A l said:
I've been sorry to hear that some students, including potential top performers, have had worst case scenarios during their HSC exams. This includes pen(s) running out of ink, calculator(s) out of batteries, exam room clock "froze time", etc.
Since many see the HSC as the ultimate decider of a career or a life, such bad luck would be enough to cause suicide for some (I've heard of close calls of this in the past). Even though there is an option of repeating the HSC course, who would want to endure another year of HSC stresses and exams?
Has anyone had a situation or heard of a situation of such extreme misfortunes?
They are all avoidable scenarios:
1. Bring more than 2 pens. I bought 4 pens into the exams, if in the extreme unfortunate event, all 4 screw up, Im sure the exam supervisors are more than happy to let you a pen without penalty, considering you have make enough preparation.
2. I bought 2 calculators in the exam, one is mine, and one from a friend in Year 10. However, in my school, the exam supervisors got a bag full of calculators, if someone forgot to bring one, they let them to use those calculators. As far as I know, no marks were taken away from the exams.
3. In my school, we had 3 clocks and they are all on the same time. If one not working, we can still look up the other 2. I brought my watch in too, and I rarely used the clock.
HSC is not everything and certainly does not spell the end of your career/life if you screw up badly. Many people who didn't even do the HSC are now pretty successful in their life. TAFE is always an alternative path to those who want to go to unviersity or those who want to have specific skills such as IT, engineering, hospitality, tourism etc etc.
For those who have a thought to commit suicide, they should seek professional psychological help immediately. HSC is not and never will big enough to control your life. There is life after the HSC regardless of what you get, and certainly much bigger challeges in the future.
I didnt take the HSC as a big thing, I took it easy, and enjoy my life as usual. Im happy with my result and I got into the course I want to do in university.
Good luck to everyone who will do the HSC this year and the upcoming years