Despite the slightly anxious and perhaps even fatigued faces I have been seeing at CoWorks recently, you should all be excited for what lies ahead.

In short, the Trials can be an opportunity for redemption, a chance to further move up the schooling ranks or even solidify your dominance. On the other hand, they also have the potential to become the realization of your downfall.

The difficulty of these next few weeks leading up to Trials are entirely up to your own discretion. They can be consistent revision and exam preparation or spiral into hellish cramming, sleepless nights and the need for one too many coffees.

So, without further ado, here are my 5 golden tips to staying sane, happy and confident throughout these next few weeks:

1. Take care of your body:

In short, a healthy body makes a healthy mind. No matter how prepared you are, if you happen to be sick during your Trials, you will not be able to perform to the best of your abilities. Doing the small things like staying hydrated, eating healthy and sleeping 8 hours a day can give your brain the chance to function optimally and even assist with your memory retention. Also doing some exercise everyday, even if just for 30 minutes, releases endorphins (or happy hormones as I like to call them) which really helps deal with stress.

2. Study NOW rather than later:

As Jesse and the rest of the team have been constantly emphasizing throughout the last few weeks, “the key to success is being highly effective and productive with the limited time that you have”. If you are able to create and stick to a thought-out study timetable, there should be no reason why I should see any of you pulling an all-nighter before your first English Exam.

Like I said before, it’s up to you, these next few weeks can honestly be quite bearable, if you just stay consistent and do the work day by day.

3. Take plenty of breaks in between your study routine:

“I’m going to study for the whole day today”. I’m sure all of you have started a day with this intention and ended up just burning out after the first hour and then watching YouTube videos for the rest of the day.

Studies have shown that your ability to concentrate falls dramatically after the first 50 minutes, and so giving your brain regular breaks gives you the chance to stay focused for longer during the day.

One very good method is the Pornodoro Technique. Its principle is simple. You work for a short period (usually 25 minutes) without distraction and take a break (usually 5 minutes) after that period is done. Anything that distracts you is attended to in that break, where you can also get up and move around.

4. Stick to your own plan:

Trust in yourself and believe in your own study plan. Remember you have all been in school for almost 12 years now, so you know what studying methods work best for you. Worrying too much about how other people are going about their work will just make you more anxious.

5. Don’t forget, you’re not alone:

The Trials are meant to be tough, in fact many people actually say that they are harder than the HSC exams, because you are essentially doing the same exams but in a shorter period of time. So remember, you are all going through this together. If you are feeling really tired and burnt out, don’t forget so are your friends. So stick together, support each other, and we at HSC CoWorks will also do our best to push you all through this next couple of weeks.

The truth is, by the first day of your Trial Exams, your marks will all have already been largely pre-determined, based upon the work you are doing now and over the next few weeks. Every extra past paper you do, essay you write or second you spend preparing, is really just an extra mark you are guaranteeing come Trial time. So work hard now, and you will get the marks you deserve later.

“Ultimately, there are more important things in life than exams. Ironically, you might just need to do well in your exams in order to achieve those things.”

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Procrastinating after working for only 5 minutes? 

Difficulty in trying & implementing new study strategies?

These are all very common issues and complaints occur for all of us from one time or another. Learning about how the brain works will give you a greater understanding into your current study habits and why they are the way they are.  It is a well-known fact that the brain is the control centre for your behaviour however a lot of people know very little about it and how it actually operates.

THE BRAIN IS A CONNECTION MACHINE 

• The function of the brain is to find associations and connections between information, creating neural “maps”.
• When we process new ideas we are creating a new map. Creating new maps take up a lot of energy!
• New maps increase motivation. This is why when you learn a new skill, such as driving a car, you feel motivated and excited. 

1. Seek to create new maps of knowledge using techniques such as Mind Maps.
2. Identify when you are struggling with a problem and strive to challenge yourself to find a solution yourself. Notice your feelings after this moment and use it as inspiration in your next problem.

NO TWO BRAINS ARE THE SAME

• There are unlimited ways that a brain may process and store information. This is why people look at things and process information differently.
• For Example, have you ever noticed that you and a friend will approach a problem or question in completely different ways. Or have you noticed that study strategies that work for your friend do not work for you at all? This is because no two brains are the same.

1. Understand the importance of making your own connections and seeking out ways of processing problems and concepts which work for you.
2. Always try to remember what strategies have worked for you in the past and utilise this in your next problem.
3. The Coaching team are constantly working with you to support you generate your own insights and not just ‘tell you’ what worked for us or how we would approach it. 

YOUR BRAIN HARDWIRES EVERYTHING

• The brain hardwires attitudes, processes and behaviours making it easier for the brain to respond to situations. E.g when you first learn to drive you are concentrating hard. In no time at all your brain has hardwired the actions of getting in the car, indicating, checking mirrors, switching gears without much thought at all!
• Hardwiring frees up the brain to think. 

1. It is crucial that you hardwire the behavior of essay writing and exam performance so that when you are in the examination room, you automatically move into exam mode.
2. If you have not hardwired the habit of completing an exam or writing an essay, your brain will be focusing on that and you will have no ‘free space’ for the brain to think creatively about the question/s you are being asked. 

YOUR BRAIN’S WIRING AFFECTS YOUR PERCEPTION 

• Perceptions are driven by our habits.
• Everyone has a unique perception of the world.
• Acknowledging this will help you to understand possible roadblocks in your study technique. 

1. You may have a hardwired belief that you cannot do a certain Math’s topic or you just don’t understand the Discovery unit and never will. This will then create a false reality and will become an underlying belief of yours.

• So how do you change these hardwired connections? Unfortunately, you can’t.
• But its not all doom & gloom! You CAN create new ‘positive’ wiring which over time will replace the old ‘negative’ wiring. 

1. Whenever you are stuck on a problem do not dwell on it, rather think of new possible ways you could approach it.
2. This may include using new and better techniques and methods such as structuring your essay a different way or applying new techniques to an equation you are trying to solve. 

IT IS EASY TO CREATE NEW WIRING 

• Every day our brain creates enormous amounts of new neural maps or connections
• However, there is a difference between a map that is held in our working memory (a thought) and a map that is hardwired in the deeper parts of our brain (a habit)
• In order to hardwire a new behaviour, you need to give it enough attention over a period of time so that a habit is formed.
• The less effective paths or habits you are not using will slowly become less connected over time. 

1. Reattempt & Resubmit! The more you submit your work for similar style questions throughout the year, the more likely you are to hard wire the information.
2. Make effective study techniques a habit and do them more than the ineffective study techniques – attempting exam style tasks, submitting a practice essay, completing multiple choice. 

Find our more about how HSC CoWorks can support your child with Exam Performance and Essay Writing. Click here.

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So perhaps you’ve heard that there have been some big changes to the English Syllabus. English is a compulsory subject for all students, so regardless of the level they’ve elected to study, your teen is going to be impacted. As a parent of a young person about to climb Mount HSC you may be feeling a little apprehensive and anxious about what lies ahead. Perhaps you’ve already had teens go through the HSC and you’re wondering how best to support the next teen to undertake this journey. Well, here are a few tips that will be helpful for you:

1.    Understand their vision

The HSC journey can be a stressful time in any young person’s life, especially when there have been significant changes. At HSC CoWorks we build in the strategies that will make this journey smoother – and it all starts with vision. It’s much easier to thrive when you know your end goal. Students with a clear vision have stronger motivation and more drive. They also accept feedback more effectively and are more likely to tackle obstacles with a growth mindset. Ensure that you know your teen’s vision, so you can remind them when times get tough and keep them on track. 

Source: Pinterest

2.    Remind them that the Preliminary Course (Year 11) is really important.

There have been significant changes in both the Preliminary and HSC Courses. As always (and now more than ever) the Preliminary (year 11) course really hardwires the skills necessary for HSC success. Sometimes students cruise through the prelim year with the plan to commit when the HSC commences. Those who do so really miss out on an opportunity to do the groundwork that will lead to HSC success. It’s important that students own their HSC journey right from the start of year 11. Get curious about what your teen is studying in the Prelim course and work with their teacher and the coaches at HSC CoWorks to keep them on track in this important year.

3.    Get them comfortable with change

Source: Pinterest

Whether your child has elected to do Standard, Advanced or Extension 1 English, there have been significant changes to the modules. For example, the Area of Study (Discovery) has been eradicated and replaced with a Common Module called ‘Texts and Human Experience’. Your teen will not be able to borrow course notes developed by an older sibling or friend who has already completed their HSC. This isn’t such a bad thing, we don’t recommend that they engage in this practice anyway. The best learning always comes when students do the thinking and the synthesising themselves, determining what is significant and important from their own perspective. They’ll also find it harder to find helpful resources online. Again, this isn’t a bad thing. It will cause them to do the thinking that will help them understand their coursework. Do what you can to encourage your teen to accept the challenge and embrace it.

4.    Get interested in your teen’s texts

With the new syllabus comes a new Prescribed List of texts. Many texts from the old syllabus remain on the list, but there are also a variety of new texts that replace some others. Your teen will find out what texts they are studying at the start of both the Preliminary and HSC Courses. If you enjoy reading/watching/listening to texts yourself, it’s not a bad idea to find out which texts your teen is studying and get familiar with them yourself. That way you can help them thrash out ideas over dinner, in the car, between overs at the cricket – wherever your busy life finds you. 

There will inevitably be challenges as your teen tackles the new English syllabus, so encourage them to utilise the coaches and tools offered to them through HSC CoWorks to maximise their success (and lessen your stress!)

CLICK HERE TO READ OUR PREVIOUS POST: ‘So how big are the changes to the new English Syllabus?’

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR YEAR 11 & 12 HSC PROGRAM

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Testimonials

Student

PAST STUDENT TESTIMONIAL

The HSC coaches provided invaluable motivation throughout the year, being in a position similar to myself not long ago and coming out so successfully I turned to them constantly for ongoing support to continue to work. When I had doubts in my ability or lost motivation to work the coaches were constant reminders of the rewards which comes with hard work, and I am very thankful for this. Spending so many hours together over the year I found no request was ever too great of the coaches, going above and beyond to ensure all of our many requests were attended to. The HSC CoWorks team is a unique and amazing group who allowed me to achieve more then I thought I could and I am not sure how I would have survived the year without them so thank you again ☺

Student

PAST STUDENT TESTIMONIAL

HSC CoWorks played an integral role in helping me throughout the HSC. The support, both in the office and online, allowed me to maintain a high level of motivation and dedication which played a significant role in allowing me to achieve my dream ATAR. Fergus, Jesse and all the other coaches and markers went above and beyond to give every student an opportunity to achieve their best.

Student

PAST STUDENT TESTIMONIAL

To all the coaches, a HUGE thank you!!! I would not have been able to work as hard as I did and improve my marks without your help and support. Walking into the session to smiling and energetic coaches made tackling all those assessments so much easier and more enjoyable.

Student

PAST STUDENT TESTIMONIAL

I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone that helped me achieve my ATAR goals. Due to my extreme training regime HSC CoWorks was one of the only places I really could work and as a result, was vital for helping achieve what I did.

Student

PAST STUDENT TESTIMONIAL

Dear Fergus, Jesse and the HSC CoWorks team. Thank you all for your help and support over the last two years in Year 11 and Year 12 especially. I am so glad that I joined HSC CoWorks in Year 11 as I was able to improve my essay writing and approaches to study before the critical year. I am off to my dream university (ANU) to do Commerce and Business Administration.

Student

PAST STUDENT TESTIMONIAL

The support received during my time at HSC CoWorks was unbelievable and made my whole HSC experience a lot smoother. I will recommend HSC CoWorks to anyone requiring HSC help as I believe the way it is structured is very professional and well catered to an individual’s needs for them to excel in the HSC.

Student

PAST STUDENT TESTIMONIAL

Overall just thank you to the entire HSC CoWorks staff. I would never have achieved the result I did without the support I received and I can honestly say I really really enjoyed my time at HSC CoWorks and would 100% recommend it to any future HSC student.

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