my actions and decisions I had taken to where I was at the time.”

Shianna hopes the television program helps students realise they’re not alone in their struggles.

“My ultimate hope is for students and parents to watch the show and realise they don't have to go through the ups and downs of Year 12 alone –  that their feelings and emotions are common.

It’s better for people to just get talking rather than bottling everything up.”

Shianna’s greatest struggle of Year 12 was the pressure of being seen as a high-achiever.

“I did feel pressure from particular teachers and people to do well –  otherwise [I felt] they would be disappointed,” she said. “This made my last year quite difficult, as the people I usually looked up to expected so much from me.”

As an intrinsically motivated student, Shianna set her own personal goals for her HSC.

“Getting an ATAR over 90 wasn't required for what I wanted to study but it was a personal goal that I could work hard towards and be satisfied with at the end,” she said.” I believe goals are so important when studying as it makes the path to achieving a lot easier.”

Has life changed for the TV star?

“It hasn’t changed my life at all apart from the fact that I have documented a whole year when usually I wouldn't,” she said. “It’s great to look back at early footage and see how much everyone has grown up in the year.”

Shianna’s top tips for getting through Year 12.

“The most important thing to remember as a Year 12 student is to make sure you are leading your own pathway rather than following the expectations of the people around you.”

“Taking the days of Year 12 as they come is advantageous because sometimes looking too far into your future can become confusing and only stress you out more.” 

“Procrastination will become your biggest enemy.”

“Take every opportunity that is thrown at you because you never know where it is going to lead you!”