David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This week marks the start of the ACT's scaling tests, or ASTs, here in Canberra. I can only imagine that this will be a week of high stress and anxiety in households across my electorate of Bean and across Canberra, not just my own household. If I can, I will put my dad hat on for a second and offer four bits of advice to students getting ready to sit these exams: firstly, it's not unusual to feel anxious on exam day. It's normal; embrace it. Try and arrive at least 15 minutes early for your exam, and make sure you have the equipment needed and allowed for that exam. Check, check and check again. Before you are told to finish, spend your time checking you have answered each question and looking over all your responses. When the exam is over, avoid speaking with know-it-alls who want to discuss the exam in detail and tell you how they approached each question and their answers. Most importantly, remember to do your best. These tests are not the be-all or end-all. There are many pathways to what you want to achieve. University next year is only one of them. I wish all year 12 students sitting the ASTs in Bean and ACT all the best this week. Good luck.