Year 11 is a difficult year, and there’s no denying it. You have to go through a series
of exams, including your mocks and, of course, your real IGCSEs, which puts you
under quite a lot of pressure and stress. As if this weren’t enough, towards the end
of the year, you have to choose your A-levels. Having said this, Year 11 was
probably one of the most fun years of my life. Once you find the right balance
between study and social life, exam season can actually be quite enjoyable and we
cannot forget about the long summer that you are rewarded with after exams finish.
I would like to give you all a series of tips to help you get through this year, and I
hope that after reading this article, you feel more relaxed and confident about what
is to come.
IGCSE TIPS:
Tip 1: Organise your study leave
I think the most important thing to do to prepare for your exams is to organise
when you are going to study each subject. Plan out your study leave, decide what
you’re going to study each day and how long you’re going to spend on each
subject. This may seem like a daunting and difficult task, but planning out each
week saves you a tonne of time and avoids time being wasted on deciding what to
do. It is also essential to start revising with plenty of time; basically not studying for
an exam the night before, and instead starting a few weeks before. This means
there is no unnecessary stress and no last-minute cramming.
Tip 2: Know what study methods work for you
Know what study methods work best for you; each person has their own
preference. Personally, I found flashcards, mind-maps and essay plans useful for
History and English, and notes and past paper questions useful for the sciences. I
also found that ‘blurting’ (writing down everything you remember about a topic and
then going back and seeing what you missed and what you got wrong) was a very
good way to test how well I knew things, and to fill in any gaps I had in my
knowledge.
Tip 3: Be healthy
During exam season, it is also incredibly important that you are taking care of
yourselves: go on walks, do some exercise, eat well and make sure to get enough
sleep. Please do not pull all-nighters! Sleep is absolutely crucial during exams and
a tired performance is never a good one. Staying healthy will make you study better
and more efficiently, and so will ultimately make you perform better in your exams.
A-LEVEL TIPS:
Tip 1: Pick subjects you enjoy
I think the best thing to do is to pick subjects that you enjoy learning about. You will
need to put in a lot of time and hard work for the whole of the two years, which will
be a lot easier for you if you enjoy what you are studying. If you like the subject, you
will want to put in more effort into it, thus bettering your grade. Because grades are
so essential for A-Level, it is also a good idea to pick subjects that you’re good at;
hopefully there is some overlap between what you like and what you’re best at.
Tip 2: Think about what you want to study
It is also important to think about what you would potentially like to study in the
future. For example, if you want to study engineering, you most probably want to
choose Maths, Further Maths, and Physics.
However, it is nearly impossible to know what you want to do with your life at your
age; I know I did not have a clear idea at all. I ended up choosing Maths, Biology,
Chemistry and English Literature. I knew I was probably going to want to study
something scientific at university, possibly even medicine, so I made sure to choose
subjects that would allow me to have a large selection of degrees to be able to
choose from. I also chose English because I enjoy it, and that way I ensure to work
on my creative skills as well as my analytical thinking. I trusted my gut with what
subjects to choose, and I am glad I did.
Tip 3: Don’t stress out too much
Please do not worry excessively about your choices. It is a very important and
daunting decision that could potentially decide your futures, so making the right
decision is key. However, if in the end you are unhappy with your choice, you can
change your options, so don’t worry if you are unsure of what to pick or if you end
up changing your mind. If you are struggling with the decision, ask your subjects
teachers for help and advice; they will be more than happy to help.
Lastly, I just want to remind you all that hard work pays off. After exams finish, you
will have the best summer of your lives and the relief you feel is immensely
satisfactory. Work hard, don’t stress out too much, take care of yourselves and enjoy this year!
By: Sofia Buck, Year 12
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