How has your HSC/VCE year been different from what you expected?
Advika: Prior to starting Year 12, I expected it to be extremely challenging with a heavy workload. However, one thing I did not anticipate was just how quickly the year would pass. I still remember my first few Year 12 classes as if they were yesterday. The constant time pressure – particularly having to finish all content before October – is what truly made Year 12 feel so demanding and intense.
Arana: For the longest time, I thought the HSC was not just competition between schools but also between students. So, when the HSC year actually arrived, it was really amazing to see how keen my classmates were to come together to support and motivate each other through it all.
Rahul: In 2023, my parents decided to rebuild our house so that there wouldn’t be any disruptions for me during Year 12. This worked for a period and I did pretty well in Year 11 and through Year 12 as well, including the trials. However, just when this year started, my maternal grandmother, who had recently turned 84, had a fall and had to undergo hip surgery. Unfortunately, she never walked again and was bed-bound almost all of this year and ultimately suffered a stroke. My Mum and Dad made several trips to India, taking turns to make sure that none of this would impact my studies. Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away at the end of September. Because of this, my dad flew to India and was away all throughout October during my exams. We sometimes joke that it may have been a good thing, but it made me realise that no matter how much you plan, life has its own plans. I remained focused on my studies in between all this, as I was determined to do well.
Aditya: I had lots of extra study time due to free periods from doing an accelerated course. However, most of this was used for organising school events as vice-captain.
Sreya: During my junior years of high school I thought by Year 12 I would have a comprehensive list of degrees to aspire to, and a specific dream course in mind that I could work towards. Instead I found myself more lost than ever even after attending numerous open days for universities and career expo events. It was definitely a stressful experience, but my teachers often reassured me and told me it was normal to feel confused.
Vya: My HSC year was honestly easier than I expected. I think I had an irrational fear that the HSC would be as scary as my Selective exam experience in year 6.
How would you describe your HSC experience in three words?
Advika: Demanding. Rewarding. Transformative.
Aditya: Memorable. Fun. Rewarding.
Arana: Emotional. Terrifying. Supportive.
Rahul: Challenging. Exciting. Dynamic.
Sreya: Demanding. Nerve-wracking. Rewarding.
Vya: Tiring. Long. Overwhelming (at times).
Sowmya: Make a difference.
What did you discover about yourself during Year 12?
Aditya: That I’m capable of balancing leadership responsibilities with academic pressure, and that I work best when I’m busy and motivated by purpose.
Advika: That I am far more resilient than I initially believed. Even during periods of stress, low motivation, or self-doubt, I learned that I could push through challenges and recover from setbacks rather than letting them define me. I also realised that when I work hard, I tend to doubt myself far less. This year taught me that hard work and determination go hand in hand and highlighted the power of positive self-talk in staying motivated, even after setbacks.
Arana: That I am a lot stronger than I gave myself credit for. I never thought I would be ready for the HSC, and those feelings just got stronger as it came closer to the exams. I was feeling the same way even at the end of year 11, which probably wasn’t a good thing. But I managed to make it through the exams relatively well and realised that I shouldn’t have been as worried as I was.
Rahul: That I can handle stress by incorporating leisure activities, such as playing my guitar, into my daily routine. I also thought deeply about my career goals and realised that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine.
Sreya: That I had strength within myself to move past failures or bad marks in subjects where I previously performed well. It was difficult at first but then I turned my mistakes into sources of motivation to do better. During Year 12, I also began interacting with my teachers more by asking questions and voicing my concerns. This was a complete game-changer for me, and enabled me to perform better in my HSC exams.
Vya: That I could memorise essays well! Year 12 reflections
Sowmya: Through my experience of completing high school in a historically disadvantaged area, I saw the ‘dux’ title among all my peers. However, I also noticed that success was less about effort and more about opportunity; circumstances that accumulate from luck. Unlike my peers, I didn’t have to juggle school with 8-hour shifts, nor put food on the table. All I did was study! So, now that Year 12 is behind me, I’d rather not claim this success…The dice simply rolled in my favour.
If you could turn back time, what’s one thing you would tell your Year 11 self?
Aditya: Don’t burn yourself out by only studying. You need to balance your Year 12 life with something else, such as leadership, sports, music and more.
Advika: Don’t go into Year 12 expecting everything to be perfect. While you can try your absolute best to ensure nothing goes wrong, there will inevitably be moments of procrastination, low motivation, and self-doubt. What truly matters is your willingness to adapt. Rather than dwelling on guilt, refocus and move forward. VCE is as much a mental journey as it is an academic one, so protecting your mindset and avoiding negative self-talk is crucial.
Arana: Figure out study techniques sooner rather than later. Whether it’s optimal conditions, music, mode of study or people you surround yourself with. Personally, I felt like I was still discovering my best study habits well into Year 12, and I think I could have done more and better if I had learnt them earlier.
Rahul: Do not overwork yourself. Simply develop the habits that will help you succeed in Year 12. Year 12 reflections
Sreya: Be more organised and manage your time better. Definitely don’t leave revision up until 2 weeks before an exam. Also, don’t be too afraid – a whole network of people will be there to support you. And finally, you’re not going to get things perfect the first time round or maybe even the second time round. Improvement doesn’t happen all in one go, it’s gradual.
Vya: Don’t sweat it as much – and apply for early entry! Now that I’ve gotten into the Bachelor of Arts course I wanted, which doesn’t require a high ATAR anyways, I look back and see how unnecessarily stressed I was.
Sowmya: I would have strongly advised myself to add consistent breaks to my study timetable. That would have looked like taking it easy on Wednesdays and finding something else to do after school. Predictable rest is important but was something I neglected. This unfortunate habit caused me to burn out before exams. You can develop new interests or create a positive butterfly effect with just a short breather from the daily grind! Year 12 reflections
How did you use AI or social media to support your study?
Aditya: I didn’t. I don’t have social media, and I feel AI’s quality of work is not of a standard acceptable for HSC, hence I felt that it was better to do it on my own. I think this also gave me the ability to develop a greater understanding of topics as I needed to put in my own effort to learn content.
Advika: I tried my best to stay away from social media this year, as endless scrolling can easily become a huge distraction! However, I found AI to be an incredibly useful tool for extending my understanding beyond textbook content. Throughout Year 12, I made sure to always double-check information provided by AI, which is a principle I will continue to follow in the future.
Arana: I used AI to generate more practice questions and to occasionally break down more complex essay questions. I didn’t use social media for study and tried to limit my time spent on it, as I felt like there were too many people trying to make predictions or spread misinformation especially in the lead up to the final exams. Year 12 reflections
Rahul: I used an AI Ed-Tech platform to do revision questions. I used ChatGpt sparingly to consolidate my understanding of key concepts. Social media provided an avenue to learn other people’s experiences and for study discussions with friends.
Sreya: Funnily enough, ChatGPT got me through some tough times. I would ask math questions (sometimes it’s not accurate, be warned) and it would give me comprehensive explanations. I would also put screenshots of my answers to multiple choice questions into AI and it would tell me which answers are correct. This was handy when our teachers hadn’t yet given us the solutions to practice papers.
Vya: I didn’t use AI as much as I used social media. There are a couple of Instagram and TikTok creators who make content with great HSC study tips. I also listened to advice from past HSC students which was highly useful and helped ease my nerves.
Sowmya: Social media came in handy, especially for staying connected with my Methods classmates. We were still struggling from the effects of administrative changes that occurred a year prior, so mid-Year 11, I decided to chase everyone up and create a group chat. It was important to me that I gave everyone the chance to be included. We ended up answering each other’s questions and complaining about SACs (School Assessed Coursework) together, so I think it was a success!
If you could make one change to the state’s ATAR system, what would it be?
Aditya: I believe the ranks system is not representative of a student’s performance. One small slip up can make your chances of achieving a high score in a subject nearly impossible due to the ranking gaps and how the HSC and ATAR system aligns external marks to internals. I believe this needs improving, as otherwise, it is impossible to do well unless you are near flawless.
Advika: I don’t have major issues with the VCE system itself, as it is designed to fairly compare students across different subjects. However, I would love to see more challenging content introduced in earlier years, so there isn’t such a sudden jump in difficulty between lower secondary school and VCE.
Arana: Maybe reducing or modifying how much English impacts the ATAR. Or even just taking the time to explain why it is such an essential subject in regard to the modules and texts we had to study. The content covered in English does come naturally to some people, but it didn’t for me, and it was incredibly stressful and almost demotivating to know how much those 2 units impacted my ATAR. For the longest time, I didn’t even understand the point of learning the topics that we did or the texts that we read until my tutor explained it, after which it started to make sense and actually became a bit easier.
Rahul: I would make two units of Maths compulsory because I believe Maths lays the foundations required for everyday life. I would also like finer increments in the ATAR scale to reflect small differences in achievement for students.
Sreya: Don’t release our ATARs 3 hours after you release our marks.
Vya: I would get rid of scaling. I prefer my marks to be reflective of my own efforts rather than to be somewhat influenced by the marks of other students.
Sowmya: I would integrate a stronger emphasis on work experience and career pathways within many Unit 1&2 VCE study designs. Although we shouldn’t be pressured to make career decisions at such a young age, this change may strengthen students’ confidence in understanding ‘what is out there.’ Moreover, if students got the chance to volunteer at places through their VCE, making career decisions and finding work at university may not be as daunting.
If you could turn back time and relive a moment from this year, which moment would that be?
Aditya: Attending the Australian Biology Summer School (a special experience offered to the top 24 in Australia). It was a great 2 weeks where I learned about university level biology. Spending two weeks with 23 other like-minded students was an experience I will never forget.
Advika: I would relive the hilarious and wholesome lunchtimes spent with my close friends. We often talked about the most ridiculous things just to distract ourselves from the intense workload. At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate those moments, but now I realise that as this chapter of school life closes, I’ll never again have designated lunchtimes like I did in school.
Arana: I would go back to our graduation day – it was a beautiful reminder of how far our whole cohort had come and even though the actual HSC was two weeks away, we were given time to stop focussing on that and to instead celebrate our achievements and each other. Year 12 reflections
Rahul: Year 12 camp, running back to the cabins after it started pouring and taking a hot shower.
Sreya: I would choose to relive all the lunchtimes spent with my friend group. What seemed like ordinary moments, in hindsight helped me laugh away the stress of Year 12. Those lunches helped make the HSC journey a little less stressful and reminded all of us that we would always be there for each other.
Vya: I don’t really want to rewind or relive any moment from this year. I am just happy that it’s all over and can finally start university where I can pursue my interests.
Sowmya: My favourite moments from 2025 were with my friends, old and new. Hosting PESA (Plain English Speaking Award) at my school was one of them. I enjoyed hearing illuminating speeches from Sirius and Ilim College contestants. A year has passed, and we all stay in contact! Otherwise, I created many memories with friends through CHES (Centre for Higher Education Studies), the Aiming High program and DAV Finals! Shout out to: Aleyna, Rania, Sarah, Shumaim, Shaima, Tora, Dilini, Rawan, Ali, Isaac and Rafael.
What’s the best quote or piece of advice you heard from a teacher this year?
Aditya: “Control only what you can control.”
Advika: “Do not let laziness or apathy destroy what you’ve built since Year 7 in the final weeks before the exam.”
This advice from my English teacher stayed with me throughout the year and often helped stop me from procrastinating. It reminded me that VCE is not just a one-year journey, but the culmination of my entire secondary education.
Arana: “What’s done is done.” This may seem very blunt, but I would still have to remind myself after every exam to move on and stop fixating on questions I know I got wrong in order to prepare myself for the next exam. I found this very useful through trials and the HSC when there would be multiple exams one after the other.
Rahul: “In life, there are three things you must remember: try your best, enjoy yourself and be kind to others.”
Vya: ‘Everything happens for a reason,’ and that everything is already written and destined. This quote made me realise that I just need to do my best and to leave the rest to the universe.
Sreya: Our teachers constantly told us that “we all do well, if we all do well” which got quite repetitive over the year but remained an integral concept of the HSC journey. It taught me not only to prioritise my own study, but also to work with other people, share insights and discuss questions so that everyone in the grade could achieve a high result and consequently lift all of our marks up. Year 12 reflections
Sowmya: “You know more than you don’t know,” Helen Dunn.
What was your proudest moment this year?
Aditya: Receiving the Charles Kingsford Smith Prize (2025). I’m extremely proud of this very notable award as it is the highest accolade achievable at STHS given to an outstanding all-rounder across 6 years of study who is exemplary in academics, sport, leadership and extracurricular. It was my dream to receive this prize, and I’m glad I finally did.
Advika: There are many things I am proud of this year. While I do appreciate the end-of-year achievements, I believe the process itself is something to be even more proud of. Waking up in the early hours, completing countless practice exams with resilience, and improving in subjects I never thought I would be capable of in previous years – are all achievements in their own right. To me, these process-based accomplishments are far more meaningful than final results, as they truly reflect the hard work and dedication I put into this year.
Arana: I think my proudest moment was when I finally submitted my research paper for Science Extension. It had been a long process, and at times it felt a bit overwhelming, but it was on a topic that I loved and was passionate about. The feeling of relief and accomplishment once it was finally submitted was the best.
Rahul: Receiving a call from NESA informing me of my equal 1st in NSW for Mathematics Extension 1 (which just so happens to be my favourite subject).
Sreya: Getting an OnStage HSC Drama nomination for my monologue and group performance was a great moment, because it really proved to me that hard work will not go unnoticed. Just getting the nomination validated my skills and gave me the confidence to believe that I could get through the rest of the HSC. Celebrating this nomination with the rest of my groupmates was also memorable because we all knew how difficult it was to craft our performance.
Vya: My happiest moment this year was finishing my last HSC exam and hearing “pens down!” I’ve been through a lot during high school and that moment really sealed it for me. Plus, I enjoyed getting the celebratory Yo-Chi! My proudest moments – learning that I’d been picked for OnStage HSC Drama, and also that I’d won the Creative Excellence Scholarship at the Queensland University of Technology for a Bachelor’s degree at QUT Acting.
Sowmya: My story, ‘Menarche’, was shortlisted in the 2024 Young ADAS Anthology! I was also the dux.
What was the name on your year 12 jersey?
Advika: Viks – a nickname my friends call me! Year 12 reflections
Rahul: Rahuliraptor.
Vya: ‘Luvya!’ Year 12 reflections
What are you looking forward to most in 2026?
Advika: Next year, I am really looking forward to meeting new people and studying science in greater depth, particularly subjects that have always genuinely interested me. I also hope to pursue my long-term dream of studying medicine and to inspire future VCE students to embrace the challenges of Year 12, perhaps through tutoring.
Aditya: No pressure of high school. No pressure of living up to expectations. Having more time to enjoy and make my own decisions. Year 12 reflections
Arana: The freedom and the opportunity to go out and try things that I’ve never done before.
Rahul: Taking a relaxing year doing a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Sydney before pursuing a postgraduate medicine degree. Year 12 reflections
Sreya: For many years, I’ve been romanticising university life, and I’m so excited that in 2026 I get to actually experience it myself. I’m eager to find my passion in the course I choose and to hone my skills so that I can make a difference within the community. Not having to go to school every day is also a plus!
Vya: Moving to Brisbane by myself for uni next year and gaining new experiences as a result of my independence! Year 12 reflections
Sowmya: Exploring more of my cultural identity is a personal goal of mine. As a first-generation immigrant, I think it’s important to reflect on your connection to home. Sure, I’ve been to many Dashain and Tihar celebrations, but there’s a lot about Nepal that I have yet to learn. Not only does my country have a rich political history, but it is also very diverse. As per the 2021 census, Nepal has around 150 recorded languages and 140 ethnic groups!
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