CHALLENGE

BY RITAM MITRA

High school leavers around the country breathed a collective sigh of relief last month as their HSC and ATAR results became available. Thirteen years of school culminated in a set of scores and a 4-digit number, and the late nights and last minute cramming finally had a quantitative relevance attached to them. Whatever the numbers read, however, 2012 marks the start of a bright future for these young adults across the country.

This year, a record 72,391 students sat a NSW HSC exam, including 537 candidates from locations outside NSW – such as international schools in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia. There were 760 exam centres, in which 117 different exam papers were sat. More than 70% of students accessed their results online, while more than 21,000 opted to have their HSC results delivered by SMS, almost double the 2010 figure.

It is impossible to put a figure, however, on the immense amount of work done by each and every student. Year 12 marks a year that epitomises chaos and sacrifice, while still holding a reputation with many as their favourite year of high school. It is a year that puts pressure on not only the students and their teachers, but parents, sisters, brothers and friends all take the journey together, and it is perhaps this group effort which makes it so much more worthwhile when the last exam finishes.

Some students studied more than others, but the relief was without a doubt, widespread and monumental. Each and every student used that final exam, that final date when the examiner would finally let them know that it was time to put their pens down, as their ultimate motivation. Indian Link recently caught up with some of this year’s most successful high school graduates, and it’s time to find out what the future holds for them.

A supporting act

Parents can often be tough on their children – and as children and parents alike will agree, in our community it’s extremely important to keep them happy! However, this year’s students are a testament to the fact that relaxed parents perhaps result in relaxed students. They do always play an important role in guiding their children through the tough HSC year, and for these bright students, parental support was just as pivotal.

For the state’s top-ranked Hindi student, Nirali Gohel of Strathfield Girls High School (ATAR 99.15), parents Yogini and Atulchandra were her pillars of strength. “I don’t think I could have coped with all the stress during those tough times without my parents, because they were always with me, they wouldn’t push me, they would take me out, they would do things to give me a break, to keep me away from study so I could relax, they never said a single word about my results, they only say try your best, we know how much you’ve worked, just do your best. A million thanks to them,” she says enthusiastically.

pressure on me or my marks. It helped that they’d already gone through my brother’s HSC, so they knew how to approach it,” he says.

Amogh Sarda, a North Sydney Boys High graduate with an ATAR of 99.70, relied on wise words from his mother. “One of the Indian proverbs Mum keeps reiterating to me seems to have finally struck a chord: Mehnat ka phal mitha hota hai! (The fruits of hard work are sweet). Use the ‘phal’ as the incentive in mind and drive towards it with ‘mehnat’, and whether you attend a selective school or not, you are bound to succeed,” he avers.

One of the Indian proverbs Mum keeps reiterating to me seems to have finally struck a chord: Mehnat ka phal mitha hota hai! (The fruits of hard work are sweet).

Anchit Mathur, who graduated from the Sydney Church of England Grammar School with an ATAR of 98.20, had similar support, but concedes that his mother was perhaps just a little anxious! “They were supportive of my hard work, so my results weren’t the most important factor. There was not much pressure because I was on top of my studies, but there was the usual nag from Mum.”

Nakul Bhagwat of Sydney Boys High School (ATAR 97.75) believes his parents had it easier the second time around. “My parents were great throughout the entire year. They made sure I knew how important it was to my future, but didn’t put any

Nervous moments

It’s easy for examinees to become overwhelmed with the task ahead of them but as Shefali Chaukra (James Ruse Agricultural High, ATAR 99.90, 11th in Chemistry, 10th in Agriculture 2010) will testify, studying isn’t the only important aspect of the year. “During Year 12 especially, I think that it is of utmost importance to maintain your hobbies and at least some activities as they provide a valuable break from studying, keep you motivated and keeps you active (it’s no secret about the weight gain of HSC students!) I love dancing, and I kept two classes a week of ballet through Year 12. I also played Netball with some of my friends every week in the Saturday competitions. At home I have two dogs, two cats and two rabbits, and looking after them kept some routine in my life through the busy year. I love playing with all of them (also a good break from studying!)” she reveals.

Nirali found herself on a more spiritual level throughout the year, saying “I often went to the temple, from where I learned the secret of 4Ds: determination, dedication, devotion and discipline. This helped me all the way – and made the journey both spiritual and intellectual.” other activities such as going to the gym, playing soccer, hanging out with friends and watching movies and TV,” he says.

Miltu Nayak from North Sydney Boys High School (ATAR 99.50), was trying to keep his mind off things. “I was fairly confident that I would get into the course I wanted, so my anxiety was more related towards fulfilling my own expectations rather than achieving a specific ATAR. I dealt with the anxiety by thinking about it as little as possible. I had done everything I possibly could and nothing I did at that point of time would have changed anything,” he states philosophically.

Muzammil Jawaid Rajwani (ATAR 98.75), from St Marys Senior High School, also had a similar philosophy saying, “You don’t really think about the HSC results once the exams themselves are over. I personally just tried to forget about it because there’s no point fretting over things that can’t be changed.”

Medhavi Gupta of Roseville College (ATAR 99.55), was somewhat distracted by the fact that she was overseas. “I wasn’t really nervous - I was confident that I would get a high enough ATAR for the course I wanted (BCommerce/BScience). And we were travelling in India at that time, and being surrounded by family and being busy, it was easy to keep perspective that in the long run my HSC result would have little effect. However, it was exciting to see the result on the internet at 1am!”

Words of wisdom

With results such as these, but more importantly, with the happiness and sense of satisfaction the students have achieved, their advice is definitely helpful to future Year 12 students.

Arkash Jayanandan from Baulkham Hills High School (ATAR of 99.5), thinks there is a sense of anti-climax when it comes to the HSC itself. “People usually think the HSC is the ‘do or die’ of life. While doing well is an advantage, there are so many other options for us to get into our preferred tertiary course. So don’t stress out too much, it’s all good! For some people, it’s easier said than done, but it’s really important that you don’t have a breakdown,” he advises.

Medhavi, meanwhile, emphasises the importance of avoiding social networking sites! “Organisation is very important - make a study timetable and give it to your parents (not friends - that never works) to enforce. Also, let someone change your FB password so you don’t spend too much time on it. My little sister reset my password without telling me!” she says, tonguein-cheek.

Nakul, a talented sportsman, found multi-tasking to be the key. “Keep up your life outside of the HSC. I played soccer, cricket and did debating, and they were definitely the most enjoyable parts of my year. And try not to stress out. Not only is it better for your mental health, but a relaxed student is a better student,” he claims sagely.

Anchit says, “It is not the be all and end all of your tertiary education. It is a minor, yet helpful stepping stone into the future but it does not necessarily mean that you cannot pursue your dreams. Don’t fret if you do not achieve your expectations because there are always new and better opportunities waiting for you. Try the best you can and along with studies make sure you are participating in extra-curricular activities. “

Although extra-curricular activities seem to be the key, Muzammil found that it was also crucial to maintain selfdiscipline. “The HSC was quite a big deal for me, although I do believe that there are always other pathways to get into the career you are pursuing. But just for the sake of maintaining the intensity and motivation to study throughout the year, I tried to maintain a tunnel-minded approach towards what I want to achieve by the end of HSC. The primary objective is not to lose focus throughout the year and to maintain a constant routine of studying,” he says.

Cooperation is also important, according to Miltu. “The HSC is overhyped mainly due to the fact that most courses allow you to transfer in after first year if you don’t get in straight up. But in saying that, it is the conclusion to 12 years of education and most people would like something to show for it. Work together! When you help a friend you not only improve their understanding but yours,” she advises.

Tips ‘n’ tricks

Manbir has several tips for future students, but the most important thing for him is time management. “At the start of the year, you should know when all your examinations are and based on that, you should plan your study in a way that will allow you to be fully prepared for all assessments,” he says adding, “Quality over quantity! Some people spend large amounts of time studying; however it can be more effective to target your areas of weakness rather than just studying for lengthy amounts of time.” entertainment as the benefits of a truly relaxing break seem to elude many at this time. Take pride in trying and persevere to your fullest so that regardless of the results, at the end of the day, you can always pat yourself on the back.”

What comes next?

After a while the ATAR loses all meaning – it’s time to attach it to a course. If only it were that easy, however! After a year during which they considered the direction to take, these young stars have arrived at various interesting and challenging courses – a reminder that there is an abundance of options out there.

Miltu will be doing Commerce/Science at the University of New South Wales, and taking majors in Actuary and Pharmacology. “It was the only logical choice for me as maths and chemistry were my best subjects in high school. My parents had their own visions for me, but they really tried to help me find a combination in which I would succeed,” says Miltu.

Nakul knew from the start, saying, “I’m going to be studying Commerce and Law. I’ve had my heart set on Law for a while now so the only decision I had to make was which University to join. My parents told me to just study what I was passionate about, and were happy with my decision. “Nakul will be taking up his degree at UNSW.

Manbir will be doing Engineering/Commerce at UNSW. “It was definitely a tough choice, given all the opportunities that are available to me. My parents also influenced my decision about what I would study in University, by telling me to consider all the other opportunities that are available,” he says.

Nirali will be doing Physiotherapy at Sydney University. “My parents always said whatever I liked would be best - they liked the medical field, but they didn’t really force me to do anything, it was absolutely my choice,” says Nirali, who hopes to transfer into Medicine in the future.

Arkash will also be doing Physiotherapy at the University of Sydney, saying, “Especially with family pressures to choose courses like law and medicine, it was difficult to look past their beliefs and choose something that I truly wanted to do. However, after discussing with friends, choosing a course became much easier to do.”

Shefali was in several minds. “My first and most likely preference is Medicine/Arts at UNSW. The reason I am still unsure is because I changed my mind so many times during the year - initially I wanted to do Veterinary Science, then I wanted to do Advanced Science, I really wanted Science- Medicine at The University of Sydney but they only take 99.95 ATAR. So the most likely outcome is UNSW Medicine/Arts,” she muses. Muzammil will be doing Engineering/Advanced Science at UNSW. “It was a tough choice between Pharmacy (which my parents favoured) and Computer Engineering/Science but at the end of the day, I chose the course in which I have a greater interest,” he says.

Year 12 marks a year that epitomises chaos and sacrifice, while still holding a reputation with many as their favourite year of high school.

Shefali insists she doesn’t have a “secret to success”. However, as a rough guide, she does have a few tips. “I made sure English was a priority, because it is important to keep on top of your essays and be constantly revising them and improving your writing ability, particularly as English is the only subject that must contribute to your ATAR. But when the trials were approaching and before the start of HSC, I was completely committed to studying and since school was finished for Year 12, I had time for about 11 hours of revision and practice papers per day,” she claims.

For future students, Amogh suggests, “Utilise a daily planner to use time efficiently, along with fitting in productive means of

Anchit is going to study Commerce/Law, stating confidently, “I had always known I wanted to do commerce or any business subject, but my dad guided me into making a good decision for my future.”

Amogh will be studying Mechanical Engineering/Commerce at UNSW. “Having established my passions in Mathematics and Physics, a tough choice lay not within choosing courses, but within choosing Universities. My parents have helped me research into the universities and provided another insight into the decision-making process. But in the end, I am doing what I want to do – as should anyone else,” claims Amogh.

And finally, Medhavi will be undertaking a double degree of Commerce and Science at UNSW. “I received a scholarship (The Malcolm Chaikan scholarship that is offered to only 2 students out of 500) for this course, so it’s absolutely perfect. It wasn’t a very tough choice since I knew I didn’t want to do Law or Medicine, and I love Science,” she says excitedly.

And so a big chapter draws to a close, but more exciting ones await! It is indeed true that education is never-ending; but for these successful young adults, they are one step closer to what promises to be a great future in their respective fields and after all, that is the ultimate prize. Marks and numbers pale in comparison to truly enjoying learning – and that is what this next chapter in their lives is all about.