Eat, sleep, party.
Those are the top three priorities for 77,000 NSW HSC students, the last of whom finished their final HSC exam on Wednesday.
"That was the most stressful year of my life," said 18-year-old Lucy Howroyd.
The student from Dulwich High School of Visual Arts could barely wipe the smile off her face as the clock ticked down on her school career.
"I couldn't stop staring at the ceiling wondering what is next," she said.
Her classmate, Grace Davidson-Lynch, did not leave much time for contemplation.
"I'm just thinking about tomorrow, sleeping in and no more study."
More than 9000 of Grace and Lucy's fellow visual arts students were the last group to put their pens down for the HSC at 3.30pm on Wednesday.
Some were already looking ahead to a life outside the school gates beyond the work of Cezanne or Reg Mombassa.
"Hopefully I'll scrape my way into a sociology degree," said 18-year-old Caitlin Boyce.
For a "liberated" Thomas Carman, kickboxing is the dream. "Fighting is a form of art," he said, while his classmate Jacky Chen hopes art will influence his career in architecture.
Their creative major works through sculpture, painting and film in subjects like menstruation, terrorism and chinese culture will be left behind, as they leave the shelter of school one last time.
"This is a huge moment in the lives of these students, who are marking the end of 13 years of schooling and starting a new and exciting chapter in their lives," said NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli.
"Students have spent the past 18 days of exams demonstrating their skills and knowledge and now it's time for a well-earned break."
And as the party starts, the nervous wait begins.
HSC students will receive their results on December 16.
