The last HSC exam finished on 5 November, and results come out on Wednesday 16 December. For many families, these six weeks feel like they should be a relief. Yet plenty of Year 12 students find the waiting harder than the exams. If your teen seems flat, restless or on edge, here’s what may be going on, and how you can help.
Why the wait can be hard
For more than a year, Year 12 gave your teen a clear routine and a goal. Now the timetable has gone, the result is out of their hands, and friends are scattering. Common reactions include:
- Replaying the exams, going over answers they think they got wrong.
- Comparing themselves with friends or posts online.
- Worrying about “what’s next”: university offers, a gap year, work or moving out.
- Feeling lost without structure, sleeping late and losing motivation.
- Perfectionism that makes anything short of a top mark feel like failure.
These feelings are common and usually ease once results arrive and plans take shape.
Signs it may be more than stress
Keep an eye out if, for more than two weeks, your teen:
- seems persistently low, tearful or irritable
- withdraws from friends and things they used to enjoy
- has big changes in sleep or appetite
- is drinking or using other drugs to cope
- talks about feeling hopeless or worthless.
These can be signs of depression in adolescents or anxiety, and it’s worth talking to your GP or a psychologist.
How parents can help in the weeks before results
- Skip the exam post-mortems. Questions like “How do you think you went?” keep the exams going in their head. Let them raise it.
- Help them rebuild some routine. Regular sleep, meals, movement and time with friends make a real difference to mood. Casual work, a short course or a project can give the days shape.
- Talk about the future as a set of options. University offers are one pathway among many. TAFE, a gap year, work and later entry are all common routes. Your teen’s school careers adviser can talk through options before and after results.
- Keep celebrations safe. If your teen is heading to schoolies or end-of-year parties, agree on a plan together: who they’re with, how they’ll get home, and that they can call you any time with no lecture.
- Notice your own worry. It’s natural to feel anxious about results too. Teens pick up on this quickly, so find another adult to talk to about your own worries.
Planning for results day
A little planning takes the edge off the morning itself. Ask your teen how they’d like the day to go. Some want to check results alone, others with a parent or friend. Agree on what you’ll do whatever the result, such as a meal out or a quiet day.
When results arrive, react to your teen, not the number. Ask “How are you feeling about it?” before offering your view. If they’re disappointed, listen first; practical next steps can wait until the next day. An ATAR is a ticket into some courses, not a measure of your child’s worth or future.
For Year 11 students starting the HSC now
Term 4 is the start of the HSC year for this year’s Year 11s. Healthy habits now help with stress later: regular sleep, short focused study blocks with breaks, and keeping up sport and friends. Our page on exam stress and study skills has more practical ideas, and our page on perfectionism in young people may help if your teen is very hard on themselves.
How MindBox Psychology can help
Our clinical psychologists see teenagers and young adults for stress, anxiety, low mood and perfectionism, using evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). Sessions are face-to-face at our rooms in St Leonards, Sydney, or online anywhere in Australia. Parents are welcome to book a session on their own to talk through how best to support their teen.
You don’t need a referral to book. Medicare rebates may be available with a referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP or paediatrician. Private health funds and self-managed NDIS may also cover some costs. To book, call 02 9438 2511, email hello@mindboxpsychology.com.au, or meet our clinical psychologists.
If you need help now: call 000 in an emergency. Young people can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (24/7), and anyone can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7).
