Orange Anglican Grammar School students ditch the books

Hillary Owen and Laura Sharp agreed “easy” was the best way to describe the NSW Business Studies Higher School Certificate (HSC) exam, the final exam for both girls.

Hillary said the work they’d done in the classroom this year had prepared her for everything on the “very long” test.

“It’s emotionally draining to concentrate for three hours,” she said.

“I think the stress has added to the exhaustion.”

With a friend taking her out to dinner on Friday night to celebrate, Hillary said she would “focus on anything else” until results came out in December.

With her sights set on an agricultural science and teaching degree, Hillary was applying to the University of New England in Armadale for next year.

Eyeing a career in rural real estate, Laura said her exams were more bearable without having to think about university.

“Because I didn’t need an ATAR [Australian Tertiary Admission Rank] I had a lot of pressure off,” she said.

“While my marks matter, it won’t make or break anything for me.” The final NSW exam will be drama on November 9.