26/09/2024

30/11/2024

I had a really good day today!! I got everything I had been aiming to do finished last night and this morning.

I revised from six until ten last night, went to sleep at eleven and slept until seven, then revised again from eight until twelve. I’ve honestly never been so productive in my life, I really don’t know where I got the motivation from because normally I can only do two hours in a row tops and never past eight in the evening.

Things achieved today:

Completed and marked the biology paper due next week (73%!! An A*)

Finished the required practical write up

Did the questions set on Friday

Wrote the 25 mark biology essay due next week (the one we were set was honestly so hard, it took me so long)

Made my notes on respiration for the test on Monday

My main aim for the next couple of weeks has to be preparing for my interview, so it’s good that I have done most of the homework I will have to hand in over the next 2 weeks.

Things to do tomorrow:

Revise for the respiration test on Monday

Take a long break because I’ve worked so much harder than usual that I now have a headache

20/08/2024

Had a very good day today! I met up with a friend for a few hours for lunch and a walk, then studied at home. I’m going away tomorrow for a night or two, so I might get less school work done.

Things achieved today:

Marked physical chemistry paper and got a B. I need to revise redox, groups 2 and 7, and tests for compounds.

Did some more of my biology summer work, so now I’m about half way through.

28/08/2024

Except for the maths, I didn’t do a lot today. My EPQ session was entirely unproductive since I’ve run into a dead end for the time being, and I’m not sure how to get around it. I finished another maths paper and got an A because I didn’t freak out if I couldn’t do a question. Staying calm is the biggest battle for me when it comes to maths.

Things achieved today:

Did another maths paper and got an A.

Tried (but did not succeed in) working around the block I’ve got at the minute with my EPQ.

My EPQ deadline is a week on Friday, and I also need the first draft of my personal statement finished by then as well. I am not on track to achieve either of those things :)

Things to do tomorrow:

Make more progress on my EPQ so the day after (Friday) I am ready to start referencing my work

Go through the maths paper I did today

23/08/2024

I struggled a little today with keeping up my mood and motivation, but still got quite a bit done. I hit a low spot after lunch, but I went for a walk with my mum and talked it out, so I felt better and carried on.

Things achieved today:

Completed revision of AS inorganic/physical chemistry!!

Finished part of my biology summer work. I thought I had done and then realised there was lots more :/

Although I think I’ve done well today, I’m conscious that summer break is coming to an end and that I haven’t seen my friends very much, so tomorrow (on a non-academic note) I want to arrange to see some friends.

Things to do tomorrow:

Do some more biology summer work

Finish the stats/mechanics summer work

Start on the pure summer work

Create a list of weak areas in maths that need revision

27/08/2024

I spent 4 hours and 20 minutes on my EPQ today. My will to live is gone, my eyes are burning, and all I know is pain.

Thing achieved today:

I’ve done the outline for most of my EPQ

Got to play Roblox with some friends in the evening, which made everything okay again :)

Things to do tomorrow:

Even. More. EPQ.

I’m back

I made one post on this blog then deleted tumblr because I was getting distracted from studying by the contents of my dash, so having the app was proving to be counterproductive.

I’m going to post about my study every day from now on.

My summer break is nearly over, so year 13 is about to begin! I aim to apply to Cambridge this October, so my time until then is going to be spent doing everything I can to improve my chances. Mainly - extracurricular activities, personal statement writing (kill me now), and studying for the ESAT whilst keeping on top of studies for my A-Levels.

22/08/2024

I’ve had another slightly tumultuous day today because I was away but my sister was ill, so we were stranded at the hotel for a while, followed by a long journey home. The hotel gave me the time to do some revision.

Things achieved today:

Revised group 7, group 2 and redox for chemistry

Got through another chapter of Junk DNA, though it’s very slow going because I am starting to struggle to understand the contents

I need to recap the chemistry content, and start on the year 2 chemistry content.

Goals for tomorrow:

Finish AS physical/ inorganic chemistry revision

Finish first set of biology summer work

Start revision for biology tests for when I get back to school

27/09/2024

My form tutor liked my personal statement!!! I’m so happy, I was so worried about it for months.

My EPQ is also almost ready to hand in for Tuesday, only a few things to change now.

Everything feels like it’s coming together!

29/10/2024

Somewhat stressful day today. It was my first day back, and I found out from some friends that a lot of topics that I didn’t think were going to be on the mocks, are in fact, on the mocks. To make it worse, they are topics that I have not looked at before, so I have a lot of work to do now.

Things achieved today:

Made notes on A2 kinetics.

Revised photosynthesis.

Apart from me over-stressing about exams, it was a pretty good day overall. I am determined to make tomorrow just as good.

Things to do tomorrow:

Do questions on kinetics and thermodynamics

Do questions on photosynthesis

Mock countdown:

Chemistry: 2 days

Maths: 3 days

Biology: 3 days

28/10/2024

I am very happy with how I did today! I managed ~5 hours of revision today, which is what I need to be doing if I want good grades in my mocks later this week. I achieved all the goals I set myself yesterday!

Things achieved today:

Completed and marked my biology paper (65%, which is good but I aim to do better in the real thing).

Did some review questions for stats and mechanics, and I’ve improved on a few areas I was struggling with and have some questions for my teachers tomorrow.

Revised some biology content.

Though I’m happy with today’s progress, it has highlighted some areas I am not confident with, so I need to work on those in the next few days.

Things to do tomorrow:

Revise year 13 biology (energy transfers)

Revise and do questions for speciation, classification and selection

Go over some of the flash cards I’ve made over the past week

Mock countdown:

Biology: 4 days

Maths: 4 days

Chemistry: 3 days