1. short answer Q's -> know techniques and how they represent belonging, know different words for belonging & not belonging, e.g. Belonging - affinity, connections, camaraderie. (Not belonging - isolation, loneliness, dislocated)
2. have a prepared creative piece that you can adjust to any stimulus the hsc exam might throw up.
3. memorise an essay OR essay format that you can adapt to the HSC question (remember to know; quotes, techniques, themes, ideas, contexts etc and all that crap.
also make sure u know your prescribed text + 2 related ones. this is what I do / am doing