Year 12 students from Cowra High School and St Raphael’s Catholic School have breathed a sigh of relief after completing their first HSC exam.
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The students filled their exam halls on Thursday morning for the first of two English exams.
Cowra High School students Jemma Pokoney, Julia Moore and Kirra Haeata said the exam was a lot better than they expected.
“It’s really weird coming into the exam after so many weeks of waiting but it's finally here and when I opened the book, it just happened, I didn’t really think that it was an exam that is 50 per cent,” Jemma said.
“It was pretty relaxed, the (essay) question was really easy, I had all my quotes and all my quotes related,” Kirra said.
The girls couldn’t agree on whether they found the short answers easy or difficult but all believed the third section was tough to complete.
“Not a lot of people finished the third section and I guess it is just a matter of luck and if you can answer the question or not, it can go either way,” Jemma said.
“I did the third section first because I knew I wouldn’t finish it,” Julia said.
Over at St Raphael’s, school captains Grace Gallagher and Aiden Roberts said their teachers had prepared them well for the exam.
“It wasn’t as bad as I expected, we were each prepared ourselves but our teachers helped us to be fully prepared with lots of practice beforehand,” Grace said.
“Thanks for preparing us so well,” Aiden said.
All of the students agreed that now the have one under their belt, there is less pressure on them for the rest of the exams.
“Yeah the first one is out of the way so it will be easier to do the next one,” Aiden said.
“For me, I feel like once English is done, the HSC is done, all the others are going to be so breezy I think,” Jemma said.
Both Jemma and Julia have been offered Early Entry to the University of Wollongong.
“I kind of thought, if I got it (early entry), I’d feel a lot less stressed and I wouldn’t care but I think the fact that I’ve worked so hard throughout the year… I’m not going to waste it now,” Jemma said.
Gemma hopes to study Primary Education while Julia wants to become a PDHPE teacher.
Kirra is planning to take a gap year, as is Grace who plans to study occupational therapy at university.
Aiden plans to start an apprenticeship with Jamiesons Joinery.
“Good luck to all the other Year 12’s for the rest of their exams,” Aiden said.
