7 Pieces Of Advice For The Class Of 2013

Dec 12, 2013

It has been an absolute pleasure to work with you all in 2013. I have loved supporting you on your climb up Mount HSC as you overcame obstacles, struggled, and overcame some more struggles. The HSC is a metaphor for life. The more you put in, the more you get out of it.

Now that you are entering the world as an adult I would like to share some advice that I would like to have if I was 18 and had just completed my HSC.

1) Be a life long learner. Going to University will give you the opportunity to learn about the world, make new friends, work with a diverse bunch and create new and exciting opportunities for yourself. All of these things are very important but don’t forget that there are infinite opportunities to learn outside of the traditional “lecture hall”. As someone famous once said, “A formal education will make you a living. Self education will make you a fortune”. Not sure what you could be studying yourself outside of Uni? Feel free to ask me.

2) Teach yourself valuable skills. Linked to the above point around Self Education, there has never been a better opportunity to learn skills that were previously only taught in learning institutions. You can learn just about anything you want via YouTube and don’t forget about those things called books. The Khan Academy is embarking on a program to teach as many young people as they can to code computers. Even Barack Obama is getting involved!

3) Publishing websites is easy! Linked to the above piece of advice I need you know that to build and publish a website is extremely low cost and requires zero coding experience although the more you have the more cool stuff you can do. If you have a relative or family friend who needs a website why not create one for them. I guarantee that you have the skills to do it right now. Any questions about how to do this let me know. I am more than happy to help out.

4) Be aware of the outsourcing boom that is coming.  If you studied Business Studies you would be aware of the term “outsourcing” but what you might not realise is that we are in the early stages of an outsourcing revolution where businesses of all sizes will be outsourcing tasks such as Graphic Design, Web Development, App Development, Online Marketing, Bookkeeping, Search Engine Optimisation and many more to India, Pakistan, Philippines, and Eastern Europe at a fraction of the cost of employing someone in Australia.

Many of these tasks were previously filled by University students looking to develop their skills and get some work experience which means that the jobs that remain will become harder and harder to find. The good news though is that where ever there is change there is also opportunity. If you are interested in finding out what I think the opportunities are I am more than happy to share them with you. Contact me. Check out the website Fiverr to see all the services people are willing to do for just $5!

4) Be a customer service king!  If you want to be indispensable in your part time job while at Uni or even after Uni, your customer service skills need to be outstanding. Whether you work in a cafe or work in a Yoghurt store or you’re on a building site remember that the customer is king. Make sure your customer feels special and that you care about them and their experience with you. Great customer service is easy to do but so rare so go the extra mile in whatever job you take and be indispensable.

5) Start saving 5% of your wages now. If you earn $100 save $5, if you earn $500 save $25. Living in Sydney is amazing but it’s expensive. If you save 5% of every dollar you earn until you are 30 you will be in a fantastic position to buy a house for you and your family. I guarantee you will congratulate yourself for the rest of your life after buying that first home.

6) Don’t sweat the small stuff.  If you miss a festival, a party or a holiday with your friends your life will go on just fine and there will be many more opportunities to party hard. If you miss something, use the time to learn a new skill (like coding) so you can enjoy the next one even more.

7) Follow your dreams. At the age of 18 anything is possible for you if you have the courage to pursue your dreams. Unfortunately dreams only come true if you put in the effort and get out of your comfort zone. If you live to the age of 80 you have around 22,000 days left to do everything you will ever do on this beautiful planet so stay outside your comfort zone, set big goals and keep climbing mountains bigger than you thought you could.

It has been a pleasure working with you over the last year or two and I hope you can make our Class of 2013 reunion on Wednesday 22nd of January in Bondi and Thursday 24th of January for Mosman.

HSC CoWorks provides premium HSC tuition and coaching services in conjunction with an interactive online tuition platform, which allows students to be fully supported 24/7. For information on how we can assist you to reach HSC Success, contact us now on 1300 967 890 or make an online enquiry here.

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The ultimate podcast for students and parents navigating the journey of the HSC. Presented by HSC CoWorks, each episode dives into the challenges and triumphs of the HSC experience, offering expert advice, study tips, and insights into achieving academic success.

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🔥 FINAL HSC STUDY BOOTCAMP

Finish your HSC campaign with zero regrets, knowing you gave it everything you had.

Our final Study Bootcamp of the year is all about making those last few weeks count.

🔥 Boost your productivity with focused, structured exam training.
💡 Stay motivated alongside other students pushing towards their goals.
✅ Get exam ready with unseen questions, practice under pressure and accountability to tackle those ‘frog’ subjects and tasks you’d rather avoid!
⏰ Four focused hours each day, supported by HSC CoWorks coaches who know what it takes to navigate the final stages of the HSC.

📅 Monday 28 September - Friday 2 October (ALMOST FULL) and Tuesday 6 October - Friday 9 October
⏰ 10am–2pm
📍Balgowlah, Bondi Jct, Chatswood, Mosman

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🔥 FINAL HSC STUDY BOOTCAMP Finish your HSC campaign with zero regrets, knowing you gave it everything you had. Our final Study Bootcamp of the year is all about making those last few weeks count. 🔥 Boost your productivity with focused, structured exam training. 💡 Stay motivated alongside other students pushing towards their goals. ✅ Get exam ready with unseen questions, practice under pressure and accountability to tackle those ‘frog’ subjects and tasks you’d rather avoid! ⏰ Four focused hours each day, supported by HSC CoWorks coaches who know what it takes to navigate the final stages of the HSC. 📅 Monday 28 September - Friday 2 October (ALMOST FULL) and Tuesday 6 October - Friday 9 October ⏰ 10am–2pm 📍Balgowlah, Bondi Jct, Chatswood, Mosman

For most Year 12 students, Trial Exams are officially behind you! 🎉 Take a few days to switch off, reset and enjoy the feeling of having made it through!

Then it’s time to turn your attention to the final stretch. Trials aren’t meant to be perfect. They’re exactly what the name suggests, a trial run for the real thing.

So embrace the mistakes. Look closely at where marks were lost. Get feedback. Work out what needs to change and adjust your approach.

The next few weeks aren’t about starting again. They’re about refining, improving and building confidence from everything you’ve already done.

You’ve come this far. You’ve got this. 💪

#HSC2026 #HSCTrials #HSCStudy #Year12 #HSCTips

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Open post by hsccoworks with ID 17887635177450005
For most Year 12 students, Trial Exams are officially behind you! 🎉 Take a few days to switch off, reset and enjoy the feeling of having made it through! Then it’s time to turn your attention to the final stretch. Trials aren’t meant to be perfect. They’re exactly what the name suggests, a trial run for the real thing. So embrace the mistakes. Look closely at where marks were lost. Get feedback. Work out what needs to change and adjust your approach. The next few weeks aren’t about starting again. They’re about refining, improving and building confidence from everything you’ve already done. You’ve come this far. You’ve got this. 💪 #HSC2026 #HSCTrials #HSCStudy #Year12 #HSCTips

Celebrating 30 years of HSC CoWorks! 💫

In 1996, @fergusgardiner started working with a small group of HSC students in Bondi Junction. His ability to inspire a genuine passion for learning particularly in English quickly saw that small group grow through word of mouth.

Fergus’ wife @carollgardiner alongside their son @jesseperformancecoach and his wife @sarahgards7 joined the business as it grew, helping to establish campuses in Mosman, Chatswood, Lindfield, Dee Why and Balgowlah. Jesse and Sarah now lead the organisation alongside an incredible team of more than 100 coaches, markers, teachers, an amazing Head Office and Web Development team, and also Emily and Nick who joined our team this year. There have been plenty of ups and downs, milestones, obstacles and lessons along the way, and HSC CoWorks wouldn’t be where it is today without the incredible people who have been part of it over the years.

And to every student who has walked through our doors and every parent who has trusted us to play a part in their child’s education, THANK YOU. Your support and trust over the past 30 years means more to us than we can say. We are so grateful to have worked with your child during the most important stage of their schooling career and thank you for championing our program as we strive to support young people develop the skills, habits and mindset that will support them long after their HSC.

And of course to our own family, especially our three children who put up with having both parents in the business and many weekends and evenings spent around the dinner table building new ideas, solving problems, packing study toolkits and everything in between!

We’re incredibly proud of what has been built over the past three decades, but even more excited about what comes next.

Thank you,
Jesse, Sarah, Fergus & Carol Gardiner

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Open post by hsccoworks with ID 18153572545519445
Celebrating 30 years of HSC CoWorks! 💫 In 1996, @fergusgardiner started working with a small group of HSC students in Bondi Junction. His ability to inspire a genuine passion for learning particularly in English quickly saw that small group grow through word of mouth. Fergus’ wife @carollgardiner alongside their son @jesseperformancecoach and his wife @sarahgards7 joined the business as it grew, helping to establish campuses in Mosman, Chatswood, Lindfield, Dee Why and Balgowlah. Jesse and Sarah now lead the organisation alongside an incredible team of more than 100 coaches, markers, teachers, an amazing Head Office and Web Development team, and also Emily and Nick who joined our team this year. There have been plenty of ups and downs, milestones, obstacles and lessons along the way, and HSC CoWorks wouldn’t be where it is today without the incredible people who have been part of it over the years. And to every student who has walked through our doors and every parent who has trusted us to play a part in their child’s education, THANK YOU. Your support and trust over the past 30 years means more to us than we can say. We are so grateful to have worked with your child during the most important stage of their schooling career and thank you for championing our program as we strive to support young people develop the skills, habits and mindset that will support them long after their HSC. And of course to our own family, especially our three children who put up with having both parents in the business and many weekends and evenings spent around the dinner table building new ideas, solving problems, packing study toolkits and everything in between! We’re incredibly proud of what has been built over the past three decades, but even more excited about what comes next. Thank you, Jesse, Sarah, Fergus & Carol Gardiner

The HSC matters. But what students build along the way matters even more.

The HSC year is your training ground for life.. where you can develop skills like how to plan ahead, take ownership, tackle challenges, respond to feedback and perform under pressure.

These aren’t just skills for getting through Year 12. They’re the skills, mindset and habits that you will take with you into university, work and whatever comes next.

At HSC CoWorks, our role is to provide the structure, support, coaching and accountability that helps students develop these capabilities, while working towards their HSC goals.

#hsccoworks #hsc2026 #hsc2027 #hscstudyskills #hscmotivation

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Open post by hsccoworks with ID 18141126814573634
The HSC matters. But what students build along the way matters even more. The HSC year is your training ground for life.. where you can develop skills like how to plan ahead, take ownership, tackle challenges, respond to feedback and perform under pressure. These aren’t just skills for getting through Year 12. They’re the skills, mindset and habits that you will take with you into university, work and whatever comes next. At HSC CoWorks, our role is to provide the structure, support, coaching and accountability that helps students develop these capabilities, while working towards their HSC goals. #hsccoworks #hsc2026 #hsc2027 #hscstudyskills #hscmotivation