This paper explores student perceptions regarding their learning in year 7, with a focus on challenges they experienced midway through their first year of secondary school. The study used a predominantly qualitative approach to collect data from a cohort of 178 students attending an Australian secondary school. The cohort completed a survey asking students to identify challenges with schoolwork and strategies that might be helpful. Data were processed by coding all responses for a content analysis before conducting a thematic analysis on the coded data. Students were concerned about their understanding of and connection to curriculum and identified challenges in managing tasks in the time allocated. They indicated that improving their organisational skills and focus might assist them. However, thematic analysis results indicated that a lack of connection to the curriculum had an impact on the students' confidence as learners.