Dr. Britain

If your not back at school, you’ll be going back to school. If your in year 12, welcome to sixth form, the next two years will probably drain you if you put in the effort, or they will leave you unfulfilled and in a place you don’t want to be in if you don’t focus.

If your going for high flying courses, or are generally aspiring for something, now is the time to really put the effort in, if you do you will be left with a sense of achievement and will be able to look back and be all like: “BOO-YEAH!”.

1. Be realistic: Sometimes it sucks, but you have to take stock of things, if your not scoring A’s and you really are working your nuts off then don’t apply for courses that require A’s. One important caveat: If your riding on the coat tails of your GCSE or AS success you’ll get disappointed you got to up the ante and put the maximum level of effort in. So if you get like BCC in January (a la me) and know you didn’t work your backside off then go back and do it properly. Once you’ve discovered your limits, then its time to think of something worth doing that will satisfy you.
2. Go over your notes:  I can’t emphasise this enough, if you expect to just learn something first time off, your going to sit down and revise for your exams and hit a wall of purest “WHAT IS THIS BS?1?!?!” and that isn’t fun. Ok, don’t expect to go into you revision knowing your colour chemistry off by heart. But at least no the basics. What I did is copy up all my notes at the end of each sub topic (AAAAAH THERE IS A JACK OFF SPIDER IN MY ROOM!!!!) so you at least know it.
3. Find a revision method that doesn’t leave you dying: Okay, make sure you find a revision method that actually works for you, I used to make massive spider diagrams, other people like to make flash cards, what ever. Just don’t read the module book, all the peeps who say this “works for me”, i bet you a fiver you just blankly glance at each page and that isn’t revision. (Hell if it genuinely does work for you, and I see some proof, i’ll wang that £5 your way)
4. Take some time to yourself: I used to work every night till about 8/8.30 and I took Friday evening and Saturday off. If you don’t take a bit of personal time off each night, you will get burn out. Let me tell you, it fridging sucks!

Just, good luck everyone, this next year/ two years will make or break you. Aspire, and work!

Today was spring results days, kinda the poorer cousin of summer results day, not as much pressure thanks to resits but still important. I got As in my chemistry unit 1 resit, chemistry unit 4 and biology unit 4. I got an A* in general studies (but that hardly counts!). The major upset to events was a C in RS, I really don’t think that’s fair so I’m going to get the paper back and see if it’s worth a remark. Its not the end of the world because my RS mark last year was really high so it gives me a cushion. I’ll probably resit though! Looking back over the year to this time last year (where I got BCC) and I just feel so much better. This could be it :) feelin’ good!

AAB at Newcastle for Biomedical Science with Medical Microbiology, I am very happy, someone wants me :). At the time last year when i had no choice but Biomedical Science this was my first choice.

Are you in Year 12? Good news! I can help.

I think every single person in Year 12 underestimates how hard A levels actually are, and (not meaning to brag) but medical applicants are really smart people, you could have easily put minimal effort into GCSE and got great grades, i know, i did. Heres the important part: If you do not put the effort into revision, you will not get the grades.

I cannot stress this enough people, if you revise and do your best, you will get the grades, if not, you will be disappointed after this january exams. Love Dr.B

I’m doing an RS essay on “Via Negativa” and finishing off a MEGA calculation from chemistry on equillibrium constants. Should be an ok night :)

The start to my A2 year has been stressful at best, in hindsight, booking my UKCAT on pretty much the first week back was a terrible call (i got 2570 in the end). But its had a severe effect on my homework. The worst came today where my chemistry homework came back with the comment:

“Your going to have to try harder if your serious about your grade”

Message received, from now on i’ll be doing homework straight away, i’m not giving up this opportunity!!!!