It is that time of year for senior students. Year 12 have completed their trial exams and a groundswell of excitement begins to build as the realisation dawns that only a few short weeks stand between them and a life beyond school walls. Of course, this excitement is tainted with a hefty dose anxiety as the spectre of the HSC reaches out its gnarly fingers to inspire simultaneous awe and angst. The overwhelming urge to celebrate the end of school begins to war with a nostalgic need to remember.

While some scramble to uncover those last few marks, many more reach for lingering memories; memories that will sustain them through the tumultuous weeks of revision ahead. Of course the objective is to remember the countless hours spent in class and at home, devouring text books, discussing ideas and writing wads of notes while in the pursuit of content and skills. However, at this time, in these last few weeks, these are not the memories of solace. Rather, the memories which are being squirreled away are those of friendship.

I once heard it said that people who claimed their ‘best years of life were at school’ had wasted their dreams. While this may the case, I still believe that some of my ‘best’ weeks occurred in the dying days of school. It was then that petty jealousy and competition was abandoned. As a collective force we realised that we were about to face one of the biggest challenges life had thrown at us thus far. We approached a future where even if we knew what we wanted, we were unsure if we would get it. But we knew we faced it together, a united cohort filled with faces we had seen almost every day for the past six, sometimes even 12 years (and remember, at age 17, that accounted for one or two thirds of our entire lives).

Familiarity brings with it its own sense of reassurance. So, in those last weeks of school we sought and traded memories; memories of that party, this excursion and those canteen specials. We wrote in each other’s year books, on shirts and on tunics. We wrote as though each classmate was a close friend and we meant it!

To the class of 2011 I wish a sensational end of term; support each other, keep your dreams firmly in sight, devote time to study, allocate moments to reflect and retain a determined attitude. I wish you a creative and courageous study period and a rewarding HSC.