Thursday 23 July 2015

5 Tips to Survive the First Year of Sixth Form

First things first, I named this post sixth form in order to not confuse any American readers. I don't normally call it sixth form, I call it college, but as college means university in America, I refrained from using it in the title. However I will be calling it college throughout the post. Sorry not sorry.

It's a big jump from high school to college; academically, socially and personally. I remember my high school teachers always telling me about college being so different from high school, but I didn't listen and I definitley should have becasue they were right.
I've just about survived my first year at college, through the multiple panic attacks, friendship breakdowns and constant stressing. However, it hasn't been all bad, and I definitely think I'm a better person now than I was at the beginning of the year.
Now, this post is all about giving my tips on how tosurvive the first year,for anyone going to college in September. i'll be mentioning all the things I did right, and telling you not to do the things I did horrendously wrong, in order to prepare anyone who may be entering in to the abyss of college sometime soon.

1. BE ORGANISED. (No, seriously, it's more difficult that you think)
For college ,I knew I had to be organised, however I only recently released during exam time how important it is to be prepared from the beginning of the year, and not let that dwindle out.
By organised I am talking

  • Different notebooks for each subject. Not just one with dividers. It might be more expensive but then you won't jumble up notes and just make everything confusing.
  • Binders are your besties. I'm not kidding. When you've done your notes, holepunch them or shove them in a polypocket and put them in a ring-binder. Preferably one of those for each subject too (and yes, you will do enough work to fill them)
  • Type your notes up. This isn't as necessary as the other two but its defintley a big help. It just makes life harder during revision time when you look back at old messy notes,so having clean typed up ones is much better! However, try not to get behind on typing the notes up,otherwise it takes up a LOT of time. Try to type up the same day you had the lesson.
2. FRIENDS WILL DRIFT. It sucks, but it's life.
Chances are, by the end of the first year of college you will have a marginally different friendship group to the one you had at the begining of the year. That's life. If you cling too hard to friends that are drifting, then it makes it more upsetting and agrevating for both parties, as I know from personal experience. If you let the friendship drift naturally, things will end on good terms rather than with multiplearguments. I know I'mhappier with my friends now compared to at the beginning of the year, so things will just fall in to place. It might seem lonely for a while, but it will get better.

3. GETTING NOT-SO-GOOD GRADES DOES NOT MEAN YOU'RE STUPID.
This is something I wish I was told about at the begninning of the year. I came out of high schoolwith grades I was proud of, so I thought that I wouldn't get too bad grades to start with at AS Level. I was wrong. I've been told that an A at GCSE is equivalent to a D at AS level, and I thought that was bulls*** but it's not. I spent the beginning of the year getting E's and D's in most of my subjectsand it really shook me.I hated it. But you will improve, I thought for sure at the beginning of the year I'd have no hope, but now I'm more positive. Your grades will improve, that's what college is for! To help you learn and improve for when exams come around.

4. KEEP YOUR ATTENDANCE UP
Just because college is much more relaxed than school, doesn't mean you should just skip lessons because you feel like it. Lessons are incredibly important and valuable at this stage, as at AS you have such a short time to learn everything, all time with teachers is golden. Don't let a common cold keep you at home. Make sure you're in as much as possible, it's worth it.

5. BE YOUR-DAMN-SELF (Yes it's cringey, but hear me out.)
Leaving year 11 I was so scared about how well I would fit in at college and whether I'd be stuck friendless etc and honestly, the only time I ever felt left out was when I didn't know who I was. I'd spent so many years trying to please everyone, that being myself was very daunting, however when I relaxed a bit it was great.I found a group of friends who enjoy my company the way I am and honestly ending this year, despite being nervous for my results, I couldn't be happier.
But seriously, want to wear your fandom T-Shirt? Wear it. Want to wear that short skirt that you think might make you look a lil tubby? Who cares! Embrace it. Not sure about something the teacher said? Stick your hand up and ask because others will probably be thinking it.

Overall, just have fun. College is like a 2 year interview to university/a job and although lots of important decisions are made, it's also important to embrace who you are and have fun. How soppy is that, right? Gross.

Love,
RubyLauren xx

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