Hi there, I'm Luna.
I'm a bit like an AI, except instead of making pictures of people with 16 fingers, I can help you find the perfect course and uni.
Would you like some help in your search?
Starting sixth form is exciting but it can also be a little overwhelming for some. Here's some life hacks that will help you get settled and embracing this new experience.
1. Know what you're getting into
You should've already researched the A-Levels you've chosen, but if in the first lessons you find yourself hating the course and think there's absolutely no chance you'll be able to cope with it getting progressively harder, talk to your head of sixth form.
There's a chance you could change subjects in the first couple of weeks rather than six months down the line.
2. Have (realistic) expectations of yourself
After GCSEs it's easy to think you can just waltz into sixth form, debating on whether you should go to Oxford or Cambridge or one of the other Russell Group unis – and by all means, you should aim high, but also think realistically; the gap between GCSEs and A-Levels is big.
Setting a realistically ambitious target for your A-Level grades will help you keep on track to achieve them.
3. Don't lose yourself in a mountain of notes
The best way to stay organised in sixth form is to continue habits from your GCSE years. Use separate notebooks for different subjects and file away handouts in respective subject folders. It's easy to become bewildered at the ‘bring your own paper’ aspect of sixth form, but the sooner you get on top of your organisation, the sooner it becomes a habit that won't think twice about.
4. Free periods are for work and play
Make use of private study time in your frees for tying up loose ends with your work and actually doing homework, but also remember that interacting with new people is unavoidable in sixth form, especially in your first year when new friendship groups are being made.
Devote some time to building relationships (note: this usually involves copious amounts of small talk over bags of Doritos in your first week – may the odds ever be in your favour).
5. Do some further reading around your subjects
No seriously – it saves having to trawl through Wikipedia at 3am for information on the Westland Affair (exactly) when the essay is due at 9am the next day.
6. Start your university research immediately
Plan some ideas of what course you might be interested in from the outset – this saves you from having an existential crisis come Year 13 when UCAS applications have to be submitted.
You can try Whatuni's 'I Want to Be' and 'What Course Should I Do' tools right here to help you start your search.
When you've narrowed down your choices, go to some university open days in the summer of Year 12 so you're not going on a rushed tour of the UK in October or beyond.
7. Utilise your online resources
I cannot give high enough praise to online revision tools like www.memrise.com – they helped me memorise so much information that seemed impossible when I started revising. Also, search for notes online for your courses – there may be a saviour who has published their A-grade notes or a teacher who has created a revision website.
8. Don’t sweat the small stuff
It's easy to be disheartened when you get a D on a test or essay, but it's not your final grade – it's simply a learning curve that will improve with determination. There's a big jump from GCSE to A-Level. Don't let it intimidate you, let the challenge motivate you.
9. Don't forget to live
With the pressure of deadlines and the tiring nature of strenuous mental exercise all day, sometimes all you want to do is sleep. And then sleep some more. But don't forget to go out and enjoy yourself. A revision timetable is great, but make sure there is time in there to socialise with friends and give yourself a mental break.
10. Find something that keeps you grounded and cling to it
For some this may be playing a team sport, for others it might be reading or photography, but whatever it is make sure you maintain your hobby even when you're tired. Simple things you enjoy doing like going for a walk or sketching can melt away the stress of A-levels and improve your mood.
11. Don’t forget your teachers are human
If you've been ill or buried under essays for other teachers and have been unable to complete work on time or you're struggling to understand something, just go and talk to them. Chances are, they'll be more than happy to go over things with you rather than see you lag behind, and will extend deadlines for you if you explain rather than lie or make excuses on the day.
12. Stay motivated
Once you've settled into sixth form life, the weather starts getting colder and the nights start drawing in; it's so tempting to binge-watch a whole season of Stranger Things on Netflix.
Stay motivated – finishing reading over the textbook chapter questions may seem pointless now when you know the teacher isn't going to mark them but they'll help your understanding in the long term.
13. Try and maintain a (somewhat) healthy diet
You wander out of your first lesson dazed, confused and starving, so you reason that a bacon sandwich will give you enough strength to travel to the library. While we all have our days where we need to visit the café for a bacon sandwich, eating nonstop fast food at sixth form isn't good for your mind or body.
Make lunches for yourself and bring snacks to keep you going – just don't venture out too far and subscribe to Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle website; that's a bit excessive.
14. Learn as a community
Establish a group chat or study group for your classes so you can all share resources or discuss work. It's enormously handy when someone forwards helpful websites or handouts and lets you know you're not alone in the struggle to do well.
Don't treat your classmates as ‘the competition’, treat them as your fellow survivors in a disaster movie scenario – you're all just trying to survive whilst the odds are pitted against you. Don't worry – the rescue helicopter will come in the end.
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