On top of the already stressful circumstances of a Year 12 student undertaking the Higher School Certificate, the unprecedented times caused by the pandemic have made an exceptionally difficult year for our cohort. Despite this, the support I received from my teachers and  online resources have allowed me to excel more than I could ever imagine.

For me, the HSC was a test of what I knew and more importantly, how I applied it. A lot of questions required an extensive understanding of the concepts learnt in class and my teachers really liked to throw curveball questions (I’m looking at you, Mrs Hornas!). Thus, I found that the best way to study for exams was to practice, practice, practice.

With the technological advancements of the 21st Century, there was an infinite amount of resources that I could access online, and thus I would spend the latter half of the year working on exposing myself to a large variety of questions. From textbooks to first year university workbooks, and past HSC papers to even VCE papers, I tried to attempt an immense amount of questions under exam conditions to the point that it became second nature.

Another of my support mechanisms were my teachers. In my experience, teachers would arrive at class with a distinct lesson goal, allowing students to fully understand syllabus dot points in order for them to approach exam questions with confidence – even during online learning. Outside of lessons, however, their assistance was worth its weight in gold. In times of confusion, not only would they attempt to explain concepts in a way that would tailor to my learning patterns, but their personalised feedback has always given me lightbulb moments – no matter how daunting it may be. Noting this, I recommend students to have good relationships with their teachers, approach lessons with a positive mindset, knowing that from this point onwards, the only direction is up. I could never have done so well without the emotional and academic support of my teachers, who have been there for me in all my highs and lows. 

Ultimately, what has supported me the most during my studies was the positive and encouraging mindset that the school has retained throughout the whole of 2021, despite all the struggles. From the teachers setting up study groups to my peers holding regular 2.00am stress sessions, these are the things that I look fondly back at.

Thank you to all the staff and good luck students at MMCC!

Tracie Duong, Year 12 2021