PLC Armidale’s graduating Class of 2025 welcomed school leaders from NEGS, TAS, O’Connor Catholic College, and Carinya Christian College this week for the first of many traditional valedictory events.

The evening began with a tour of the PLC Armidale Senior School campus, followed by a keynote address from PLC Armidale alumna and 2022 Deputy Head Prefect, Amelia Wake, who is now studying medicine. Amelia shared her reflections on preparing for the HSC and offered practical advice to this year’s Year 12 students.

“It feels surreal standing here today. Less than three years ago, I was in your place—trying to juggle schoolwork, sport, leadership roles, and social life,” Amelia said. “Year 12 is stressful and overwhelming at times, but it’s also full of opportunities and experiences you’ll remember for the rest of your life.”

Amelia encouraged students to focus on consistency and balance as they approach their final exams.

“Sleep is not optional", she said. "It’s part of your study technique. Your brain literally needs rest to transfer what you’re learning into long-term memory. Pulling all-nighters isn’t hardcore—it’s sabotage.”

She also urged students to keep perspective beyond their ATAR and avoid losing themselves in the pursuit of a mark. 

"Yes, it might get you into a course", she said.

"But what you’ll remember are the friendships, the sports matches, the assemblies, and the leadership opportunities. Please, keep perspective.”

While school Principals enjoyed refreshments together, students from all four schools gathered for supper and trivia, marking the beginning of the celebrations leading to graduation.

PLC Armidale College Principal Mrs Nicola Taylor said the event reflected the supportive spirit of the local schools.

“It is inspiring to see our region's young leaders come together. We are proud that our PLC Armidale graduates, like Amelia, return to share their wisdom and encouragement.”

This Prefect valedictory gathering marks the first in a series of milestone events for the Class of 2025 as they approach their final examinations and graduation. 

Amelia Wake - Deputy Head Prefect, Class of 2022

"It feels surreal standing here today. Less than three years ago, I was in your place—sitting in this hall, trying to juggle schoolwork, sport, leadership roles, and my social life. Back then, I stood at this very podium playing Family Feud and charades at my prefects’ afternoon tea, never imagining I’d one day be back here speaking to you all about my HSC journey. 

"So first things first—congratulations. You’ve reached the final chapter of school, and whether you feel ready or not, you’ve already achieved a lot just by getting here. Year 12 is a big year. It’s stressful, it’s overwhelming at times, but it’s also full of opportunities and experiences you’ll remember for the rest of your life. Right now, though, you’re probably being reminded by teachers to “stay focused” more times than you can count, while at the same time being bombarded by emails about European holidays and schoolies packages that look way more fun than your textbooks. And it can feel like those days of freedom are still miles away.

"Now, some of you might recognise me from PLC, but I also know there are plenty of faces here who have no idea who I am, what I did, or why I’m standing up here today. So let me give you a quick snapshot of my HSC experience.

"In 2021, I began Year 11 with 15 units. Yes, 15. Ew. By Year 12, I had reduced my course load to 11 units: biology, chemistry, physics, advanced and extension maths, and advanced English. I also had a few other things on my plate. I was deputy head prefect, a peer support leader, played soccer and hockey for PLC, played in a twilight soccer comp outside of school, and—because balance is important—I somehow still found the time to watch all nine seasons of Suits and every Mission Impossible movie that had come out at the time. So yes, I was busy. And yes, people probably thought I was a bit of an overachiever.

"But here’s the truth—my HSC journey wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t smooth sailing. And it definitely isn’t a blueprint for everyone to follow. Each of you will have your own version of this HSC experience. However, now that I have the privilege of looking back, I can truly reflect on the tips and tricks I wish I had known during my own HSC.

Now, what I am about to say is cliché, sorry to my Year 12 English teacher, but nonetheless it is true. Academics is not for everyone, and the opportunities after school are literally endless. I cannot speak to the experiences of those who pursued different paths after graduating, but as someone who had their heart set on achieving the HSC mark I needed to pursue medicine at university, this is the approach that worked for me.

"If I think back to where I was at this point in Year 12—three years ago—I remember feeling absolutely exhausted. Trials had just finished, and I had poured everything into them—hours of study and stress. And yet, even after all of that, the final exams, ‘freedom day’ still felt so far away. It was like running a marathon and realising at the 30km mark that you still had 12 kilometres to go. * I've actually never run a marathon, so I have no idea what it's like, but this is just a guess.

"But I had very little left in the tank to give at this point, yet I pulled through, as did the rest of my class. You will too.

"So let me share how I approached those last few months. Again—not perfectly, not always gracefully—but in a way that got me through.

"The first thing—be realistic. I didn’t reinvent the wheel when it came to exam prep. I stuck with the same kind of structure and routine I’d used during the term. Consistency was my safety net. What really helped me was planning. I used to make schedules, breaking down what subjects I’d study on which days and what topics I’d cover. It stopped me from looking at the mountain of content and feeling overwhelmed. Instead, I could see—on paper—that it was manageable.

"During that exam prep period, I studied for about six hours a day. I took time to go for walks, to get fresh air, and, most importantly, to sleep. And I cannot stress this enough: sleep is not optional. Sleep is part of your study technique. This is the med nerd in me talking now, but your brain literally needs REM sleep to transfer what you’re cramming into your head into long-term memory. If you cut sleep, you’re cutting your ability to retain knowledge. Pulling all-nighters might sound hardcore, but in reality, you’re sabotaging yourself.

"I also, during the holiday break just prior to exams, booked into HSC booster courses for all my subjects in Sydney, which kept me accountable for studying and made motivating myself easier as I had paid for these sessions. I think there are also some boosters that you can do online to save the cost and time associated with travelling.

"As to my study methods, ACTIVE RECALL WAS MY BEST FRIEND! PALM CARDS, PALM CARDS, PALM CARDS. They worked in school, and they work even now in med school. I get it, reading over your notes and highlighting is so much easier howeve,r not nearly as effective. The old saying is true: quality over quantity. 

"I also kept myself motivated by switching up my study environments. Sometimes I studied at the dining table, sometimes in the library, sometimes in the study block, and yes—even out in the paddock once or twice. As long as there were no distractions. The change of scenery made it less monotonous (MON-OT-O-MOS) and helped me focus.

"Us Generation Z people also need to remove the distraction of our phones! The endless scrolling on TikTok or Instagram unfortunately, had to stop for me, and I recommend it for you. I decided to delete my TikTok during the exam periods. A method I also found helpful was, obviously, turning my ringer off, but also downloading an app called ‘Focus Keeper,’ which adopts the Pomodoro (PO-MO-DO-RO) Timer technique. 25 minutes on, 5 minutes of study and then after four cycles, a 30-minute break. This technique has been proven to maintain productivity at its highest over a long period of study, and also allows for a brief phone or snack break during those 5-minute periods.

"When your motivation is lacking, I want you to remember that HARD WORK TRUMPS ALL. If you don't get something in class, go home and understand it. If the teacher's delivery isn't working for you, go home, utilise the abundance of resources now available, and teach yourself. When others are spending their entire holidays at the beach or attending concerts, allocate a week or an hour each day to writing summaries to help when exam time arrives. 

"No one else in your class will see the hard yards you put in, and you're bound to get comments like ‘you're just smart’. I can guarantee that putting in hard work will pay off more than anything else.

"Another thing that helped me take a bit of the stress off when it came to exams was to make sure I applied to early entry at literally every uni possible for literally any degree I found remotely interesting. I still worked hard to try and get the ATAR I wanted; however, I knew if worst came to worst, I would have something to fall back on. Make sure however, you don’t use this as a reason to stop studying; still put your head down and give it your best crack.

"Now, on a note completely different to my exam approach. I think a tendency many people have when approaching the HSC is withdrawing from all commitments outside academics. And my advice is…dont. It was one of the best decisions I made when looking back. The HSC is full on…you need an outlet.

"I made time to do things completely different from studying. For me, it was sports, but for you, it could be music, movie nights with your family, or going to the gym. I would use my free periods effectively, also studying after school each afternoon and night. Sport training on Tuesday and Thursday to get fresh air and socialise. Movie nights on Fridays. Sport games on Saturday and a study session each Sunday. 

"I highly recommend continuing to do what interests you and having time to rest and watch that TV series everyone is talking about. Within reason, don't become a professional napper, of course. I believe that achieving this balance will enable you to thrive better in all areas, including academics.

"Now speaking of not giving up what you love, that leads into my next point. Don't lose yourself in the pursuit of a mark. So easier said than done, I know. That number on a page might get you into a course, but it won’t be what you look back on in two years, and I'm going to guess, likely not in 20 years. What you will remember is the hockey IGSA final you should have won, the year 7 band where you missed more notes on the clarinet than you successfully executed, or the leadership role where you got to mix with people from other schools as you are now. Those are the things that your schoolmates and you will talk about when you're catching up. 

"Now, why do I share this? During my HSC, I had a printout of my dream ATAR pinned to my wall as daily motivation. When the results were released on December 15, I understood. And what do you think I felt? Disappointed. I had reached the goal I had been working toward for so long, yet it felt strangely hollow. Looking back, I realise it wasn’t disappointment as much as the realisation that I had poured so much energy into something that, in the end, seemed trivial. Yes, it opened the door to medicine, and I am grateful for that, but it also taught me that if your entire recollection of year 12 revolves around a single number, you risk losing the joy of the journey. The comedown would have been much harder if I hadn’t also built meaningful memories and balance during my HSC year. Please, keep perspective.

"Now for something more specific to yourselves all in the leadership role of your respective schools. As mentioned, I was Deputy Head Prefect in 2022, and it was one of the best opportunities I was permitted. 

"Leadership taught me so much—how to step out of my comfort zone, how to handle the spotlight, and how to recover when things went wrong. And trust me, things went wrong. Like the time I accidentally left out one student’s name in a valedictory speech because they were last on the roll and therefore slipped onto the back page, or the time I tripped up these very stairs during an assembly. Those moments were mortifying, but they taught me resilience, humility, and the ability to laugh at myself.

"For example, when I had to answer questions in my med school's admission interview, the purpose was to see how we responded to an almost impossible task. Without knowing it, the roles you have are equipping you with such a valuable tool set for approaching the hurdles I know I have faced since finishing school. The confidence you gain will be one of your best assets yet, and the embarrassing whoopsies will all be worth it. Although I still get flashbacks to that first assembly tripping up these stairs. 

"So, to wrap this up, my message is simple. Work hard. Stay balanced. Keep perspective. And most importantly, enjoy everything school still has to offer. These moments matter more than you think."