Managing final exam stress a balancing act

It is crunch time for Year 12 students completing ATAR in Albany with their final exams just around the corner.

After working hard all year, exams this month will make up a large portion of their final score.

In preparation for the exams, some students have spent their school holidays with their heads in books and pens on paper.

Written ATAR exams run from Wednesday, October 30 to Tuesday, November 19. Practical exams started on September 28 and run until October 20.

Year 12 Great Southern Grammar student Jacob Sepkus said while exams could be a stressful time for students, it was the most direct pathway for him to pursue a career in education.

“A large percentage of our ATAR score is based on these coming exams, so I am quite stressed,” he said.

“But having my parents’ and teachers’ support has really helped me to remain positive about it and understand that if I make a mistake, it isn’t the end of the world.

“Of course, at times, doing ATAR is stressful. However, I believe it has helped me to become a better person and learn so much more about myself.

“A lot of my year group have been stressed recently with exams looming around the corner, which is only natural, but there is also excitement about what the future may hold.”

Jacob has spent the first week of holidays studying for four to five hours a day. He is sitting mock exams this week.

Classmate Isabella Cristinelli has been doing plenty of revision, but she said studying was a challenge when there were still you still had assessments due.

“The amount of hours can fluctuate depending on other study commitments,” Isabella said.

“If I try to be prepared as possible, I hope that I can go into the exam feeling confident in what I know.

“If anything, I put pressure on myself to do the best that I can.

“I think we’ve all learnt to manage balancing techniques to cope with the day-to-day stresses of Year 12,” she said.

“Many students are involved in sport or music, which is a good stress release from studies.”

Students receive their ATAR scores back later this year, with first-round offers from universities to follow soon after.