A Survivor’s Guide to Year 12 (It’s not that bad)
It’s getting to that time of year where we’re all heading back to school, and if you’re anything like me, you might be a bit panicked and uncertain about your future in sixth form. Since I’m going into Year 13 this September, I’ve learnt a lot about how to tackle it and thought I’d give you Year 12′s some advice. I’ve got a few regrets, and wish somebody had told me these things when I was starting Sixth Form, don’t forget to message me any questions/thoughts about the new academic year and I’d love to chat!
1. Don’t commit to a subject you don’t like.
Trust me, I say this from experience. I took on 4 A-levels at the start of Year 12 whilst everybody else did 3 – I thought the extra subject would help me when it came to university applications later, but two weeks into A-level History I decided to drop it. If you, like me, are considering taking a subject just because it’d look good, or for any reason other than your genuine love and interest in it, seriously consider changing it before it’s too late. Most sixth-formers now have to commit to their subjects for 2 years (not just 1), and if it’s going to be a struggle to you, or cause you to neglect your other studies, I would recommend seriously rethinking that decision. I’m happier and more successful now studying 3 A-levels than I could’ve been if I’d committed to a subject I can’t stand.
My biggest regret was not using folders from the very beginning, and not keeping on top of them once I’d switched from notebooks to folders. You need to have them well-organised and easy to navigate – don’t leave all your loose papers in a stack ‘for later’ when you get home. I did this throughout Year 12 and rarely found what I wanted when I needed it, now that it’s summer I’ve spent literal hours sorting through a mountain of paperwork, trying to decide which topic or exam each page belongs to, and I’m still not even half-finished. (If you want to see a guide on how to organise your folders, let me know in the comments and I can make a blog post on it!).
If you know certain books/materials which you’ll be covering in sixth form, read them in the summer to get familiar with it, develop a basic understanding, and find a way to get enthusiastic about your classes even before starting. If you’ve not been told what books to get, I would really recommend e-mailing your teachers and asking. This is how I’ve built my collection of further reading for my subjects which few other students will have knowledge of; an easy way to form developed, educated responses in exams. Admittedly, some books are tough, I’ve got a few which I’ve not finished, but I’ve adapted a method to overcome this, which I might share on my blog soon.
4. Expect lower grades than you’re used to.
You’re used to working at a certain standard at GCSE level, you know what grades are normal for you, but don’t be downhearted when you don’t do as well as you’re used to. A-levels are assessed in a completely different way to GCSE’s and the content and style is usually all new. Expect to get a couple of grades below your standard in your first assessment, but don’t let it discourage you. It’s completely normal and I found it to be a great motivator once I got to grips with it. If you really work hard, listen and put in the extra effort, your grades should start rising within the first couple of months, and then beyond that you can get A’s at the end of the year if you work hard. Trust me. It might seem impossible, but it really isn’t, you don’t have to be a genius either, you just need to have a committed work ethic and that’s all.
5. Use your free periods!
Teachers will tell you all the time to use your study periods well, to make the most of them. If other sixth forms are anything like mine, most people will ignore this and waste every free period socialising and relaxing. I understand that this works better for some people, who prefer to work at home, but I believe the most productive students work in some way or another during at least 90% of their free periods. I always get my work done at school, and then do extras at home, leaving most of my time away from school properly free to relax in. You don’t genuinely relax well if you’ve got a to-do list hanging in the back of your mind, so get it out the way and make the most of your down time later by freeing yourself from stress.
6. Know how, when and where you work best.
I’ve done a lot of quizzes. They’re not worth it. Reflect on what you found genuinely useful in GCSE, and carry it along to sixth form. Decide how when and where you work best now, so you can get started without wasting time. For reference, here’s my list of how, when and where I work best:
HOW: Flash cards for summaries of theories, attaching quotes to themes. Essay plans and practice questions! These are my go to – they take a lot of work but seem to be the most valuable, especially once I feel I’ve got the information down. Listening to instrumental music to help me focus/be creative. I cannotwork in my pyjamas. I know it’s weird and seemingly irrelevant but I supposed it is part of how I study, I like to feel clean and fresh and ready for anything.
WHEN: During typical working hours (8:00-15:00), or in the evening (20:00-23:00). I feel I better tackle academic and focused work during the day, like essays, notes and revision, but creative or leisurely work like reading, analysing and coursework. When I’m feeling disappointed in myself or afraid about my academic future, I work like mad, and this is honestly the best time to get started on exam rewrites, because you can lose motivation quickly.
WHERE: At school, or in a public library, it doesn’t matter whether it’s loud or quiet, busy or peaceful, but I usually work around friends who are just having casual conversations. If it’s late and I’m doing creative work, I like to work in my bedroom or my living room (wherever my family aren’t).
I made flash cards for the topics we covered at the end of every term, and in the holidays I go over them and fill in any gaps using the textbook or my personal notes. When it comes to exam season, you won’t have much time to be making revision materials, you need to be using them and refining the finer points like your exam technique. You can’t hope to start revising a month or two before your exams. It won’t work as well, and you’d be missing out on the chance to achieve the real top tier grades by not having the information already memorised (for the most part). One month before the exam, the ideal position to be in for revision is revising quotes/extra context, and revising exam technique. Practice questions will become your life, and don’t be afraid to give you teachers extra work to mark. They might not like it, but you need to make the most of the resources around you.
8. It’s actually quite fun.
Now hear me out – you’re probably getting a lot of people telling you how difficult and stressful it’s going to be, but nobody bothered to tell me that Sixth Form/College actually has a lot of benefits. I would not go back to my GCSE’s now if I had the chance, despite how easy they seem to me in retrospect.
For the most part, you’re treated like an adult. You’re friends with your teachers. You’re given a lot more freedom, a fair amount of food and fun experiences. For the first time in my life I actually looked forward to assemblies. I’ve had long conversations with teachers about our favourite films. I’ve had more inside jokes than I can count. I’ve had random assignments which have me running around the school with friends, balancing on the tip of a chair to pin up boards, untangling Christmas lights like a gameshow team challenge. It’s really great. You have a lot of fun. So it’s important to prepare for the sheer amount of work and the difficulties of sixth form, sure, but don’t stop yourself from having fun, and appreciate the things you’ll have now that you’ve been denied for all of your education so far. It makes all the hard work worth it.
I am a bit of a nerd and I’m not afraid to admit that I love Sixth Form. I hope you enjoy your Year 12 as much as I did mine. Let me know how you’re feeling if you’re in year 12, or if you’re older let me know if there’s anything you think I missed!
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