Monday was ‘D day’ for year 12 students with the start of their Higher School Certificate (HSC) written examinations.

One hundred and sixty nine students are currently sitting the exams in the Upper Hunter Shire at Scone High, Scone Grammar, St Joseph’s Aberdeen and Merriwa Central School. 

By all accounts, the exams started well with the first two English papers. 

Scone student Amilia Hall, who also had a three hour Hospitality exam on Monday, said walking into the exam rooms she felt pretty nervous, but once the reading time started that all settled and she focussed.

“The first couple of papers have been good, I have been pretty happy with them,” she said. 

Being a strong influence on the future of many of these students, the HSC is often a stressful time for the youngsters and their parents,     however they are almost one week down with just three to go. 

The final examination will be held on November 7 concluding the four weeks of study and predominantly three hour exam blocks. 

All students started on Monday with the first English paper, followed by the second English paper on Tuesday.

A group of students took time out of their busy study schedules late last week to catch up with The Scone Advocate. 

Scone High School’s Brianna Frost said although she was scared, she felt she had prepared herself as much as she could.

Brianna has exams for English, Advanced English, Ancient History, Mathematics, Biology, Primary Industries and Extension History.

Brianna said a lot of students had been busy studying throughout the school holidays and their teachers had been just amazing, giving them as much time as they could. 

“Our teachers have been fantastic, we really couldn’t do it without them,” she said. 

Brianna hopes to gain a mark of 72 per cent or higher to allow her to study a Bachelor of Agricultural Business at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, however she plans to take a year off and study equine studies at TAFE next year. 

Another student Rebecca Harvey said she was nervous, but excited to be completing the last stage of secondary school.

Rebecca said the trials were a big wakeup call as to how much more work they needed to put in, but she felt ready for the HSC. 

Students will learn of their results when marks are released on December 17.