Sixth Form: two words that quite possibly evoke the entire spectrum of human emotions. As I begin to reflect on the wild and eventful rollercoaster ride that was my A-Level experience, I thought it may be worth compiling a few things that I wish had known prior to starting the journey - for I know that I was Googling left, right and centre for any more information to squeeze out on the topic! Today, I would suggest taking a look at the challenges faced by Indigenous people in Latin America - I found this documentary by The New York Times particularly fascinating.
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Yes, it is going to be intense.
Not once and not twice were the times that I heard older students, both at my school and online, belittle Year 10 and Year 11 as they grumbled about how much more difficult A-Levels were. In spite of this, I was never one to take their complaints all too seriously and put the matter down to scaremongering; if I can balance 11 qualifications at the same time, 4 should be a breeze - no? I was mistaken. Don't get me wrong, I do not think that, if you are in Year 11, this is a cause for you to run inside your closet and hide for the next 2 years. Yes, there will be points that are intense and things start to pick up in pace very quickly; after all, you likely have more responsibilities on your plate than ever before. That being said, if you have the correct systems in place to manage those responsibilities, you will find that everything is generally quite doable.
You can work hard and play hard at the same time.
Those that are close to me will know that, as a prospective Oxbridge applicant, the best part of my Sixth Form experience was spent slaving away in front of a textbook. To some degree, I do not regret that as I feel as if all of the extra work that I put in, both to my university application and A-Level qualifications, have made me a better student and far more resilient. Nevertheless, I cannot help but think that I could have had a more enjoyable experience if I had had a better work-life balance - and trust me, a lot of people that did get into those top two institutions did a lot more in their spare time than just study!
The things you do outside of your studies are just as important as your studies themselves.
Leading on from the previous point, it ought to be stressed to every student that the things you do outside of your studies are just as important than the studies themselves. First and foremost, as I mentioned previously, A-Levels will be physically and intellectually strenuous; if you do not have several other pastimes that allow you to release the stress that is built up over time, you will notice your mental health deteriorate, which will ultimately begin to impact your performance in whatever else it is you do. Secondly, whether you are interested in going to university or not, you will most likely still have to complete an application of some sort regarding your post A-Level choices. Unfortunately, being a high-achiever is no longer something which makes you stand out as thousands upon thousands of students attain the highest grades each year. As a result, you need to be partaking in other activities which will broaden your horizons and help you obtain the skills that are needed for your preferred field of work or study. This could involve, but is not limited to: reading, work experience, getting a part-time job, completing online courses and participating in summer schools.
Do not take on more than you can manage.
One of the best aspects of Sixth Form is undoubtedly the newfound independence and plethora of opportunities that suddenly begin making their way over to you. Nonetheless, I have found that many people - myself included - fall into the trap of taking on too many tasks and extra responsibilities. It is all fair and well taking on several prefect roles, tutoring younger pupils, having a part time job and whatnot else; what will you find, however, is that there is going to come a point where burnout is inevitable - and I implore you to ask yourself what you are achieving with that. Speaking from a purely personal point of view, you have to start prioritising and outlining the main things that you want to get out of your A-Level experience; do you really need that leadership position that will be mentioned in every other personal statement? That's for you to decide.
Do not be afraid to reach out and get to know new people.
Although, having stayed on at my secondary school for Sixth Form, I did not have the typical experience of having to navigate my way through a new social scene, I noticed that people were a lot more open to branch out of their friendship groups and speak to those they haven't spoken to before in Year 12 and Year 13. For that, I would advise you to not be afraid to reach out and get to know people you hadn't had the chance to get to know before - you never know what could come out of the opportunity!