FRANKSTON High School principal Helen Wilson occasionally has to do a double take when speaking to some of her senior students, with five sets of twins this year preparing to complete their VCE.
Although not identical, it’s fair to say the similarities are striking and still can cause confusion.
Ms Wilson said the twins are studying different subjects and don’t plan to follow the same career paths but they all share a competitive streak and a similar study ethic.
“I’m not sure what it is about twins, but at our school the twins in VCE have always been high achievers with high expectations,” she said.
“Perhaps it’s because they have the advantage of the support from each other, somebody else to share the study load with and help them through it all.”
In 2014 the school had five sets of twins and one set of triplets in the year 12 level, and next year could be a similar story, with year 7 enrolments already showing “another big intake” of twins.
With exams officially underway on Friday (October 28), Education minister James Merlino released a “good luck” message to the state’s VCE students.
Mr Merlino said the exam period was a stressful one for students, and reminded them to manage study stress, be prepared and use the many resources available.
He said asking for help from teachers, family, or friends and seeking professional help was the key to staying healthy of students felt overwhelmed.
There will be 84,603 students across the state studying at least one VCE exam this year, with the exam period lasting until 16 November.
“I encourage students to do their very best, but never lose sight of the bigger picture – there is life after Year 12 and there are many roads to future careers and further study,” he said.
The ReachOut organisation has also released a national campaign, ‘There’s Life After Year 12 Exams’, to help year 12 students and their parents know how to manage stress and anxiety during exam time.
”Stress around exam time can not only impact a teenager’s mental health but also their physical health and general wellbeing. Knowing how to help teenagers manage their stress in the lead-up to exams can help them to study and also reduce the tension at home,” ReachOut CEO Jono Nicholas said.
The organisation has released a list tips for parents and students to help with the pressures of exams and study.
For more information, stories and fact sheets for students going through exams, see ReachOut.com/examstress
There’s also information available at headspace.org.au/get-info/school-stress-and-exam-survival online.
