Beware of the Post HSC Trials Slump…

Aug 13, 2019

With many students mid HSC Trials right now, we wanted to discuss a very common obstacle that students tend to face in a couple of weeks: the post-trials slump. Yes it’s a real thing!
After (hopefully) working very hard in the lead-up to trials, and an intensive exam period, it’s very natural for students to want to take a small break from study and we completely understand the need for a week off. However, if the week-long break turns into a second or third week, students will look back and realise that they’ve lost nearly an entire-term’s worth of study time before their HSC.

From the day of finishing Trial Exams to walking into the exam room for English Paper 1 on October 17th is 59 days (for those students finishing exams on August 20). While that might seem like a fair chunk of time to prepare for the final set of exams, your child’s motivation and focus on the task at hand is up against many potential distractions. Distractions which can lead to low levels of focus and motivation… 

Distractions such as:

  • 18th Birthday parties and other socialising events will become more frequent and more attractive
  • Graduation week and other end of year 12 events
  • For Rugby fans we have the Rugby World Cup (Sept 20 to November 2nd) to contend with
  • For NRL and AFL fans we have the finals every weekend in September
  • Schoolies talk and preparation amongst peers
  • As well as all the other ever pervasive distractions of social media, netflix, youtube, relationships
  • Warmer weather 

As you can see there are a lot more attractive things to be doing as a 17/18 year old rather than re-working that English essay that they know they need to do.

So – what do students need to do to ensure that they stay on track? As per usual, we can harness the HSC CoWorks Key Behaviours, and in particular Key Behaviour Number 5 – Grit.

Grit refers to our level of resolve, resilience, and determination. Grit is sitting down, and just getting through the work – no matter what’s going on externally. This is of vital importance during this period, because unless someone scored 100% for every trial exam, there’s going to be something they need to work on. Grit is harnessing your passion, reminding yourself of your vision, and taking the necessary steps, no matter how difficult, to get there.

As a parent, you will of course want your child to be gritty. Your own life experience tells you that if an individual can have the self discipline to stick it out and overcome obstacles, all that extra effort will be worth it in the end.

Read our next blog on how your child can stay GRITTY post Trials.

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