Bulli psychologist and mum says HSC stress levels are lower than ever, thanks to evolving education system

A Bulli psychologist and mum to a daughter embarking on her HSC believes the stress and anxiety once associated with Year 12 exams aren’t at the levels they once were, due to an evolving education system.

Quirky Kid cofounder Dr Kimberley O’Brien, who works with children aged two to 16 in her Austinmer and Woollahra clinics, said as Year 12 students were preparing for their HSC exams in October, she didn’t see as many cases requiring stress management.

“The system has managed to smooth out the pressure so that it’s not just all coming down to the final exam, as it was when I was at school,” Kimberley said.

“Now it seems like there’s so much that’s based off Year 11 work and half yearly exams and things like that, that means there’s not as much pressure. All those early entries into university have really been helpful as well.

“I think the system is designed to make it a lot more manageable, so I don’t see a whole lot of stress currently with the students I’m working with.”

However, she said that didn’t mean there weren’t some peaks and troughs throughout the school year for students.

She said there could be times when young people felt overwhelmed with assessments all due in the same week or the thought of remembering everything they’d ever learned for an exam.

“Those moments mean that even the most relaxed student will probably feel emotional, and they might feel like they have to do some last-minute cramming,” she said.

“There’s a lot of anxiety that bounces from student to student too.

“So when there are tests, there’ll be some students that are really vocal saying, ‘Oh, we’re all going to fail’.

“To have separation from your peers at that time can also be really helpful.”

Kimberley said her advice for parents was to attend study information evenings hosted by schools and reach out to a wellbeing coordinator if a student wasn’t sleeping or had skin outbreaks or eczema that might be attributed to stress and needed to be explored.

She said studies had shown that high levels of stress could sometimes lead to violent behaviour.

“What I have seen and heard is that sometimes in Years 11 and 12 kids are getting really irritated with each other, there can be name-calling and put-downs,” she said.

“It’s just a way of interacting that feels a little bit more aggressive as a consequence of the stress.

“I think making sure they’re doing their beach walks after school or sensory experiences out in the bush, listening to the birds, trying to ground your young person, even if it’s only for 15 minutes a day, so that those squabbles don’t spill over into your own home dynamics between siblings, for example.”

Kimberley chose the business name ‘Quirky Kid’ to celebrate children’s uniqueness without aiming to change them, with much of her work focusing on children with autism and anxiety.

Over the years, she has incorporated various programs, including the award-winning online performance psychology program Power Up based on how to bring out the best in yourself in a stressful situation, like HSC exams.

“It talks about if you’re feeling stressed during the exam, knowing your support network, and having a game plan for the day, just in case you run out of petrol or something like that,” she said.

“It was written by a lady who used to work at the Australian Institute of Sport with young athletes, and so it’s all-around performance for one big event, and it’s adaptable for kids that are doing academic challenges or performance like dance, music, or athletes.”

She said during the HSC it was also important for parents to check in with their own feelings.

“When your babies are growing up and they’re 17 and they’re going to be out the door soon, they’ve got their licence, they’re almost finished the HSC, I think there’s a feeling of loss in some ways for parents,” she said.

As a result, she said parents needed to be mindful of their own anxiety and to lead by example.

“Sometimes parents will be saying, ‘Oh my God, this is going to make or break if they get into medicine or not’ and that’s a lot of anxiety for a young person to manage,” she said.

“If parents can come from a place of calm and patience, that’s going to be very helpful for the young person.”

Learn more about Quirky Kid.