Quick tips for starting AS levels
be prepared! you have seriously got to be organised and prepared every day; make sure you have all the equipment/books/folders you need for each day as some teachers may just send you away from a lesson if you donāt have the right notes/books.
use your frees!!! i cannot stress this enough! itās absolutely fine to use your frees to chill with friends from time to time but most of the time you should be doing homework/extra reading/improving notes. use them whilst you can otherwise during exam season youāll have major regrets.
use your school/collegeās resources! if your school has access to subject-specific magazines (eg. biological sciences review, history today, new scientist) then youād be stupid not to use them! also if they have sixth-form only study rooms then use them too! make the most of the kid-free silence and get some work done.
go the extra mile!! itās seriously worth going over things after/before lessons, making extra notes on topics you donāt understand, etc. you donāt have to do these things every day, but from time to time or when needed they can really make a difference. you could also do extra research, print out some notes from online, watch related videos on youtube, etc. just to get some more depth in topics. my geography teacher went on and on about finding our own facts/stats to use in exams and he was so right- examiners get sick of reading the same data in each kidās essays as they know it just means everyoneās memorised the same revision guide. instead show some flair and dedication in your subject by researching your own relevant statistics/examples.
you donāt have to be certain about anything! you really donāt need to have a solid plan for your future- during year 11 I wasnāt even considering doing A level biology but now I want to study it at uni! things change so much so donāt make any solid plans as its unlikely theyāll stick and remember itās ok to not have a clue what you want to do- youāll figure it out along the way!
try new things!Ā sixth form is an amazing time to make new friends, try new clubs/activities, etc. so try to make the most of it!! do try to get involved with your school as you could really make a difference and this will give you something to write about in your personal statement; helping at a club for younger students, mentoring gcse students, etc. are all excellent ways to help out and learn new skills.
make good notes!!!!! try to make good notes throughout the year so youāre not having to make masses and masses of notes from textbooks near to exams. spending a little time most days over the whole year is definitely better than lots of time at the end when youāre already stressed. itās also worth checking your notes against a revision guide/exam board specification as you go along as teachers can miss things out sometimes.
use your teachers! seriously do this! if your teacher forgets to email you a powerpoint- email them about it, remind them when you see them. if they have extra sheets- take them. if you miss a lesson- let your teacher know beforehand and chase up any sheets/notes you missed. if they offer revision sessions- make sure you go. if you donāt understand something- find them and ask! make the most of them whilst you can!!!
keep a beautiful folder!! try to take pride in your work and maintain an organised folder/file for each subject. maybe designate 5 minutes every day after school for organising your folder (i find dividers and page tabs to be very useful) as this will save your life when looking for that one sheet during revision, and will also impress your teachers- remember theyāll be the ones summarising your character/strengths when it comes to ucas references so be sure to show interest and dedication.
