So you’ve decided to do A Levels? I bet you’ve heard that it’s one of the toughest if not the toughest of all pre-U courses out there. A Levels is actually a 2 year course, but most colleges shorten it to 1.5 years. No wonder its intense. Feeling scared? Worried? Anxious? Well don’t be, I’m living proof that you can survive this, and hey, if its difficult now, it’ll be easier later. To help you out, here are 5 of my A Level survival tips.
1.Enjoy your first semester
Yes, you’ve got that right. I’m telling you to go out and have fun in your first semester. A Levels is divided in to 3, 6-month long semesters, with the AS exam in the second and the A2 exam in the third. Honestly, there is not much time in the last two semesters because you’ll be busy with revision. So, if you want to hangout or if you are studying in a new city and want to explore, I’d say do it in the first semester. You can go out without exams lingering at the back of your mind. After all, learning is a constant process. It’s not just limited to the classroom. Get to know your new friends and new surroundings, don’t lock yourself in the library straight from the beginning . You’ve gotta keep yourself happy to be productive! Of course, even too much of a good thing isn’t good, so be sure to also have your designated study time.
2. Topical past papers are your friends
Here’s how I realized the power of topical past papers: My physics lecturer was a gem. He arranged the past year questions by topic and made it into a booklet for us. Let me tell you, that booklet Saved. My. Life. I was still trying to grasp the concepts of many topics with just a few weeks to my A2 trial exams. So I did the booklet as I studied and it made things so much easier. I could directly apply the concepts as I learned them, plus I could kind of know what style of questions are usually asked for that topic. I’d suggest to do some topical questions after you complete every chapter to make sure you understand it, because sometimes, at least for me, I think I know my stuff but when I do exercises…yeah…not so good. I got most of my topical papers from https://www.gceguide.com/
3.Ask your teachers for help
If you take away anything from this post, let it be this: Do not let work pile up. A levels is really fast paced so if you don’t get something, clarify it ASAP. It’ll be hard to catch up if you let too much pile up. My lecturers have consultation hours so we could meet up with them if we needed extra help. I attended the most consultation sessions for AS organic chemistry. My friend and I would carry our jumbo sized multiple choice book up to the staff room to meet with our chemistry lecturer and she would go through the ones we didn’t understand, sometimes multiple times so we could get them (my lecturer’s patience blows my mind). Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Everyone in your college wants to help you, never hurt you. I was lucky to be in a smaller college so our lecturers had more time to help us individually. If you find it difficult to schedule one on one time with your lecturer, try asking them if you could ask them via Whatsapp or email, or try using online resources. Personally I like https://www.chemguide.co.uk/ and Youtube.
4.Use your phone
For most of us, college will be the first time we get to use our phones in the classroom. I really enjoyed it because it actually helped me with studies, and if I got a bit sleepy during class I could scroll on social media for a few minutes (oops sorry…). I used my phone to snap pictures if I couldn’t copy what’s on the board in time. I did quick Google searches if I didn’t understand something, or used the dictionary app because CIE uses fancy words sometimes. Most importantly, I used it for scanning my notes. My notes were my main revision resource so I referred to them constantly, which meant I had to always keep them in my bag and my bag got soooo heavy… There was also the problem of bring my notes home. I stay in the hostel so every time I go home, I have to decide which ones to bring. Somehow I always end up needing the ones I left behind, and I’m always afraid I’ll forget my notes at home. So, I started using Notebloc to scan my notes and save them as PDF files in my phone. It scans clearly, the arrangement is neat and you can share notes easily with friends. Whenever you need your notes just whip out your phone. No need for extra weight in your bag and no worries of leaving them behind. You can also study on the go. Problem solved.
5.#YOLO
You only live once, you only go through A Levels once. I find many A Level students tend to close themselves into a study bubble and do nothing else but study, myself included. People tell you to work hard so you can score well. That’s undoubtedly true, you have to work hard, but that doesn’t mean you should restrain yourself from doing what you want. As long as you leave enough time for revision, don’t be afraid to join clubs, do job attachments, work on personal projects perhaps reading more or learning a new instrument, or anything you feel like doing. Contrary to popular belief, activities outside the classroom give a boost to your CV, not take away your study time and hurt your chances of getting into university. Time management doesn’t necessarily mean cutting out all non academic activities, but rather finding ways to fit them all in. Though be sure not to spread yourself too thin! Make sure there’s still ample time for studies and relaxing so you don’t get stressed out.
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