Revision Inspo

English, French & History A-level Studyblr - Reader, Dancer, Music Lover

[motivastudy]

New studyblrs?

My dashboard is great but can get a bit stagnant from time to time as I don’t follow many people! If you’re a studyblr, please give this post a reblog and I’ll check out your blog :)

Take a look at the other accounts that have reblogged this so that we can expand the studyblr community even more! Happy studying 📚

[motivastudy]

I'm so happy you are back! Can I ask how you revised French vocab. My exam is next week 😢

Thank you :) A lot of people find flashcards or websites like quizlet helpful but I actually revised best by writing up sentences or short paragraphs that used some of the vocab in them. If there are any words you’re struggling with in particular it might be helpful to write them on a post-it and stick it up on your desk or wall. Good luck!

[motivastudy]

Hello everyone:

I’ve not been active much at all this past year as university has been very crazy and very busy - but I’ve missed this community and I hope to start sharing the experience with everyone again some time in the future. I’ve gone through my ask box and answered everything now! Always here still to answer any qs you guys have.

PS - can’t believe I’ve hit 4,500 followers since I’ve been away! Crazy - thank you all so much x

[motivastudy]

18:56 // mind-mapping practice essay questions

[motivastudy]

I have my math exam tomorrow and i have only today to study for it. I have 13 chapters to do, most of which im leaving. But i was wondering whether to start a new chapter that accounts for majority of the grade or revise the chapters i have previously done which altogether don't add up to much?

Hi! I’m so sorry I probably didn’t read this in time, I’ve neglected my blog a little lately due to a mountain of uni work - for future reference I would say it’s better to focus on the biggest chunk of your grade. With all exams it’s much easier to gain marks in the biggest section of your paper and you can have faith in the revision you’ve already done! Good luck :)

[motivastudy]

hi! I love your blog. Do you have any advice on new studyblrs?

Hey - thank you so much! For new studyblrs, I'd just say be interactive: like/ reblog/ message other studyblrs to integrate yourself into the community. If you want to establish yourself as a blog, it's important you post some sort of original content too. :)

[motivastudy]

18:49 // essay planning

[motivastudy]

Hey! I just wanted to say how nice you seem. It sounds stupid but you genuinly seem to help people with your asks and spend time giving advice instead of linking them to a page. That super great of you 😊x

Thank you so much! Honestly that really means a lot - I’m just happy to help. 😊

[motivastudy]

Hey !! Ive been lacking a lot lately in my studied bc i had more problems with my mental illness and now that my term exams are in two weeks I don't know how to start .. Do you have any tips for getting back on track? (Please I really need it)

Hi! The most important thing I would say is health first, school second. Make sure your recovery is your greatest priority, because grades can wait - the sooner you're fully recovered, the sooner you can focus on your education. If you're ready to get back on track, I'd make sure you stay in communication with your teachers as they can really help you and get you the support you need. Make a revision timetable to divide up the work you need to do and take a look at the tips on various studyblr blogs if you're struggling for motivation! Please message me if you have any more questions 😊

[motivastudy]

Are you enjoying Bristol? also when did they give you your offer if you don't mind me asking? Ive applied there but I haven't been to visit so it's difficult to know what it's like, it looks so nice though! also I love your blog!

Absolutely loving it here! You can always attend the post-offer open days but trust me, it's a really gorgeous city and the uni is brilliant :) Bristol were the last to reply to me, it was definitely well into the new year before I got my offer! Good luck & thank you 😊

[motivastudy]

Hey Just seen your blog and it's so cool! Was wondering if you have any tips for what to write in your personal statement if your only hobby is like Netflix lol

Hi - thank you! If you don't have many hobbies, don't worry - your enthusiasm for your subject is the most important thing. Do try and bring up anything at all you've done in relation to your subject outside of school time. You can even link in things that are unrelated - I wrote about how my Saturday job in a café book shop meant that I could spend my lunch hours reading a variety of literature! Good luck and let me know if you have any further questions. :)

[motivastudy]

hi! I've started yr 10 and English is one of my favourite subjects but I really struggle at being creative and I feel like this won't help in exams because I'll get stressed about not being able to do it. I read a lot of books and different genres but this doesn't seem to help do you have any advice?

Is this english lit or language? If it's literature, creativity isn't necessarily vital to do well - focus more on your analysis of the texts and approach it methodically rather than creatively. For English language, creativity is more important; thankfully it's a skill you can develop! Everyone has the potential for a creative mind so don't panic. This article has some great tips: http://blog.crew.co/become-creative/

[motivastudy]

17:45 // far too excited about my pre-university stationery haul

[motivastudy]

Hi! I've just started Year 10 so i'm entering my GCSE's, Do you have any advice for improving in English class? I'm not good at writing or annotating and i'm struggling already! Thanks x

English is all about analysis! In general, the main principle of analysis is to work out the purpose of a text, and then what the author has done to fit the text to its purpose. When you annotate, look for anything you can find that fulfils the purpose of the text! At GCSE, you can get a lot from your teacher’s interpretations - pay attention and note down points they make. I’d also say it’s super helpful to read widely; this will really help your fluency in writing.I hope that was helpful - good luck! x

[motivastudy]

Hi, I had really low AS grades this year and My goal is to study the Mpharm programme in university, so will it be very difficult to receive an offer with my grades?

Hi :) if your goal is MPharm then you can’t let your AS results hold you back - look at the entry requirements for some different uni courses and go from there as some require at least a B in Chemistry and may require a minimum grade at Biology AS. If you have a killer personal statement and haggle with your teachers to get decent predicted grades, you should get your offers. I would advise resitting your lowest scoring modules as it’ll be a lot of pressure to bring your grades up solely with A2 exams! Talk to your subject teachers for specific advice. Good luck!

[motivastudy]

thank you ever so much for your post about personal statements, I've started writing mine! Do you have any additional tips about applying to Oxbridge as I saw you got a Cambridge interview (:

You’re very welcome! Those tips cover Oxbridge applications too - my grades at AS were below average so it was the personal statement which got me an interview, and the main principles I stuck to are all outlined in that post. :)

[motivastudy]

Personal Statement Do's and Don'ts

I’ve had a few asks about personal statements and university/college applications so I thought I’d make a post about what to include and what not to include for all you applicants this year!

DO be enthusiastic! This is the number one most important rule - you need to show the university how much you love the subject and want to study it!

DO demonstrate your knowledge. Grades are one thing, but applying your knowledge is another - talk about specific fields of your subject that you’ve explored or wish to explore at university, or discuss an interpretation or particular idea you have formed whilst studying it.

DO show prior research or reading if the subject is something you haven’t studied before. Universities won’t want to accept someone who has no idea what they’re letting themselves in for!

DO link everything to the course you’re applying to. Only include a qualification or achievement if it’s relevant - your Duke of Edinburgh Award isn’t going to make you a more suitable candidate to study history or physics! For example, instead of saying ‘I did Spanish at AS level’, say something like ‘studying Spanish equipped me with a more highly critical method of reading and close analysis’.

DO research the course you’re applying for - there’s no point in talking about how interested you are in 16th century French history if one of your chosen universities doesn’t offer it as part of their course! DO be yourself (it’s cringe, sorry) - admissions staff are human, and reading hundreds of applications written in the same identical formula must get incredibly boring. Don’t try to be overly funny or too unique as that can be very risky - just write from the heart!

DO get help from your teachers/ anyone who’s willing to read it! There’s nothing better than a fresh pair of eyes to check for spelling and grammar errors, and teachers usually know what they’re talking about.

DON’T say you’re ‘passionate’ about the subject - practically every student writes this in their personal statement and all the admissions tutors I’ve spoken to have said they’re sick of the word! It’s a given that you enjoy the subject - SHOW them you enjoy it by demonstrating your knowledge rather than stating the obvious. Avoid clichés at all costs!

DON’T include a quote unless you fully engage with it throughout your personal statement. They’re a bit pretentious and most universities will completely ignore them - it’s your own words they want to hear!

DON’T name drop - simply listing off all the books you’ve read around your subject isn’t going to impress anyone. Engage with the books - discuss a particular theory or theme that interested you, or even challenge something you’ve read! Its more impressive to fully explore two or three books than to simply list the titles of ten.

DON’T use fancy words or metaphors - write how you would talk! As long as your basic grammar and spelling is right, the university will be far more interested in what you’re saying than how you’re saying it.

DON’T waste valuable words talking about things that are already on your UCAS application. They know your grades - your job is to prove why you got them!

DON’T make any silly mistakes - spelling something wrong, mentioning the name of a specific university etc - universities get thousands of applicants and any mistake will more than likely get your application tossed in the bin. Read and re-read your personal statement!

DON’T plagiarise - UCAS have plagiarism detection software and anything you’ve copied could be seriously detrimental to your application.

DON’T panic! The admissions team are just trying to see if you’re suitable to their course. Your personal statement isn’t the be all and end all!

I hope that was somewhat helpful - if you have any specific questions about personal statements or uni applications, my ask box is always open. Good luck!