Why are YOU stressed for the HSC? (1 Viewer)

[flashtrick]

I must not be human or something, because I honestly have never felt stressed about the HSC. I'm usually uber relaxed before an exam and never really dwell on it afterwards like most people do.

I mean I got slaughterhouse-5'ed in my Ex 2 Maths trials. During the exam I couldn't do most questions, skipping entire sections. Yet I was just sitting there, smiling and thinking "this is the hardest test I've ever done in my life... cool". I go to a selective school and not many people share this attitude. Everyone is pretty serious with study, and I can't understand why?

For one thing, HSC isn't the end-all. It's not the world cup grand-final penalty shootout 'it's now or never' that so many people make out. If you ATAR is too low for your desired course, there's always alternate entries, bonus points, or different courses.

Can someone, in plain English, explain to me why so many students feel so stressed for the HSC exams?

 

[Crobat]

Some people just want to do well. I wasn't "stressed" about the HSC, but I didn't want to have to use another year trying to get into my degree if I could do it in the one I was already in, and I was simply uncomfortable seeing/receiving poor marks (and I still am). Other people are stressed because they've applied for scholarships/co-ops/med or something that requires them to have a high ATAR, so obviously they're stressed trying to make that happen. Most people understand that the HSC is not the be-all and end-all, but the pressure put on them/surrounding them by other people like friends and family just stresses them out. Having to live up to expectations is also something that students become stressed about. Alternatives provide a good safety net, but that doesn't mean you should seek to activate them.

 

[Spiritual Being]

I'm not.

Shit...

 

[Drifting95]

I'm not really stressed to be honest, but that said i'll comfortably make it into the course i want.

Most of my friends are stressed because they don't have this luxury, they're worried they won't be able to make it into a specific uni or course. Although yes this isn't the end of the world, who actually wants to waste a year doing an alternative course and transferring...

 

[kietkiet]

Me ... well ... i'm stressed because I do poor scaling subjects at a low ranked school with shitty cohorts that will drag me down ;-;

 

[BLIT2014]

I work better with stress :I

but saying that I haven't been stressed for ages

 

[ebbygoo]

Need 90 in HSC Exam or will be repeating 2U maths.

 

[bedpotato]

I stress 7 hours before the exam when I'm franticaly trying to cram. And also after the exam.

 

[moocow920]

I'm stressed because my family has very high expectations, and seeing as I will already be at uni for at least 7 years unless I change my mind I don't want to waste another year

 

[EmilyX]

I must not be human or something, because I honestly have never felt stressed about the HSC. I'm usually uber relaxed before an exam and never really dwell on it afterwards like most people do.

I mean I got slaughterhouse-5'ed in my Ex 2 Maths trials. During the exam I couldn't do most questions, skipping entire sections. Yet I was just sitting there, smiling and thinking "this is the hardest test I've ever done in my life... cool". I go to a selective school and not many people share this attitude. Everyone is pretty serious with study, and I can't understand why?

For one thing, HSC isn't the end-all. It's not the world cup grand-final penalty shootout 'it's now or never' that so many people make out. If you ATAR is too low for your desired course, there's always alternate entries, bonus points, or different courses.

This is how I feel! Hahaha I had a very similar maths trial lols first time I've ever failed an assessment... Oh well! I just plan on working hard and doing my best but not freaking out- it's not worth it!

 

[flashtrick]

Some people just want to do well. I wasn't "stressed" about the HSC, but I didn't want to have to use another year trying to get into my degree if I could do it in the one I was already in, and I was simply uncomfortable seeing/receiving poor marks (and I still am). Other people are stressed because they've applied for scholarships/co-ops/med or something that requires them to have a high ATAR, so obviously they're stressed trying to make that happen. Most people understand that the HSC is not the be-all and end-all, but the pressure put on them/surrounding them by other people like friends and family just stresses them out. Having to live up to expectations is also something that students become stressed about. Alternatives provide a good safety net, but that doesn't mean you should seek to activate them.

I see your point, but the way people study as a response to external expectations reveals in my eyes much students stress. I know people who feel it's necessary do an all-nighter before an exam that they feel they are not ready for. And yet it's counter-intuitive: without sleep, they will be tired the next day, diminishing their mental capacity and their ability to remember anything they did the night before.

If stress isn't a part of the solution, why add it to the problem?

Just a strange thought:
Maybe this is a sign to shift our educational system to a better direction. Most students don't have a solid foundation of life skills when they come out of high school. Maybe it's just be me, but learning how to write an essay on a text's literary integrity should be secondary to learning how to deal with life's obstacles/challenges in an appropriate manner (ie HSC).

This is how I feel! Hahaha I had a very similar maths trial lols first time I've ever failed an assessment... Oh well! I just plan on working hard and doing my best but not freaking out- it's not worth it!

Haha, this reminds me of a guy I sat next to during an accelerated year 9 maths exam. He was a nervous wreck. He just wouldn't stop shaking Like he'd reach for his rubber to erase something, and his arm entire arm would just shake uncontrollably and so it took forever for him to do a simple task. It was year 9 for crying out loud.
Then again, I think he beat me in that test...

 

[nerdasdasd]

I was stressed because my parent thought it was disgraceful to get less than 99..... nevertheless I didn't care about a 99.

I only did enough to get around the 70s to 80s.

 

[Crobat]

If stress isn't a part of the solution, why add it to the problem?

Just a strange thought:
Maybe this is a sign to shift our educational system to a better direction. Most students don't have a solid foundation of life skills when they come out of high school. Maybe it's just be me, but learning how to write an essay on a text's literary integrity should be secondary to learning how to deal with life's obstacles/challenges in an appropriate manner (ie HSC).

I'm not going to speak on behalf of everyone, but I found stress to be an excellent motivator. I work most efficiently when under pressure and I find stress just promotes that because I have less time/more reason to do well in my studies. Of course, some just absolutely freak out over exams due to stress, and that's not a good thing. But I find that they're a minority as most people are able to cope with it and most people understand it's not the end of the world if they get the best mark in the world. On topic of your suggestion that schools should teach 'life skills', while it's very ideal to suggest that, in reality it's not exactly plausible to teach them. People will encounter different obstacles in life, especially in terms of jobs and relationships, etc. There are so many jobs in the world, the stress that comes from them will all be for different reasons and in different forms. It's funny you should bring up essay writing because actually, essay writing is an excellent form of learning to articulate, and by extension, communicate. Yes, the topic of the essay will never be of use or importance, but the secondary skills you learn in English in particular are quite necessary for communication in life (written expression, vocal expression, analysis ability, etc) . And further, I think learning to cope with stress during high school is another important life skill that you are able to learn. I think in life you'll have to face a lot more stressful situations than exams. Learning to deal with stress early will always be beneficial, and what better way to learn to cope with stress than to actually experience it? Employers want people who can perform under pressure and in high-stress environments, or people who will extend themselves to deliver results (which will be stressful). If you see no point in stressing, that's good. You understand alternatives are available, and it's not the end of the world. But you can still learn to use stress to your advantage while in high school. I'm not saying stress is a good thing, but it's not the worst thing in the world.

 

[Foxy_]

I was REALLY stressed out during the beginning of year 12 and pretty much all of year 11. That's because I didn't know about the alternate pathways, TAFE courses or bonus points that was available that could help you into uni + my parents legit expect me to get like 95+. I thought either you get into uni or you don't based on your atar. But I learned that's not the case and I stopped giving a shit what my parents will think if I get a low atar or for anyone else for that matter. This reduced my stress heappss over the past year and I feel pretty much like you, OP. No longer stressed

 

[Makematics]

For some reason I got really stressed out before the english viva voce, even though i dont give a flying f*ck about english. and i was reasonably prepared, so i wasnt stressed because i was about to fail... funny how the brain works.

 

[Drifting95]

To be honest, i wish i was slightly stressed as it would force me to do more work. I had so much planned for today and did very little...

 

[obliviousninja]

Im not stressed enough.

 

[Lina3]

I am not that stressed, many unis offer the course I want to do, with some having a cut off of 55 (of course in the better unis it is much higher) but I still work hard because I just figured, it's the HSC and you only do it once...well, at least most of us do. I, for one, have no intention of repeating regardless of my ATAR. I just don't want to lament in the future about how I could have done better. Of course, I will still believe that to some extent. In yrs 10 and 11 I had this image of me studying 24/7 and smashing everyone single one of my exams...except I forgot about a little something called human nature and its inherent tendency towards laziness XD.

 

[coffee_]

I'm a little stressed Even though you feel you are prepared, that weird atmosphere of exam halls just seem so scary

 

[Candidate]

I'm stressed because if I don't get 97+ I have to risk an internal transfer…