to the graduating class of 2011 BEC - MammaMia

You will not be a success or a failure in life based on your year 12 final grades.

For senior students, it feels like their whole future is resting on these year 12 exams. But it’s not.  Let’s be really, really honest. Your final grade is just one little moment in time.  The truth is the people who live the big, exciting lives; the people who are living their dreams are not necessarily the people who got straight A’s or did fabulously well in the HSC or SACE or OP or whatever it is in your state. They are the people who are resilient. And persistent. They are the people who have faith in themselves and kept going.

Now don’t get me wrong – high grades are valuable.  The better your grades the greater the options when you leave school. And that’s what you want: options.  But in the long term, success in life is about your ability to bounce-back. So if you don’t do so well with these exams or if you don’t get the score you want – just remember that it’s not the end of the world.  If you REALLY want to study something, you’ll find a way to do it.  As my friend Pam always says, when one door closes, try squeezing through the cat flap.

And then there are life’s late bloomers. For a whole range of reasons some people just don’t do well in high school. Maybe because of stuff that’s going on at home. Maybe because they’re not a great fit for the school they attend. Maybe because their head just isn’t in the right place. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go on to great things.  A fabulous example is my friend (and fellow author) Kim Wilkins. On her blog recently, Kim wrote:

“I was a late bloomer in every sense of the word. I still played with my dollhouse in the first year of high school, until one of the other girls told me that it was lame. I was puzzled and sometimes horrified by the things my teenage peers talked about and did. I gained a reputation for being the biggest “dag” in my grade. I flunked almost everything at high school and spent a very long time working in fast food jobs and typing jobs.  In fact, I’d say that I didn’t really blossom until my mid-twenties. I went back to school and finished my senior, got into uni, started writing books, and haven’t looked back. “

Let me tell you, Kim’s being modest. Today she’s an internationally acclaimed author of twenty books. She’s a university lecturer.  She won a University Medal for pete’s sake.  She’s living the life of her dreams. And she flunked out at high school.

So to the graduating class of 2011, know this:  whatever happens over the coming months, have faith that you’ll be just fine. Why?  Because you have it in you to bounce back.

I had to share this post from Bec at Mamamia as I found it super encouraging for my daughter is in Year 10 and I have encouraged her to do what she enjoys in Year 11 & 12. It is a huge world out there and I believe there is too much pressure on kids these days. They can achieve anything they want with out a high HSC grade/ranking.

coping with HSC STRESS

Whether you're the one sitting the exams or you're the nervous mum worrying about the results, the HSC can be stressful time for everyone. But to make sure that your household stays as stress-free as possible during exam period, we've compiled a quick guide for students and those at home supporting them.

STUDENTS

• Be realistic with your study plan — if you set unrealistic goals, you'll only stress yourself out further
• Make sure you take a break — head outside, go for a walk, just step away from the books for five!
• Try to fit in some exercise — it'll keep you focused
• Lay off the caffeine — it won't help with concentration, instead stick with water
• Get your stationary sorted in advance — multiple pens and pencils!
• Stay calm during the exam — don't waste hours stressing over questions you don't know
• Take deep breaths — breathing is really important in keeping the body and mind calm and focused so breathe using your diaphragm, not from your throat
• If you're struggling to sleep use a lavender-infused product such as Johnson’s Dreamy Skin Body Lotion ($6.99) before bed — it'll help you catch some zzzz's in no time.
• Appreciate that you're under stress right now and that you might see some changes in your skin such as breakouts or eczema. Try not to let these stress you out as they're just the result of the exams. If you get breakouts, opt for a product with salicylic acid to penetrate deep into the skin and unclog all the impurities or get ahead of the game with a pre-emptive product like Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Power-Clear Scrub ($14.99).  

PARENTS

• Don't be too demanding about chores and other household duties — allow them to focus on study
• Encourage regular meal times and healthy snacks
• Encourage exercise as a way to clear their head after each exam
• Don't let them stay up too late — a good night's sleep is really important
• Encourage them to keep their books in order so they know where things are and don't stress
• Stock up on citrus shower gels — the invigorating scent will wake them up before early morning exams

Although my daughters are not studying for their HSC these tips from bellasugar are helpful tips for those who are.

My eldest has been sitting her year 10 certificate trials and has the Year 10 certificate to sit in a few weeks. So i will be taking these on board to help her get through.