A levels were a rollercoaster of emotions, achievements, and probably the biggest decision maker to my future. All these factors collectively contributed towards building pressure and putting me on the spot for performing exceptionally whilst also trying to maintain a life outside of academics.

After my gcse’s I was already on a rough start as I did not get the grades, I expected but I didn’t let that hold me back from trying my best in A levels and with a lot of hope and some hard work I managed to secure various distinctions regionally and globally in my subjects.

 I realized that there had to be something that I was doing wrong and it was the approach I had for exams. I learned about active recall and cognitive abilities which helped me understand how a human brain functions and the key takeaways from that were that we need to find a point where we can study and retain information rather than blurt it all out uncoordinatedly.

 I started by studying in a routine because consistency really matters and to stay motivated, I would take breaks frequently and unwind whether its playing sports or socializing or even just going on a stroll it would reset the overstimulation that I was experiencing. I also learned to accept the fact that maybe  I got off on the wrong foot with my exam approach but I didn’t let that decide my future, getting all A’s was crucial to me and that meant I had to go all In, but even after pretending to be content with how much I studied I still had a doubt in my mind ‘what if this doesn’t work out’.

And I think that Is where most students fold and then it leads to a downwards spiral of procrastination and lack of consistency. To control the impact it had I started to make a to do list with all my tasks for the week and then journal long term academic goals let it be acing mocks or completing all past papers a week prior to the final exams, but that really helped me to stay focused and on track and consistent and disciplined. Planning reduces the risk of failure, and I wanted mine to be minimal. Hence why I always had an academic plan which outlined my objectives and tasks that needed to be completed. This eliminated any doubts or confusions and helped me stay on track / consistent.

A levels were full of deadlines with back-to-back exams and that felt like the worst thing ever, but I tackled it effectively by preparing prior to the exams alongside last minute revision. I also utilized any resources that I had, let it be extra classes or crash courses provided online or even emotional support at school.

Overall becoming proactive instead of passive with your approach to A levels would be the most effective way to approach A levels. As exams can be overwhelming due to their nature of testing knowledge extensively

A levels helped me develop various skills such as time management and working under pressure as well as soft skills such as communication from interacting with peers.

I’m glad to say that I successfully got through my A levels and secured my spot at AMBS.  I recommend and urge every A level student to just follow their dreams and try their best because hard work pays off eventually and things are bound to work out. Lastly, always bet on yourself even if it goes against all odds the sleepless nights and tiring mornings at school were all worth it.

Written by Muhammad Tahaa, a current BSc Business Accounting student.

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