I started sixth form this september, meaning that I’m now in year twelve. I must admit, I expected the transition to be difficult, particularly in my subjects, but not quite as bad as I expected, especially french. It was quite a shock, to be honest, however I think I’m beginning to get used to the amount of work needed to achieve four AS levels!
Next year I can drop a subject, so that will mean I have more “frees” in which I can do my homework, such as my philosophy and ethics essays… which take forever! I am enjoying my subjects though, despite them being tough. French is probably my least favourite (although I still like it) purely because of the jump between GCSE and AS being the largest jump of all of my subjects. Also, we have so much homework for it that in order to get it all done I (and I know some of the others in my class) have to use google translate in order complete it, along with the rest of our homework. That’s really not a good thing – I think we all know how perfect google translate’s grammar is… quite a few mistakes result from its usage! I mean, it is a lifesaver when trying to complete a load of paragraphs and sheets on time though and also for a few short phrases and words – providing you can adapt what it is saying. I must confess though, I do wish they’d give us less to do so that we can spend longer on each piece and not use google translate (aka my saviour). I don’t know. I’m sure there’s a reason!
My other subjects include philosophy and ethics (which is one subject), Geography and English Literature.
English is the one which is a surprise for me. To say that I didn’t like english last year is an understatement. I loathed it – just not quite as much as physics and maths. However I have always been good at it and until year ten I wanted to do it at university! Then I had a teacher who was nice enough but ruined the subject for me and thus I was not looking forward to studying it this year. However, now that I’m a term into this year, my mind has changed. French was my main subject at the start of the year and now it looks like I will be dropping that after these exams and English will be continued, not because I need three A levels, but because I enjoy the subject! So that’s a relief.
I do really like sixth form. We have our own “common room” just for year twelve and thirteen (I think a lot of schools do) and even when it’s busy it’s not chaotic like the rest of the school is. It’s just so much better, especially in winter (there was nowhere to go when it rained or snowed in the younger years). We also get more freedom; we’re allowed out at lunch and also in our frees and also we are allowed to wear jeans if they’re black and we can choose our tops, so I prefer that.
However sixth form does have its downsides. I miss my tutor group from the last five years – the people (including my tutor) and the room itself were simply nicer than where I am and who I’m with now… There are some people I like, obviously, but I just miss my old tutor because I was with some very close friends. Also, my new tutor happens to be my year ten and eleven physics teacher (let’s remember that I loathed physics last year) who really doesn’t like me. So that’s fun. He has to write my UCAS reference next year… *gulp*. I don’t mind him so much as a tutor… I just feel a bit awkward!
Another downside of sixth form is the fact that despite the frees, I have little time to read, write and update my blog. Although I study english lit, I rarely read, which means that I have less reviews to write… I enjoyed writing the one about Fangirl! I only really have the time to read the set texts (The Great Gatsby, Kindertransport and my selected texts for coursework The Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird). At least To Kill a Mockingbird is my favourite – so I can read that!
I really struggle to manage my time… I try my best, but I frequently fee exhausted when I get home from school and I can’t focus – so I don’t get started on my homework until later after I’ve eaten dinner. That’s not a good thing on a monday night when I have french and RE on the same day and I could have done a huge amount of work over the weekend and the chances are that I usually have some left to do on the monday night. Really not fun. Any advice on how to gain more energy? It’s like a vicious circle. I have no energy when I get back from school so I try but don’t succeed in starting my homework until late, it always takes me longer than what I plan and then I end up getting to bed really late… Then I’m tired the next day. I wish I was a little kid again sometimes – purely because little kids have so much energy!
I know that it probably sounds like I’m moaning about sixth form on this post, and I do apologise. It does feel good to write about it though – and anyway, you don’t have to read it! Thank you if you’ve read my ramblings all the way through! This holiday I’m trying to read more, because I have some more time, I just don’t want to leave my homework too late! I’m sure I’ll stumble through it all eventually – I have so far and it’s working!