Tens of thousands of final-year high school students across New South Wales sat down to tackle their first major exam on Tuesday, confronting an essay prompt centered on human resilience and sensitivity. The opening English paper required students to analyze how the composers of their prescribed texts offer opportunities to examine assumptions about human strength and vulnerability, a prompt that left many teenagers initially feeling overwhelmed.
Kayden Tran, an 18-year-old student at Canley Vale high school in Sydney’s west, admitted to feeling extreme stress and a temporary loss of hope before the test, despite fueling up with a substantial breakfast of rice, bacon, and eggs. However, after completing the paper, he reported feeling content and confident that he had done his absolute best.
Other students relied on personal rituals to steady their nerves. Mary Alnimry listened to the song Heroes by the late David Bowie, a tradition she began during year 10 assessments, noting that the track helps mentally prepare her for English tests. Alnimry and Tran were among approximately 200 students at Canley Vale participating in the statewide milestone, which involves roughly 75,000 teenagers wrapping up their secondary education.
Online forums revealed a mixed reaction to the complex exam question. While some students felt the prompt required an extensive amount of unpacking and worried they missed crucial elements, others found the overall paper fair and straightforward. Educators emphasized that the pressure is shared by teachers who invest years into preparing their cohorts.
Alana Miller, an English teacher with nearly two decades of experience at Canley Vale, noted that teachers wake up thinking of their students on exam day because they care deeply about their success. Miller attempts to engage modern students by connecting with popular media, noting a rising interest in fantasy books and Japanese manga.
Principal Effie Niarchos described the Higher School Certificate as a significant rite of passage marking the conclusion of six years of secondary education and the transition to the next phase of life. While acknowledging that students have faced heightened anxiety in recent years due to shifting global conditions and community expectations, Niarchos expressed immense pride as she watched the teenagers finish their first exam. Final HSC results are scheduled for release on 16 December.