Starting College/A-Levels Advice/Tips/ College Life

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It's cliché, but organisation is really important - if you get to exams in May and you can't find stuff, you're going to spend more time looking for things as opposed to revising, so be organised. That doesn't mean that you need to go out and buy hundreds of folders and wallets and notebooks, but that you use a system that will work for you. For example, I used OneNote and had tabs in it for my subjects, and then subtabs for grammar, the different lit papers etc. My friends that did English did have rather large folders, but they had folders for each of their texts. If you prefer to type or need to type, then type. What I would say is that when it comes to notes, make sure you figure out the format and style of note taking you prefer. Some people like mindmaps, some people like charts - personally, i like the outline method where you had general information/title on the left, then underneath you added more specific information. Overall, organisation is important, especially as there is a lot more self-study, and the onus is more upon you than at GCSE.

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It is two years, and they can be a long two years, and that is important to bear in mind. Yes, GCSEs were two or three years, but there was less content to them, whereas A level (imo) is two years of specific but in depth study, which makes it a different beast altogether. The point I'm making is that it is a marathon not a sprint, pace yourself, and have a goal or something to aim for. For some (myself included) that was Oxbridge, for some it was their dream uni, for others it was a dream job. But they had something to think about that helped them keep going. Pace yourself, have a goal, and bear in mind how long it is.

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Somewhat contradictory - it actually goes really quickly, so enjoy it. Obviously you need to study and prepare for exams, but you also need to live and enjoy your life as well, so make sure you see your friends, make sure you do things you enjoy, make sure that you live a life as well.

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You cannot cram A levels the night before. That means that it is important you pay attention during the two years, you do keep on top of work and materials, and deal with issues when they arise. And if you find something you struggle with or you just don't understand, raise it then as opposed to the week before mocks or exams.

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You are the person doing this, so ignore what everyone else is doing, and make decisions that are smart for you.

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Do not use ChatGPT. Just don't. Is it quick? Yes. Will it produce decent answers? Mostly. However, when you get to mocks and don't know how to write a convincing and well structured argument, or you don't know the content well, you will regret it immensely. Write the essays yourself. It's boring as anything at the start, but it gets quicker and easier as you progress. Just don't use AI.

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Take care of yourself most importantly - they are exams at the end of the day, and there is no use in burning out or suffering for them.

I hope that is somewhat helpful - again, different experiences, and I'm sure people would disagree on a lot of these things, but that's the joy of humanity - we all have different experiences and feelings and opinions. But hopefully this provides something of use, and all the best for College!