Advice for Sixth Formers

As you all know, I have just finished my two years of Sixth Form and A Levels.  So I decided I will pass on my advice and any tips I picked up from the experience which I believe will help and are essential for reducing the stress of A Levels.

Everyone knows that A Levels are the hardest 2 years you will probably go through in your educational life.  But take this fact seriously, don't go into the process thinking it'll be a breeze because you're only doing 4 subjects and be prepared for the stress levels to shoot upwards and the sleep patterns to mess up drastically.  Of course, be excited about this new chapter where you get to pick the subjects you want to learn more about, but it is just a massive step from what you are normally used to in secondary school.

Right let's get on with the actual advice and tips on how to survive sixth form because that's what you have came here for;

1. Organisation is key

When I had my first assembly as a Sixth Former and my form tutor/parent evening (thing) all I heard was to be organised.  Now I thought of myself of being an organised person before A Levels, I love creating lists and keeping on top of things to reduce stress so I just kept at what I was doing.  But because of the fast pace of learning in sixth form I didn't adapt my organisation skills to it quick enough.

Tip: actually write down your homework and the due date for it.  I was a culprit of not doing this, especially in the second year, however towards the end of my sixth form life I found a brilliant homework organiser app for my phone called 'The Homework App' where you can add in your different classes, timetable and also your homework.  You can prioritise any homework you want over others and you can set an alarm to remind you that it is due in soon.  Now I wished I found this app before the last month of my sixth form life as I just couldn't be bothered to write down my homework in my homework diary as the teacher tended to say the homework as we were packing up, whereas my phone was always to hand so I definitely recommend looking into something like this if you are like me.

2. Use your frees wisely!

Now because you are only doing four subjects in your first year (only haha!!!) you get free periods.  Now you tend to make loads of friends in your frees and this is were your "I'm going to get my life back on track" attitude starts to fall apart.  Of course give yourself a break, especially if you've just had double philosophy and you are about to have double maths or something but don't do nothing.  You can find someone in your classes and ask them for help, work together on the homework or just go to a quite corner, plug your earphones in and get your life on track like you said you would.  I tended to chat with my mates 90% and do notes 10% of the time because I just couldn't work in that environment, so whenever I could, I would go home in my frees to be able to work on notes or essays.

3. Ask for help!

A Levels are lot more face passed in the learning section than GCSE's were so that will probably be the biggest change you will notice.  There's no re-going over something, so if you don't get it the first time ask your teacher or ask a friend, otherwise you'll get to the 50 mark essay homework and you won't have a clue what you are doing. (totally not writing from experience or anything...)

4. Coping with the stress and pressure

 
Everyone copes with stress and pressure in different ways, I cope by listening to music, doing exercise or watching something on YouTube or Netflix oh and of course a nice relaxing lush bath.  But you will need to take some time out for yourself, don't overwork yourself, keep persevering on something but if you don't understand something and you are getting frustrated take some time out of the zone and go for a walk or watch an episode of Friends and then come back to it.

5. Revision

After Christmas you will feel the pressure of exams coming up, yes they are about 5-6 months away but mocks will either be just round the corner or just done.  You will need to figure out when you should start revising, whether that's after the Easter holidays, in February, whatever you think is best.  Are you one of those people who like to start early and do a couple of hours a day or are you one to start a little later than others and do loads a day?  You will know this from your GCSE exams and mocks, tailor your revision to you, if someone else has started revising and you haven't don't fret, you know what you are doing and that's all that matters.

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I hope you found this advice somewhat helpful, I'm sorry this blog post has been long but I just wanted to get across some advice and tips of surviving the most difficult two years of education of your life so far!

Georgie
xx