6th form/ A-level stationery haha??
I'm about to go into year 12,
I have had folders and dividers for most of my GCSE subjects - and I know that there is more content in A-level subjects...
but I was wondering if I could get away with using an exercise book for each subject, but have it so i have a new one at the end of a topic (where you would normally put a divider).
I just feel like this would be better for me as I really couldn't keep my folders organised last year and I want to keep my notes organised.
thoughts? (sorry if im waffling, i just woke up woops)
((ps. im doing art and design textiles, classics and either biology or spanish))
I have had folders and dividers for most of my GCSE subjects - and I know that there is more content in A-level subjects...
but I was wondering if I could get away with using an exercise book for each subject, but have it so i have a new one at the end of a topic (where you would normally put a divider).
I just feel like this would be better for me as I really couldn't keep my folders organised last year and I want to keep my notes organised.
thoughts? (sorry if im waffling, i just woke up woops)
((ps. im doing art and design textiles, classics and either biology or spanish))
(edited 5 years ago)
Try using large ringbinders too! There is going to be alot of content for you to study at A-Level!
Original post by temzra
Yes that’s a good idea but I don’t think you’ll need an exercise book for everything topic. But make sure you get books with holes in them and buy treasury tags cause you’ll probably get a lot of sheets
Original post by Pearlfection1
Try using large ringbinders too! There is going to be alot of content for you to study at A-Level!
Original post by Mosssy
yeah im actually worried about how much content there is going to be ahhhh!!
Get a lever-arch folder, it's better than a ring binder. They hold more sheets, they don't break as easily. Since September I haven't had that calamity where everything falls out. Hole-punch your exercise books and they'll fit in the folder.
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by Sinnoh
Get a lever-arch folder, it's better than a ring binder. They hold more sheets, they don't break as easily. Since September I haven't had that calamity where everything falls out. Hole-punch your exercise books and they'll fit in the folder.
I would say do this. And if you don’t want to take your folders to school everyday then you can just take your exercise book. Because they do tend to get very heavy after a while.
Original post by Sinnoh
Get a lever-arch folder, it's better than a ring binder. They hold more sheets, they don't break as easily. Since September I haven't had that calamity where everything falls out. Hole-punch your exercise books and they'll fit in the folder.
luckily i have only had things fall out when it got to full, but i always find that with leverarch folders the mechanism breaks after a while and the clip things dont line up - any tips on how to prevent this haha?
Original post by temzra
I would say do this. And if you don’t want to take your folders to school everyday then you can just take your exercise book. Because they do tend to get very heavy after a while.
Original post by Mosssy
I'm about to go into year 12,
I have had folders and dividers for most of my GCSE subjects - and I know that there is more content in A-level subjects...
but I was wondering if I could get away with using an exercise book for each subject, but have it so i have a new one at the end of a topic (where you would normally put a divider).
I just feel like this would be better for me as I really couldn't keep my folders organised last year and I want to keep my notes organised.
thoughts? (sorry if im waffling, i just woke up woops)
((ps. im doing art and design textiles, classics and either biology or spanish))
I have had folders and dividers for most of my GCSE subjects - and I know that there is more content in A-level subjects...
but I was wondering if I could get away with using an exercise book for each subject, but have it so i have a new one at the end of a topic (where you would normally put a divider).
I just feel like this would be better for me as I really couldn't keep my folders organised last year and I want to keep my notes organised.
thoughts? (sorry if im waffling, i just woke up woops)
((ps. im doing art and design textiles, classics and either biology or spanish))
I absolutely love talking about stationary lol!
Yes definitely use exercise/notepad books for your lessons. I would recommend you getting an additional set of exercise books for your revision- I found this helped me a lot during A-levels to separate my work from my actual revision. In this book, I condense notes, wrote answers to questions which I then got my teachers to mark. Coz I found when you get to AS/A2 your teachers don’t really mark your class work anymore, just your tests and what not.
Also get a ringbinder, with page dividers and plastic wallets so you can put resources, past papers, classwork in it. It is something that was required from us to do before we started school. At first I didn’t see the point, but I saw it now in A2 because its just soo much easier to know everythings in one one place. I would recommend labelling the plastic wallets too, maybe by what appears on your spec, so you know you’ve covered every bullet point.
Also, print 2 copies of all your specs, one to see what your learning and the other to review what you can say you know when it comes to tests. Use highlighters and colours to make things stand out. Flashcards are a massive help for practical every subject so get some of those too. Have a system for your notes too, there are soo many note taking systems, you just need to find the right one for you. I use the cornell method a lot now. Also, get a youtube account and keep adding videos that you have found useful as you go through the year, coz when you get to the end and you need them, you know exactly where they are. Also, I can’t stress enough about having some short of diary, day planner or bullet journal, I never use to use one, because I was pretty good at remembering but AS/A2 they give you soo many little tasks, deadlines, coursework deadlines, mock exams, REAL EXAMS, that it is best to keep on track!
I’m soo sorry this is long, I’m just a stationary nerd and I always get stationary hauls for each year!
Original post by Sinnoh
Get a lever-arch folder, it's better than a ring binder. They hold more sheets, they don't break as easily. Since September I haven't had that calamity where everything falls out. Hole-punch your exercise books and they'll fit in the folder.
Yeah definitely hole punch your books before, so its easier to carry and then you can take it out when your folder gets to heavy for you to carry around.
Original post by Mosssy
luckily i have only had things fall out when it got to full, but i always find that with leverarch folders the mechanism breaks after a while and the clip things dont line up - any tips on how to prevent this haha?
When they don't line up I push them back into place. Also don't make the mistake I did by laying the folders down flat inside your locker and putting textbooks on top. The metal bit on the bottom is so you can stand them up and they don't break as easily.
My teachers were lucky if I turned up with paper most of the time tbh, and I did IB 
Always had my trusty TI-89 though!
You'll need a whole set of stuff for art/textiles, separate to your other subjects. Your teacher(s) will probably advise you before you start, or on the first day, what you need (and if they provide it or if you can buy it in school).*
If you take Biology you will likely need a standard scientific calculator (not a graphing one, just a typical one you can buy in tesco or something that has e.g. log and trig functions etc; you probably have a suitable one from GCSE already. DO NOT buy a graphing calculator for Biology...). You may also need some graphing paper or a lab/logbook (which should usually have graphing paper on every other page/side) - I would suggest seeing what the teacher says though, as they may just provide such stuff as and when necessary (I'm not sure how the new science endorsements work, all the work may be contained in exam style booklets handed out and collected in session). A ruler may be useful for drawing graph axes if you're not particularly good at drawing straight lines, although as long as they're clearly perpendicular I doubt it'll be much of an issue.
For other subjects you'll just need pen and paper, the level of additional material you'll need to organise them depends on you though; there's no point buying 15 folders and stickers and all kinds of stuff if you aren't actually going to use them (or worse, you're going to go the "obsessive highlighter" route, of highlighting everything in all handouts and putting stickers and labels on everything without actually learning any of the material...). I would say though, having a lever arch binder as suggested kept at home (or if you have lockers at school, there) can be handy to consolidate material. They're quite bulky and not really suited to being carried around, especially if you only have 3 or 4 subjects.
I would on that latter point suggest you carefully evaluate if it's worth taking 4 subjects as suggested. It's normally inadvisable to take more than 3 unless two are Maths and Further Maths (due to the cumulative content for those). I would especially suggest caution in taking two design subjects, which are huge workloads individually, as well as an essay subject AND either a science or a language (especially the latter, as languages also have enormous ongoing workloads). Coming from someone who did IB (including art), I think you have a much higher than reasonable workload...of course if your school requires 4 subjects it is somewhat unavoidable, but I would suggest particularly considering whether taking two design subjects is feasible. It is reasonably possible to explore textile based artworks/sculptures in Art & Design, without taking the individual A-level itself (this would be in terms of creating "art" with textile materials, rather than creating e.g. clothing or similar), so you can certainly explore this angle while taking another subject in lieu of Textiles (the reverse isn't as true).
*
Always had my trusty TI-89 though!You'll need a whole set of stuff for art/textiles, separate to your other subjects. Your teacher(s) will probably advise you before you start, or on the first day, what you need (and if they provide it or if you can buy it in school).*
If you take Biology you will likely need a standard scientific calculator (not a graphing one, just a typical one you can buy in tesco or something that has e.g. log and trig functions etc; you probably have a suitable one from GCSE already. DO NOT buy a graphing calculator for Biology...). You may also need some graphing paper or a lab/logbook (which should usually have graphing paper on every other page/side) - I would suggest seeing what the teacher says though, as they may just provide such stuff as and when necessary (I'm not sure how the new science endorsements work, all the work may be contained in exam style booklets handed out and collected in session). A ruler may be useful for drawing graph axes if you're not particularly good at drawing straight lines, although as long as they're clearly perpendicular I doubt it'll be much of an issue.
For other subjects you'll just need pen and paper, the level of additional material you'll need to organise them depends on you though; there's no point buying 15 folders and stickers and all kinds of stuff if you aren't actually going to use them (or worse, you're going to go the "obsessive highlighter" route, of highlighting everything in all handouts and putting stickers and labels on everything without actually learning any of the material...). I would say though, having a lever arch binder as suggested kept at home (or if you have lockers at school, there) can be handy to consolidate material. They're quite bulky and not really suited to being carried around, especially if you only have 3 or 4 subjects.
I would on that latter point suggest you carefully evaluate if it's worth taking 4 subjects as suggested. It's normally inadvisable to take more than 3 unless two are Maths and Further Maths (due to the cumulative content for those). I would especially suggest caution in taking two design subjects, which are huge workloads individually, as well as an essay subject AND either a science or a language (especially the latter, as languages also have enormous ongoing workloads). Coming from someone who did IB (including art), I think you have a much higher than reasonable workload...of course if your school requires 4 subjects it is somewhat unavoidable, but I would suggest particularly considering whether taking two design subjects is feasible. It is reasonably possible to explore textile based artworks/sculptures in Art & Design, without taking the individual A-level itself (this would be in terms of creating "art" with textile materials, rather than creating e.g. clothing or similar), so you can certainly explore this angle while taking another subject in lieu of Textiles (the reverse isn't as true).
*
Spoiler
Original post by CarefreeDreams
I absolutely love talking about stationary lol!
Yes definitely use exercise/notepad books for your lessons. I would recommend you getting an additional set of exercise books for your revision- I found this helped me a lot during A-levels to separate my work from my actual revision. In this book, I condense notes, wrote answers to questions which I then got my teachers to mark. Coz I found when you get to AS/A2 your teachers don’t really mark your class work anymore, just your tests and what not.
Also get a ringbinder, with page dividers and plastic wallets so you can put resources, past papers, classwork in it. It is something that was required from us to do before we started school. At first I didn’t see the point, but I saw it now in A2 because its just soo much easier to know everythings in one one place. I would recommend labelling the plastic wallets too, maybe by what appears on your spec, so you know you’ve covered every bullet point.
Also, print 2 copies of all your specs, one to see what your learning and the other to review what you can say you know when it comes to tests. Use highlighters and colours to make things stand out. Flashcards are a massive help for practical every subject so get some of those too. Have a system for your notes too, there are soo many note taking systems, you just need to find the right one for you. I use the cornell method a lot now. Also, get a youtube account and keep adding videos that you have found useful as you go through the year, coz when you get to the end and you need them, you know exactly where they are. Also, I can’t stress enough about having some short of diary, day planner or bullet journal, I never use to use one, because I was pretty good at remembering but AS/A2 they give you soo many little tasks, deadlines, coursework deadlines, mock exams, REAL EXAMS, that it is best to keep on track!
I’m soo sorry this is long, I’m just a stationary nerd and I always get stationary hauls for each year!
Yes definitely use exercise/notepad books for your lessons. I would recommend you getting an additional set of exercise books for your revision- I found this helped me a lot during A-levels to separate my work from my actual revision. In this book, I condense notes, wrote answers to questions which I then got my teachers to mark. Coz I found when you get to AS/A2 your teachers don’t really mark your class work anymore, just your tests and what not.
Also get a ringbinder, with page dividers and plastic wallets so you can put resources, past papers, classwork in it. It is something that was required from us to do before we started school. At first I didn’t see the point, but I saw it now in A2 because its just soo much easier to know everythings in one one place. I would recommend labelling the plastic wallets too, maybe by what appears on your spec, so you know you’ve covered every bullet point.
Also, print 2 copies of all your specs, one to see what your learning and the other to review what you can say you know when it comes to tests. Use highlighters and colours to make things stand out. Flashcards are a massive help for practical every subject so get some of those too. Have a system for your notes too, there are soo many note taking systems, you just need to find the right one for you. I use the cornell method a lot now. Also, get a youtube account and keep adding videos that you have found useful as you go through the year, coz when you get to the end and you need them, you know exactly where they are. Also, I can’t stress enough about having some short of diary, day planner or bullet journal, I never use to use one, because I was pretty good at remembering but AS/A2 they give you soo many little tasks, deadlines, coursework deadlines, mock exams, REAL EXAMS, that it is best to keep on track!
I’m soo sorry this is long, I’m just a stationary nerd and I always get stationary hauls for each year!
Oh wow! thank you so much for taking the time to reply
i also see my self as a stationery fanatic, but i just have trouble with keeping up with the organisational side of it throughout the year haha.how would you suggest to condense notes, because i always feel like i need all the information that's in the revision guide/textbook and i have trouble working out if the information is useful or not...
I have tried the Cornell method in the past, but i didn't know the difference between the left-hand column and the bottom section of the split page, also how much space do you leave for the left and bottom bits as i have quite large handwriting so tend to go through the middle section quite quickly.
i have a playlist on youtube already lol the number of stationery hauls and study morning routines i watch is probably unhealthy haha
I am quite lucky that my school provides us with academic diaries at the beginning of the year, and they are so handy! its funny how i don't realise how much i dont use it unless i have lost it
at gcse, i kept my textbooks in plastic popper wallets that were hole-punched so could fit into my folders, but im guessing this isnt going to work as the A-level textbooks look huge.
when i get all my stationery together i will be sure to do a little haul for you hehe
Original post by artful_lounger
My teachers were lucky if I turned up with paper most of the time tbh, and I did IB Always had my trusty TI-89 though!
You'll need a whole set of stuff for art/textiles, separate to your other subjects. Your teacher(s) will probably advise you before you start, or on the first day, what you need (and if they provide it or if you can buy it in school).*
If you take Biology you will likely need a standard scientific calculator (not a graphing one, just a typical one you can buy in tesco or something that has e.g. log and trig functions etc; you probably have a suitable one from GCSE already. DO NOT buy a graphing calculator for Biology...). You may also need some graphing paper or a lab/logbook (which should usually have graphing paper on every other page/side) - I would suggest seeing what the teacher says though, as they may just provide such stuff as and when necessary (I'm not sure how the new science endorsements work, all the work may be contained in exam style booklets handed out and collected in session). A ruler may be useful for drawing graph axes if you're not particularly good at drawing straight lines, although as long as they're clearly perpendicular I doubt it'll be much of an issue.
For other subjects you'll just need pen and paper, the level of additional material you'll need to organise them depends on you though; there's no point buying 15 folders and stickers and all kinds of stuff if you aren't actually going to use them (or worse, you're going to go the "obsessive highlighter" route, of highlighting everything in all handouts and putting stickers and labels on everything without actually learning any of the material...). I would say though, having a lever arch binder as suggested kept at home (or if you have lockers at school, there) can be handy to consolidate material. They're quite bulky and not really suited to being carried around, especially if you only have 3 or 4 subjects.
I would on that latter point suggest you carefully evaluate if it's worth taking 4 subjects as suggested. It's normally inadvisable to take more than 3 unless two are Maths and Further Maths (due to the cumulative content for those). I would especially suggest caution in taking two design subjects, which are huge workloads individually, as well as an essay subject AND either a science or a language (especially the latter, as languages also have enormous ongoing workloads). Coming from someone who did IB (including art), I think you have a much higher than reasonable workload...of course if your school requires 4 subjects it is somewhat unavoidable, but I would suggest particularly considering whether taking two design subjects is feasible. It is reasonably possible to explore textile based artworks/sculptures in Art & Design, without taking the individual A-level itself (this would be in terms of creating "art" with textile materials, rather than creating e.g. clothing or similar), so you can certainly explore this angle while taking another subject in lieu of Textiles (the reverse isn't as true).
*
Always had my trusty TI-89 though!You'll need a whole set of stuff for art/textiles, separate to your other subjects. Your teacher(s) will probably advise you before you start, or on the first day, what you need (and if they provide it or if you can buy it in school).*
If you take Biology you will likely need a standard scientific calculator (not a graphing one, just a typical one you can buy in tesco or something that has e.g. log and trig functions etc; you probably have a suitable one from GCSE already. DO NOT buy a graphing calculator for Biology...). You may also need some graphing paper or a lab/logbook (which should usually have graphing paper on every other page/side) - I would suggest seeing what the teacher says though, as they may just provide such stuff as and when necessary (I'm not sure how the new science endorsements work, all the work may be contained in exam style booklets handed out and collected in session). A ruler may be useful for drawing graph axes if you're not particularly good at drawing straight lines, although as long as they're clearly perpendicular I doubt it'll be much of an issue.
For other subjects you'll just need pen and paper, the level of additional material you'll need to organise them depends on you though; there's no point buying 15 folders and stickers and all kinds of stuff if you aren't actually going to use them (or worse, you're going to go the "obsessive highlighter" route, of highlighting everything in all handouts and putting stickers and labels on everything without actually learning any of the material...). I would say though, having a lever arch binder as suggested kept at home (or if you have lockers at school, there) can be handy to consolidate material. They're quite bulky and not really suited to being carried around, especially if you only have 3 or 4 subjects.
I would on that latter point suggest you carefully evaluate if it's worth taking 4 subjects as suggested. It's normally inadvisable to take more than 3 unless two are Maths and Further Maths (due to the cumulative content for those). I would especially suggest caution in taking two design subjects, which are huge workloads individually, as well as an essay subject AND either a science or a language (especially the latter, as languages also have enormous ongoing workloads). Coming from someone who did IB (including art), I think you have a much higher than reasonable workload...of course if your school requires 4 subjects it is somewhat unavoidable, but I would suggest particularly considering whether taking two design subjects is feasible. It is reasonably possible to explore textile based artworks/sculptures in Art & Design, without taking the individual A-level itself (this would be in terms of creating "art" with textile materials, rather than creating e.g. clothing or similar), so you can certainly explore this angle while taking another subject in lieu of Textiles (the reverse isn't as true).
*
Spoiler
thanks so much for replying! yeah at the moment i seem to just be turning up to my exams with a biro haha,
I am only going to do three A-levels but the way that it works now is that they have made the textiles course more about the design and artistic side to clothing and not like the gcse i am doing where it is about the theory of textiles and the making of clothing (however it does give you the room to still persue fashion design and that is what i am going to focus on)
I will probably wait until the weekend after i have gone back as then i can see what the teachers will provide, like you suggested, so thank you so much for giving me a rough idea of what to expect
Original post by Mosssy
Oh wow! thank you so much for taking the time to reply i also see my self as a stationery fanatic, but i just have trouble with keeping up with the organisational side of it throughout the year haha.
how would you suggest to condense notes, because i always feel like i need all the information that's in the revision guide/textbook and i have trouble working out if the information is useful or not...
I have tried the Cornell method in the past, but i didn't know the difference between the left-hand column and the bottom section of the split page, also how much space do you leave for the left and bottom bits as i have quite large handwriting so tend to go through the middle section quite quickly.
i have a playlist on youtube already lol the number of stationery hauls and study morning routines i watch is probably unhealthy haha
I am quite lucky that my school provides us with academic diaries at the beginning of the year, and they are so handy! its funny how i don't realise how much i dont use it unless i have lost it
at gcse, i kept my textbooks in plastic popper wallets that were hole-punched so could fit into my folders, but im guessing this isnt going to work as the A-level textbooks look huge.
when i get all my stationery together i will be sure to do a little haul for you hehe
i also see my self as a stationery fanatic, but i just have trouble with keeping up with the organisational side of it throughout the year haha.how would you suggest to condense notes, because i always feel like i need all the information that's in the revision guide/textbook and i have trouble working out if the information is useful or not...
I have tried the Cornell method in the past, but i didn't know the difference between the left-hand column and the bottom section of the split page, also how much space do you leave for the left and bottom bits as i have quite large handwriting so tend to go through the middle section quite quickly.
i have a playlist on youtube already lol the number of stationery hauls and study morning routines i watch is probably unhealthy haha
I am quite lucky that my school provides us with academic diaries at the beginning of the year, and they are so handy! its funny how i don't realise how much i dont use it unless i have lost it
at gcse, i kept my textbooks in plastic popper wallets that were hole-punched so could fit into my folders, but im guessing this isnt going to work as the A-level textbooks look huge.
when i get all my stationery together i will be sure to do a little haul for you hehe
For the cornell method, the left hand column is basically for any questions you may have that you would want answered, as you go through your revision, this is so you can list them and ask your teacher, so you don't forget them. Any diagrams that you may have or as I do it, I put the bullet point from the spec on this side to know which bit of the spec I am focusing on. The bottom of the page is for after your lesson- its the review of everything you have done, this just acts as the summary.
If the cornell method doesn't work for you there are others, I can't remember what subjects you do, so some may work better than others, depending on subject. Such as the outlining method, the mapping method, the charting method, the sentence method etc.
Yeah, my playlist on youtube was of videos I found useful, or explained concepts to me. I have all the audiobooks of my English books, when I cba to read them. I had definitions and structuring videos for Psychology and interesting videos that explained Historical events to me for my History course.
Yeah, my school did give us our 6th form planner, but it was structured like the secondary school one (7-11) so I didn't like it that much. Thats why I brought my own, or as I want to do in uni, I would like to create a bullet journal (they look so fracking awesome!!).
Yeah you're not gonna be able to whole punch your textbooks for A-level LOL. And even if you do have textbooks I wouldn't recommend hole punching, because our school has a deposit (so you pay for it at the start of the year, and then get your money back when you're down as long as its in good condition) schools realise that A-level books are experience af, so they are sometimes nice like that.
I would love to see a stationary haul! I'm acc gonna go crazy when I start preparing for uni over this summer!!
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