They began the week with an English exam, and are preparing for another dose of the same subject tomorrow.

Hastings Secondary College Westport Campus students Kristy Field, Kate Clarke and Lachlan Hamilton were relieved it was over, and happy they came so prepared.

“I think it was quite challenging but I felt like I was (well prepared),” Kristy said.

“I tried to relax at the end. You have to be prepared, that’s all you can do, and have that mindset.

“It’s kind of underwhelming. You prepare yourself for a big exam and you get in there and then you come out and it’s all ok.”

Kate said the usually daunting English exam was better than she expected.

“It was a little scary going into it but I feel relieved now, as if the others aren’t going to be as scary. I can relax a bit more,” she said.

Lachlan is one of the few who will do their music exam next up before tackling the second bout of English.

“It (English exam) wasn’t anything unexpected. I did some past papers so I had an idea of what it was going to be like, even though it was still quite difficult,” he said.

“I think we were all well prepared and all of the teachers have been awesome for us in the lead up.”

The second paper for English standard and advanced will be on Tuesday, October 17, followed by senior science on Wednesday and PDHPE, engineering studies and modern history on Thursday and Friday (among many other alternative courses).