The class of 2021 have emerged from their first HSC exam, the compulsory one-and-a-half-hour English paper one.

Three Year 12 students who spoke to Deborah Knight after their exam all described it as relatively “easy”.

Fergus, who took the English Advanced course, said paper one was “pretty general” and “nothing special”, however some of his peers were unhappy with a lack of images in the short response section.

Harashada also found the exam easy, but securing early entry to her preferred university made the experience “a bit less stressful”.

“If I didn’t have that to fall back on I would’ve been a bit more scared about not doing well in these exams.”

The essay prompt reflected the students’ real-life tension undertaking their HSC in pandemic conditions, Sophia explained.

“When I read the question, I automatically smiled under my mask and I was very, very excited.”

Press PLAY below to hear their reactions in full

Willoughby Girls student Anjali D’Cunha told Jim Wilson the mask requirement “isn’t ideal, but obviously it’s essential”.

“People are split up into heaps of different rooms, so we weren’t only just in the hall.

“COVID protocols are really strict, making sure that everybody’s nice and safe which is good.”

Press PLAY below to hear her first HSC exam experience 

Image: Getty