Don't Forget To Rest After Trials - But Don't Rest Too Much!

Once trials are over, it can feel like you can finally take a breath! And while I don't mean to stress you out, this is the most critical time for you to continue to study!

All of the hard work that you have put in to studying for trials should absolutely not be wasted just because they're over! Most people are guilty of cramming information before exams which may have gotten you by just fine for your entire high school experience where the exam content is tested only once, but you are about to undergo the exact same set of tests again. The issue with cramming is that all of the knowledge that you have acquired has only made it into your short term memore. If you take too long of a break now, you can easily fall into the trap into which I fell; by the time I started studying for the HSC, I felt like I was back at square one!

So, how can you make sure that this doesn't happen to you while you still take a bit of a well deserved break?

Take two or three days completely off - you've deserved this break! And then, ease yourself back in. This can look like quickly skimming over some notes for a few minutes a day, or doing one of two short practice questions again. Perhaps instead of doing a practice test a day, do a practice test every two days! There's no need to go right back to intense studying, you don't want to burn yourself out. About a month before you have your first HSC exams, you may want to start thinking about studying properly again. But, for now, take a deep breath and allow yourself to relax a little - your trials are over!