You’ve spent months preparing for your HSC exams. Now, with just 24 hours to go, what’s the best use of your time? Should you keep studying? Complete another practice paper? Memorise more content? Or put the books away and relax?

The answer depends on how well you’ve prepared, but one thing is certain: the final 24 hours should be about getting yourself ready to perform, not exhausting yourself trying to learn everything at the last minute.

HSC CoWorks coaches Jesse and Caitlin share their advice on making the most of the day before an exam, managing nerves and walking into the exam room ready to give it your best.

1. If You’ve Prepared Well, Trust Your Training

If you’ve been putting in the work consistently, now is the time to back yourself. One of the biggest mistakes students make is trying to cram as much information as possible into their brains the night before an exam.

You’ve spent months building your knowledge and exam skills. Don’t undo that preparation by exhausting yourself in the final 24 hours.

Instead, focus on keeping your brain active with some light, targeted revision.

Here’s what we recommend:

• Test yourself on key quotes, formulas and definitions.

• Review your essay structures and response strategies.

• Complete a few short exam-style questions.

• Practice recalling important information without your notes.

• Review your timing strategy for the exam.

Then give yourself permission to switch off! Go for a walk, get some exercise, eat well and get an early night.

Your goal is to walk into the exam room feeling fresh, confident and ready to perform.

2. If You’re Behind, Focus on What Will Make the Biggest Difference

Let’s be realistic. Not everyone arrives at the final 24 hours feeling completely prepared.

If that’s you, don’t panic. But you do need to be smart about how you use the time you have left.

This is NOT the time to rewrite notes, highlight textbooks or spend hours passively reading content.

For Maths or Science, it might mean tackling questions in your weaker areas, reviewing common mistakes or testing your recall of key formulas and concepts.

The important thing is that you’re actively using your knowledge, not just looking at it.

3. Train Your Brain for the Exam Room

Here’s something we remind our HSC CoWorks students all the time:

Knowing the content and being able to perform under exam conditions are two very different things.

You might know your quotes, understand your concepts and feel confident when studying at home. But can you recall that information quickly, under pressure, without your notes and with the clock ticking?

That’s the skill you need to train.

The exam room is full of uncertainty. You don’t know exactly what questions you’ll get, and you won’t have the luxury of unlimited time to think through your answers.

The more you practice under these conditions, the more familiar they become.

And the good news? You don’t need to complete another three-hour practice paper to achieve this.

Try these quick exam-training challenges:

• 5 minutes: Recall as many key quotes or formulas as possible.
• 10 minutes: Plan an essay response to an unseen question.
• 15 minutes: Write a paragraph without notes.
• 20 minutes: Complete a set of exam-style questions under timed conditions.

Set a timer, remove your notes and challenge yourself.

The more comfortable you become working under pressure, the more confident you’ll feel when it really counts.

4. Manage Your Energy and Keep the Momentum Going

By the time you reach the middle or end of your HSC exam block, it’s completely normal to feel tired and ready for it all to be over. You’ve worked hard, your friends might be finishing their exams, and the temptation to switch off is real.

But remember, your final HSC exams contribute 50% of your overall HSC mark in each subject

The key is to manage your energy rather than expect yourself to maintain the same intensity every single day. Break your study into manageable sessions, focus on your highest-priority tasks and give yourself something to look forward to when they’re done.

You don’t need to study every waking hour. You just need to make the hours you do study count.

5. Don’t Let Exam Nerves Take Over

Even the most prepared students can feel nervous before an exam.

Jesse’s advice is simple: move your body and focus on your breathing.

If you’re feeling anxious the day before an exam, get outside. Go for a walk, do some exercise or spend time doing something that helps you relax.

And if those nerves kick in when you sit down in the exam room? Take a few slow, deep breaths.

Give yourself a moment to settle before you start thinking about the questions.

Remember, you don’t need to know every answer immediately. You need to stay calm, think clearly and apply the skills you’ve spent months developing.

Confidence doesn’t come from knowing exactly what’s going to be in the exam. It comes from knowing you’ve trained yourself to handle whatever comes your way.

Want more practical HSC exam advice? Explore our HSC CoWorks study tips, exam strategies and expert coaching resources to help you get the most out of your preparation.

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