Olivia Thompson

If you could offer advice or a tip to someone about to do their final year, what would it be?

• Having a strong support network of friends, who you can rely on and in turn you always support them when they need it, is absolutely crucial. I am so grateful to my friends for supporting each other through it.
• Prioritising family, friends, mental health, and sleep, is so crucial to maintaining balance and not burning out. Remember that, at the end of the day, the HSC is temporary, and there will be another way to get to where you want to go. It is not worth sacrificing your relationships with family or friends, your mental health, or a healthy sleep pattern for.
• I think you have to trust yourself, and that your hard work will pay off in the long-term. Even if it feels like you're not making any progress in the moment, over time every hour you put into this will add up. And keep in mind that everyone reaches their potential at different points in time. Instead of comparing yourself to others, try to look back on how far you have come from where you used to be.