What I Wish I Knew Before Going To Sixth Form

By Writers’ Club member Kerrie, who shares advice on making the next step easier!

Beginning sixth form/college is a scary time for many, mainly due to the unfamiliarity. It is rare that students get a lot of information regarding what to expect which is why it is so important to have guides and advice from students who have experienced it. Like many others, I began sixth form without any friends or knowledge of what to expect. A year later I am surprised about how fun the year has been, yet wish I had done things a bit differently before I started sixth form.

Work work work work work…

I’m sure many of you have been nagged endlessly about how much work you will have after your summer ends and the new academic year begins. As much as you might not want to listen, people are generally right that you will have to work hard! However, this is not as scary as it sounds. Teachers are more than happy to help and there is always support if things get too much. Aside from homework, it is also really important to revise right from the start, not just when exam season comes around. This can be 15 minutes per subject a week, or going over your notes at the end of the day. Just by doing this, you can make a massive difference to your learning and your exams. It also helps a lot when you do your final exams!

Make some me time…

Before starting sixth form, a lot of people forget to focus on themselves. The summer before starting Year 12 is a time where you can get to know yourself. Find what clothes you like, what hairstyle, what shows, what music, etc. At this stage in life, I wish I had known that it is best to place an emphasis on yourself after working so hard at the end of secondary school. It is so hard to navigate life at this age and taking time to find things that make life enjoyable to you is so important. Sixth form is very difficult, but knowing yourself can make it a lot easier. 

Don’t forget about fun…

A year ago, when I asked my older peers for advice on sixth form, there was a lot of focus on how much work there is, but equally as much on taking time to relax and enjoy life.. At the start of my A-Levels, I was so focused on working hard and doing a lot of activities that I forgot about socialising, making more friends, and having fun with the friend group I already had. I wish I had known that it was okay. To me, this is one of the main things you should remember. It is great to work hard and it is essential to try your best, but it’s simultaneously just as great to hang out with your friends and enjoy yourself - your hard work won’t reflect your results if you don’t take time to relax!

Life after A-Levels…

One of the hardest parts of A-Levels is knowing what you are going to do after and how you can achieve that. You might prefer the idea of going straight into working, going to university, or doing an apprenticeship. For those focused on university, it is great to think about what you might want out of a university itself and what you would like your course to look like. During my university search, it was important to me to have affordable yet comfortable accommodation, friendly students, down to earth professors, and a location that I would enjoy living in for three years. The factors to consider are different to everyone but are good to think about for those who would like to be proactive. Personally, I wish I had read more during the summer in order to prepare for personal statements and university applications. Overall, you may want to prepare for Year 13 and life after A-Levels, whether that be deciding what you might want to do, reading more, developing a hobby or broadening your options, but you still do have lots of time to do this during Year 12.

To round things up…

In the coming weeks, there is a lot to anticipate. Everyone agrees that A-Levels are tough, however, hard work is not all there is to this time. You will make some amazing friends, learn more about yourself, change and learn. The main things to remember before starting is: work hard, play hard, and have a think about next steps whilst working on yourself.