Procrastination for A Level Revision

Hi i desperately need your help, basically without revealing too much personal info i only got ABB in my first a level mock (Soc,His,Pol) and im really worried because since then (january) i have not revised at all, and its halfway through march right now and all my peers have been going to the library studying 5 hours a day and ive done nothing. Ive been having really bad mental health and started slacking so much in all my subjects that i sometimes dont even do my homework. My teachers have noticed this and have started to get a little disappointed since they expect a lot from me… Ive been told by everyone that im wasting my potential because i got into an oxford summer school and been awarded with these huge achievements in assemblies but ive just kind of given up. I think about revision 24/7 but im afraid that if i do a practice question to hand in to my teachers theyll judge me and say what happened? because without preplanning the answers for hours i dont get a*s… I waste all my studies too and just mess about looking at cakes and the news unnecessarily i feel so bad but then the cycle repeats.

I want to get into Oxford and i need at least an A*A*A to make my application competitive to make up for my lacking GCSEs, i am a contextual student but its nerfed by the fact that ive attended a grammar school for both secondary and sixth form. Im in Year 12 and my June mocks determine my UCAS grades, with absolutely no resits allowed

I am so upset because i feel so behind on revision, i still havent finished making resources from lessons from November…

Reply 1

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post

by erinaz

Hi i desperately need your help, basically without revealing too much personal info i only got ABB in my first a level mock (Soc,His,Pol) and im really worried because since then (january) i have not revised at all, and its halfway through march right now and all my peers have been going to the library studying 5 hours a day and ive done nothing. Ive been having really bad mental health and started slacking so much in all my subjects that i sometimes dont even do my homework. My teachers have noticed this and have started to get a little disappointed since they expect a lot from me… Ive been told by everyone that im wasting my potential because i got into an oxford summer school and been awarded with these huge achievements in assemblies but ive just kind of given up. I think about revision 24/7 but im afraid that if i do a practice question to hand in to my teachers theyll judge me and say what happened? because without preplanning the answers for hours i dont get a*s… I waste all my studies too and just mess about looking at cakes and the news unnecessarily i feel so bad but then the cycle repeats.
I want to get into Oxford and i need at least an A*A*A to make my application competitive to make up for my lacking GCSEs, i am a contextual student but its nerfed by the fact that ive attended a grammar school for both secondary and sixth form. Im in Year 12 and my June mocks determine my UCAS grades, with absolutely no resits allowed
I am so upset because i feel so behind on revision, i still havent finished making resources from lessons from November…

Hi @erinaz

It sounds like you are quite overwhelmed (which is completely normal for students), so the best thing to do is make a plan for what you are going to do. I would recommend:

•

Look through your mocks to identify what areas you did well on and where you need to focus on improving.

•

Go through the specification for each subject and RAG (red, amber, green) them based on how confident you feel. This will show you what areas you need to revise the subject knowledge for.

•

Decide how you are going to plan your revision in a way that works for you. This could be making a revision timetable or making a weekly to-do list.

•

Practice answering lots of questions and then either mark them using the mark scheme or give them to your teacher. It is really important to remember that your teachers are not there to judge you, they will use your answer to help tailor the support they provide you with.

•

Find your motivation - this might be related to getting into the university of your choice or something completely different. I found that going to open days and researching my future was really helpful for increasing my motivation and it reminded me why I was doing it.

•

Try to take the pressure off of yourself. The most important thing is that you do your best, try not to worry about what anyone else thinks.

I hope this helps!

Sophie.
BCU Student Rep.

Reply 2

LJMUStudentReps

Official Rep

Original post

by erinaz

Hi i desperately need your help, basically without revealing too much personal info i only got ABB in my first a level mock (Soc,His,Pol) and im really worried because since then (january) i have not revised at all, and its halfway through march right now and all my peers have been going to the library studying 5 hours a day and ive done nothing. Ive been having really bad mental health and started slacking so much in all my subjects that i sometimes dont even do my homework. My teachers have noticed this and have started to get a little disappointed since they expect a lot from me… Ive been told by everyone that im wasting my potential because i got into an oxford summer school and been awarded with these huge achievements in assemblies but ive just kind of given up. I think about revision 24/7 but im afraid that if i do a practice question to hand in to my teachers theyll judge me and say what happened? because without preplanning the answers for hours i dont get a*s… I waste all my studies too and just mess about looking at cakes and the news unnecessarily i feel so bad but then the cycle repeats.
I want to get into Oxford and i need at least an A*A*A to make my application competitive to make up for my lacking GCSEs, i am a contextual student but its nerfed by the fact that ive attended a grammar school for both secondary and sixth form. Im in Year 12 and my June mocks determine my UCAS grades, with absolutely no resits allowed
I am so upset because i feel so behind on revision, i still havent finished making resources from lessons from November…

Hi,

I’m really sorry to hear you’re feeling this way. Struggling with motivation and mental health doesn’t mean your potential is gone and it’s okay to ask for help. It might make you feel better if you speak to someone you trust and a professional about how you’re feeling. You’re not alone in this, and small, consistent steps can make a difference.

I’d recommend starting by looking at your subject specifications to identify any weak areas. Then you can create active recall flashcards or mindmaps for key content, work through topic-by-topic questions to reinforce understanding and once confident, move on to full past papers to practice exam technique.

Use the Pomodoro method (25–30 minutes of focused revision followed by a 5-minute break, then a longer break after a few sessions) to help keep your focus and prevent burnout.

Take it step by step, and remember it’s okay if things aren’t perfect. The key is to start somewhere so you can catch up and improve your grades.

Hope this helps, wishing you all the best with your studies!

Tayba
Student Rep

Reply 3

dadking

I do empathize with what you are experiencing. I can see that you are under the pressure of the highest order, not only with your own ambitions, a pressure of your teachers, but comparing with people, it is not surprising that your motivation has been lowered. When you are not writing you feel paralyzed and guilty with not having revised anything, and in your case there is the perfecting of yourself and fearing to be judged. That’s a heavy burden to carry.
The positive thing is that you have time to change things. January mocks by ABB is not a catastrophe - it is a good base. The issue is that it is time to create consistency and not pursue perfection. The following would be a viable solution:

•

📝 A Reset Plan

1.Small and every day: Devote a daily session of 30-45 minutes to intensive revision. When you have momentum you can carry it.
2.Divide tasks: Do not think of finishing all notes since November; want to think of summarizing the main points of one lesson today. Short-term targets help avoid paralysis.
3.Fearless practice: Submit briefer practice answers. The instructors will be able to value hard work and will be able to guide you instead of condemn.
4.Breaker: When you notice that you are procrastinating, turn on a 10-minute timer and complete one revision activity. The most difficult thing is often to begin.

🌟 Reframing Oxford
Oxford seeks probability rather than excellence. Already you have demonstrated ability in such accomplishments as the summer school. AAA is not so easy and yet you can create a competitive argument with some organization. Contextual and your talent as proven will also work in your favor.

And this is where I can directly intervene: I can assist you in the design of your revision and assignments that would be manageable and effective. In this manner, you will regain confidence and will gradually improve your grades without having to burn.

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