West Wallsend High's Maddison Reichert, Alyssa Charter-Smith, Teneal Bull and Danica Taylor said they felt prepared for the marathon month of tests, which starts with English Paper 1.

Teneal, 18, said the day had arrived faster than expected.

"It's not time to step back, it's time to go full speed and put in as much effort as I can," she said.

"I'm okay, I'm a bit nervous now, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel."

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Maddison, 18, said it was easy to feel a little overwhelmed.

"But I know on November 10 I'm finished and that's it - I just keep looking forward to the formal," she said.

"I don't know what I'll do between 9am and 3pm!"

Softballer Alyssa, 17, said she liked to think of the HSC as the ultimate game day.

"I just have to get myself in the right frame of mind," she said.

Danica, 18, had a busy few weeks in the lead up to exams, including her birthday and graduation, which didn't leave much time for stress.

"The trials were a lot more full on because we were still learning course content, we're now revising so it's much more chilled."

West Wallsend students usually sit their exams at Pasterfield Community Centre, but will this year be sitting their exams on campus.

The school has chosen the community centre as its alternative venue, one of many measures it must take to ensure the exams are COVID safe.

Schools will screen students before each exam; have no more than 75 in one room; and ask students to arrive no more than 20 minutes before their exam and limit mingling in large groups before and after exams.

The girls said they would most likely catch up off school grounds to debrief.

"We will want to say to each other 'What was your answer on that question, what did you write?'" Teneal said.

The class of 2020 is used to dealing with unexpected challenges.

The girls said moving to remote learning and having to motivate themselves had been difficult at times.

Teneal said she brought 15 pens into her trials, because students were not allowed to borrow pens from others.

Alyssa had flu-like symptoms before her Legal Studies trial exam and had to be tested and sit the exam later.

"It's been so different from what we were expecting and from past years," Alyssa said.

"Our last couple of months have really strengthened the year group because we all experienced the same thing and helped push each other through the finish line.

"I don't like to give up and where there's a will there's a way. I thought 'We have to make the best out of the worst year. We've got to trust the process and know our friends and family and school will help us get there'."

Danica had to work on her Visual Arts major work from home and said it had been hard to get into the right mindset.

"But we have not known it any other way - we have not experienced it normally, so this was it for us."

Teneal said she moved around her home to study, to mirror moving between classrooms.

"COVID has taught me I really appreciate my teachers," she said.

The girls paid special tribute to their librarian teacher Jessica Somner, who coordinates the senior hub and helped provide study and emotional support.

Ms Somner helped each student devise a personal learning plan with three goals and has checked in with every student every six weeks about their progress.

The girls said they had tried to be organised and study consistently throughout the year, focusing on quality, not quantity.

They said they balanced study with socialising, part-time work and relaxing and were trying to view the exams in perspective.

Danica said she wanted to do her best and did feel some internal and external pressure to perform well, but knew she was unlikely to be asked in the future what her ATAR was.

"I feel like maybe the HSC has changed from what it was - there are so many ways to get what you want out of life.

"The HSC does not define how I'm going to go in the future."

The girls said they would try to have a good sleep and healthy breakfast before each exam.

Maddison said she would put her phone in another room at night, while Alyssa said she would aim to put it in a box for the whole exam period.

Teneal wants to study radiography, Maddison is aiming for paramedicine or nursing, Alyssa will go to the United States to play softball and study psychology and criminal studies and Danica is considering art school, visual arts at TAFE, or architecture at university.

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