YEARS of primary and secondary education all come down to the next couple of weeks for NSW year 12 students – but they obviously don't need to be told that.
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They're well aware of the challenges the HSC exam period, which begins today, will bring.
They've spent weeks, if not months preparing – so for some, there is an almost unnerving sense of calm.
“It's been a bit of a rollercoaster – there have been moments where I think I should do more, but I've also had moments where I don't feel stressed at all,” Trinity Anglican College year 12 student Pia Pille said.
Fellow student Monique Conibear agreed, but added that there were a lot of mixed emotions.
“I don't really feel stressed, but I think I should probably feel more stressed than I am at the moment,” she said.
Miss Pille, who is going to take a gap year before studying arts, and Miss Conibear, who is hoping to study medicine, have spent between six and eight hours a day studying in the past few weeks.
They said getting their first exam out of the way would come as a relief and ease some stress.
“We've been studying together for our first English exam, we're feeling a bit better now than we were a couple of weeks ago,” Miss Pille said.
“We've been going through ideas, a lot of discussions.”
Trinity principal Justin Beckett said it was always tricky for students to find the right balance of stress, study and relaxation ahead of the exam period, but that at this point, students should trust themselves to perform at their best.
“The advice now is to trust themselves, trust that they've done the work and they’ve got the learning there,” he said.
“Also just to get some sleep, and make sure they have a balanced healthy mindset, that their mental health is in a good space.
“That said, if you asked me six weeks ago I would have talked about having some pretty methodical study habits.”
Mr Beckett added that one of the positive changes in recent years was reminding students that although ATAR scores are important, they are not the measure of a successful career.
“While we want our students to perform well, we know it's not going to be the defining factor of a happy and successful life,” he said.
“Like every school, we're navigating that balance.”
