When I think back to my time at school, the HSC and the stress surrounding it is one of the things that sticks out in my memory like a sore thumb…. The anxiety about whether I remembered all the words of my Mod B essay and if it would fit to any question, if I could complete the square in math under timed conditions or if I knew all the population stats for Studies of Religion to incorporate into my short answers…The stress of not knowing whether I would get a high enough ATAR to get into my course of choice or even whether that course was the right one for me (it wasn’t, I ended up changing my degree around twice), these memories I have never forgotten.

By virtue, Year 12 is a stressful time. You are 17-18 and everything feels like it is so set in stone, like one bad exam or a few lost marks could define your entire future.

Now, having been a tutor for nearly four years, I’ve come to recognise that the feelings I felt at the time are the same ones every student goes through. The uncertainty, the self-doubt, the fear of not being “good enough”; it’s all universal. But what I’ve also learned, and what I try to pass on to my students, is that the HSC is not the end-all measure of their potential. It’s a moment in time, important, yes, but not definitive. The skills you build, the resilience you show, and the way you learn to manage pressure are far more valuable in the long run.

I take it as part of my job as a HSC tutor to alleviate some of that stress, to remind students that although it feels like the weight of the world right now, all that really matters is that they try their best. I tell them that there are always ways around a bad mark, and that the “worst-case scenario” is rarely as bad as it seems in their heads. Life has a way of opening new doors when others close, and with the right mindset, you can get anywhere you want to be.

Teg Philmara