Hi everyone,

Well, it’s been a big two weeks. By today, all of our Year 12 students will have graduated and will never have to wear a school uniform again. Unless you plan on wearing it just for fun that is. Congratulations everyone! Thirteen years in the making and here we all are. You’ve earned a celebration. Think about all the things you never have to do again now you’re not at school anymore.

There is, however, something that you do still need to do, and it’s your biggest assessment yet. In a month, you will have sat your English exams. Which means that the HSC is under a month a way.

Not very far away, right? Don’t worry, this isn’t scare tactics. We’re here to help. So there’s still a little tweaking to do? Still think you can improve on some things? When you’re talking to other people at the library, do certain case studies, sections or topics come up and you feel an impending sense of dread? You know what, it would be a total surprise if there wasn’t. There’s absolutely no such thing as being too prepared for these exams. You want to throw everything you’ve got at the final Board of Studies exams so you can come out at the end knowing you put in the absolute best that you could. Imagine how much more relieved you’ll feel walking out if you’re at the absolute top of your game in every exam.

So what’s the general consensus in terms of things to improve?

Going off the last couple of weeks at the HSC Coworks, there’s one big barrier that people are still facing. That pesky creative in the middle of the Belonging Paper.

I don’t blame you. The prospect of writing a personal story in an HSC exam is, let’s face it, pretty gross. Who is going to write a great story off that kind of stimulus?

Well, you know what’s even more gross? Letting the HSC English paper beat you because you let it. There’s no such thing as ‘not being able to do a creative’. That’s just a defense mechanism!

So channel your focus into getting some awesome creative writing happening.

See below for Ricky Gervais’ tips on how to break through that wall that’s stopping you from awesome creative writing.

Warning: He does swear – we couldn’t really edit that out. Sorry about that.

Remember, you can keep submitting your creative work online (excluding the period 23 September – 6 October) for feedback from experienced HSC markers if you’re a student with us at the HSC Co-works..