Students, stress less over life’s tests

There’s no doubt it’s a horrific time for everyone concerned. But it’s important to remember that the exams at the end of Year 12 don’t really prepare you for anything much in life, other than to get you into university. Which is good if that’s what you want. But once you get to a certain age, you look back and realise how insignificant a part of your life they were.

In the manic approach to my own exams, my quite wonderful English Literature teacher said to me, “There’s a second chance, you know”, and until that point, honestly, I hadn’t even entertained the possibility.

At the time, of course, being a nerdy young lass, failure wasn’t really an option, but it was oddly reassuring to realise that there was a safety net if I needed one. It turns out that no matter what anyone says, the Year 12 exams are not the be-all and end-all.

Of course, you should still try, kids. But the process shouldn’t leave you hyperventilating or rocking in the corner reciting the periodic table over and over.

The thing is, even if you do go to university, there’s every chance you’ll change your major, or fail a unit or go travelling for a semester and all of a sudden five years have elapsed and you haven’t graduated yet. It happens all the time. Then, when you do get a job it’s in a completely unrelated field. And when you get to age 35 you have a minor life crisis and change careers completely.

In the scheme of things, a few weeks of testing when you’re 17 or 18 take on a very minor role in your life.

One of my most successful friends practically failed her Year 12 exams (she was about 0.2 per cent away from a big fat F), and is now a consultant to major companies and has written several business-strategy books. People have even bought them. She worked in the banking sector for many years and didn’t go to university until she was in her late thirties.

You’ll notice, as you get older, that hardly anyone actually cares what your ATAR score is. And then they’ll change the system so no one knows whether it’s good or not. My score was 420, which means absolutely nothing now. I was pretty proud of it at the time but when I tell people these days they just shrug.

I have to tell them, “Hey, it was good at the time”, so that they realise what a genius I was, back in the day. But, believe me, people aren’t that impressed. There are other things that you will do, other great achievements, or perhaps really embarrassing situations that you’ll get yourself into that will define you at various points in your life.

I feel, here, I should give some super-smart advice that wise people like to tell high school graduates.

We all remember that “Wear Sunscreen” song, and that advice stands. Don’t rely on advances in skin care to save your face. And I would know: I lived through the Reef Sun Tan Oil era.

So if I am to give you any valuable advice, it’s this: In life, don’t be a dickhead. When you make a choice, consider how it affects others. That will get you a l-o-n-g way.

Also, don’t steal other people’s butter from the work fridge; do smile at strangers; if you have curly hair, use sulfate-free shampoo; say yes to unexpected things; travel alone at least once; ease up on the fake tan; wave at people who let you in when you’re in traffic; learn to cook; know how to change a tyre; and — this is quite important — you don’t have to get offended at every little thing.

Of course, you’ll ignore my wisdom. And that’s OK, too. Because my very last piece of advice is this: Make your own way.

Listen to Nat, Nathan and Shaun McManus on Nova 93.7 on weekday mornings.