If your school has decided to hold Trial HSC exams, chances are, they are coming up in just a few weeks.
So if you’re in Year 12, and facing the prospect of these dreaded exams (which are, I’ll let you know, much more difficult than the actual HSC exams…not that this fact makes the actual exams any less painful: an unpleasant Catch-22), then here are some wise words from a girl who has lived through it…
1. This is your chance to practice. Like I said, these exams are designed to be difficult, so that you’re challenged and basically, prepared for the worst. So it’s in your best interests to study hard and rise to the test! They are the perfect dress rehearsal.
2. Use your study time effectively. Criticisms involving the term ‘hypocrisy’ aside, I really do mean this. By now, you probably have a study ‘routine’ that suits you: for instance, you’ll know whether your study is more effective in the morning, during the day or in the wee hours. And you’ll know if you study best with some background noise, or with absolute quiet. Whatever the conditions, make sure they suit you. This might sound really trivial, but if you are able to get a bit of a ‘rhythm’ to your study, it will be so much more effective. (And yes, I am a nerd, and I know it. But I’m trying to help you guys!)
3. Take little breaks – a good rule of thumb is to take ten minutes for each hour you study. Drink some tea (peppermint tea is good for keeping you alert!), take a walk, or just step outside for some fresh air. Take Eddie’s time-honoured advice and phone a friend, or just sit and relax.
4. Set aside one day a week that is just for you. Now, true to my hypocritical roots, I would never ever have done this in high school. But I spent the better part of Year 12 working out how to get my hair back to its natural colour (grey is so unbecoming on a seventeen-year-old). So please take my advice and devote one-seventh of your week to yourselves! Go shopping, treat yourself to a nice lunch, play sport, catch up with old mates, go to the footy, get to a museum (nothing too educational, though…be warned) … just do something fun! It will really help to keep you on track and refreshed for success!
5. The Board of Studies website has downloadable past papers, which are excellent for revision – just make sure you complete the questions in the time allotted!
6. Again, very hypocritically, I’m going to tell you to eat properly. While no household is complete without a packet of Tim Tams and a fresh supply of espresso, if you only consume this kind of rubbish, your brain my begin to resemble the leftover coffee gunk that fills the bottom of the plunger.
Finally, good luck. Remember – it’s just a mark. In four years time, you will look back (hopefully) and wonder why you ever got your knickers in such a twist.