Hey there @kaygee and welcome to the forum. Ah it sounds like such a difficult place to be in ! You clearly want the best for your son, and it sounds like you've tried a lot of things to support him, and help him to make good choices around his study.
It can be so hard to know how to help without being punitive.
I'm wondering if you've tried talking to him about what his goals are for year 12 and beyond? Does he want to go to university? Is he hoping for good marks? If it's not important to him, it's unlikely he will find the motivation to study. On the flip side, he may have really high hopes, and be really stressed about all of this too - the stress that teens can feel around exams, can hinder their motivation as well.
We have an article on our youth side here about other ways to get into uni - these days, the final exams are not the be-all and end-all to getting into uni, and a lot of young people are finding paths that work for them.
We also have this article on how to get stuff done which is written to help teens- you might want to share with your 17 yo?
On our parents site - we have this article about how to help your teen prepare for year 12 exams with practical tips, and we also have this one about how to help your teen avoid distractions.
I'm sorry to bombard you! But I gathered from your post you were wanting practical tips and insights- so hopefully something in the above is helpful!
I'm also wondering if you've told him about your own experience and regret? I think if communication comes from a place of sincerity and genuine care - rather than guilt or disappointment, it is likely to be well received.
This issue of studying - and balancing the other parts of life - along with distractions - is SUCH a common one. I'm going to tag a few other parents who might be able to offer their experience too. @JAKGR8 @WhaeaM @Kkay69
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