The two years of A Levels are a rocky rollercoaster ride. Coming from O levels, you realize the A level workload is nothing compared to what you are used to. The complex syllabus accounting for a much trickier paper, topped off with the strict A Level grading system, can turn your academic journey into a real nightmare. Luckily, there are some strategies that you can use to make your A Levels experience much more manageable.
Do Not Fall Behind
Here’s an overly simplified summary of A Levels: it’s a lot of work in not a lot of time. To secure good grades in your A Levels, mastering the ability to work under high-pressure conditions and meet tight deadlines is essential.
Every day is important, and you must make the most out of it. Attend all your lectures without fail, and make a habit of revising what you study once you get back home. Generally, it’s a good practice to set aside a reasonable amount of time to study every day to prevent burnout or inefficiency.
Set Realistic and Consistent Goals
While it’s necessary to maintain a quick and efficient pace to keep up with the demanding A Level workload, it’s equally crucial to find a healthy balance. Biting off more than you can chew will eventually lead to burnout.
Therefore, you need to work smartly by sketching out a realistic schedule. Do not set unrealistic goals, as they will only stress you out. A list of goals keeps you motivated and on track. Just take care that you are striking off your daily goals without fail.
Utilize Useful Resources
To be born in this generation is truly a blessing. You can make use of the internet to find top class resources. Invest some time into researching to find material that suits you. For example, if you have that one topic you just can’t wrap your head around, watch video lectures on it.
We consistently post revision videos and solve challenging questions on our YouTube channel. Or you can find ready-made notes, important points, example candidate responses, exam tips, and other useful study tools online.
Join Study Groups
Having a responsible friend group or even joining a random study group is very beneficial in the long run. Having someone hold you accountable keeps you from falling behind. You can plan group study sessions that create an efficient work environment that motivates you to study.
One thing you need to consider is the kind of people you have in your group. Find committed and devoted people who push you to work harder and won’t distract you needlessly.
Focus on Stress Management
A level is hectic and stressful. The heavy workload, coupled with the frustrating A Levels grading system can seriously spike up your stress level. Being used to O Level’s easy-going pace puts you at a disadvantage when you enter Junior College. You may feel a little overwhelmed initially, but it’s important to remind yourself that this is normal.
A Level is one of the most stressful times in a student’s life, and you must work on keeping your stress levels down to maintain efficiency. The base rule is to kill stress before it kills your productivity. Take a weekend off, do things you love, and spend time with friends and family once in a while to keep the stress at bay.
Prioritize your Mental and Physical Health
A Levels can seriously flip your mental health upside down. O Levels are half the workload and much more rewarding. On the contrary, A Levels are more intensive, less rewarding, and a gradual process. Not seeing instant results can be very demotivating.
It’s important to understand that not reaping results as quickly as you did in O Levels is not a reflection of your inability but simply a consequence of the much harder A Level grading system and course. Remind yourself frequently that your hard work will eventually pay off, so don’t be too hard on yourself!
Beat the O Level Grading System
The transition from O Levels to A levels can leave you feeling overwhelmed. It’s certainly not easy. Thankfully, there are resources available out there that can be of help. You can seek guidance from experienced professionals by filling out this form or taking a trial class to experience our services before committing! A Levels is relatively harder, but you can pick up certain strategies to ease the ride!
