A Levels - Blog Posts

11-14/10/18 - 29-32 days of productivity

Three-in-one

Sorry for not posting in a while - I’ve been inundated with stuff these past few days! These days I’ve been focusing on stats and mechanics, and have covered all of normal distribution, probability, regression and correlation. At the minute, I am finishing off some homework - this is chemistry. We are doing rates of reactions and the Arrhenius equation, so that means LOTS of graphs.

I hate them.

I’m making progress with that textbook of genes (which is even heavier than it looks, btw) and have been predicted 5 A*s on my UCAS application, which has now been submitted. I can’t wait!

10/10/18 - 28/100 days of productivity

Two days in one

Today has been mad but fun. My lovely biology teacher lent me her old uni textbook because she knows I’m a massive genetics nerd. I can’t wait to get stuck in!

I’m making good progress with maths and am hoping to get some more pure done this evening, as well as lots of stats and mechanics. I started A2 stats and mechanics yesterday, which wasn’t awful. Everyone in classes moan they hate moments, but I find them okay!

I had my weekly Doppeldeutsch lesson with my favourite teacher and we had a lot of fun all round finishing watching The Reader.

09/10/18 - 27/100 days of productivity

Sorry I forgot to post! I fell asleep haha

I did loads of maths in my free, so I dedicated at least an hour to each subject. I’m very happy with my progress so far!

08/10/18 - 26/100 days of productivity

My brother gave me another cold, which is even worse than the last one! Which means I struggled to concentrate at home - especially because he stayed home, too. We also had a spectacularly placed fire drill right at the start of my first lesson of the day, which was mildly irritating. That said, I am currently revising AS Stats to prepare for starting A2 and have done all the homework I’ve been set. I also FINALLY finished L’invitée!

07/10/18 - 25/100 days of productivity

Whiteboards are my favourite way of revising. To add a dimension of challenge and novelty, I often incorporate French and German into science revision. That way if I watch a video to revise, I know I won’t switch off and automatically assume that I know it all just because it’s familiar. I actually have to listen and do something with the language to make sure I understand, because the content is being shown to me in a different way. It also kills two birds with one stone!

Plus I completely forgot how to translate Entgiftungsfunktion into English (despite the fact that I am English 😂) and figured that the German encapsulated it quite nicely. I just go with what’s tidiest hehe

06/10/18 - 24/100 days of productivity

So today was dedicated to maths - I did an end of topic test and I’m fairly confident with how it turned out. I also took time to chill out though - I had a lie in, watched a film earlier and am chilling out by finishing L’invitée. I am literally 71.9% done!

I’ve been exhausted this week and I don’t want to burn out, so today is my day to take the foot off the accelerator and coast.

Tomorrow I plan to write up some more biology notes, finish some chemistry and run some German quizlets. I also have a Fluter magazine to read through to aid my research for the IRP, which I’m looking forward to reading. I’ll then make some progress with maths in the evening and on Monday.

Happy weekend!

05/10/18 - 23 days of productivity

Hi all! Today has been a busy one - I only had one free period today and I was blessed with Doppeldeutsch :D

Chemistry involved revising the very start of AS, which was boring since it encases the very basics that have been drilled into you and used so much since the start of GCSEs that you will never ever forget them. Ever. However, I did get to work with people I don’t normally work with, which was fun.

Biology came second, where we started the topic of neuronal communication (I made the notes last month hehe).

Then I had 2 hours of German, where we did some reading, listening and talked about our individual research projects. I’ve decided on women in the GDR vs the BRD.

And then I got to practise a Cambridge admissions test for the maths practice.

When I got home, I made three quizlet sets ready for next week, finished my German and French homework and then did an end of topic test in maths for proof (which you see pictured).

I’m going to curl up with a book now, and yet another cup of tea!

How have you spent your Friday?

04/10/18 - 22/100 days of productivity

I quite like the combination of typing and then hand decoration. We are studying Das Leben Der Anderen in German and I’m making character notes. I’m going to move onto maths soon though.

I’m not having a great day, because my bus didn’t turn up and so I was late to school and very stressed this morning - I plan my day to the minute to stave off my anxiety and if it doesn’t go exactly to plan I can’t help getting upset. However, I have taken steps to calm down and I am being quite productive!

03/10/18 - 21/100 days of productivity

Ok, I’m knackered now. I love chemistry but graphs are so awful to draw by hand because it’s so easy to mess up 😂

That curve of best fit though (looks a bit funny at this angle but it’s a perfect curve irl)👌🏻

02/10/18 - 20 days of productivity

Pictured above are my biology class notes and then my written up, neat version I refer to when I revise. I like writing them up - it’s therapeutic and helps me remember them. However, I typed these up in my only free period only for my memory stick to decide to corrupt itself beyond repair for no reason at the end of the lesson, so I lost everything. I’m currently crying about that - even though I have hard copies of all my other notes, which is good. I didn’t lose too much!

Today I had a fairly alright day - but I completely forgot to do my French homework and cried a bit because that’s so unlike me. I had an excellent German lesson though, and I’m Chemistry I got to do separate things to everyone else because my teacher dreads me getting bored haha

1/10/18 - 19/100 days of productivity

Happy October everyone!

I can’t believe September just disappeared! Anyway, I had the morning off school so I analysed chapters 2 and 3 of the first part of Der Vorleser in preparation for tomorrow’s lesson, and I also finished some chemistry graphs. Then I read some L’invitée (nope, still not done with that 😂) and am currently binge watching documentaries about genetics, epigenetics and genetic disorders. Also, Khan Academy videos about the lac and trp operons. Highly awesome.

Can you tell I love genetics?

Also: have a tiny potato. It’s not mine and I don’t know who created it but I feel like I want to share this because it makes me smile.

Have a great week!

29/09/18 - 18/100 days of productivity

I must admit, I didn’t do all that much today because I spent it chilling out with 3 of my most favourite people in the world having a sleepover 💕 (No, 17 years old is NOT too old for sleepovers.)

However, I did FINALLY finish my personal statement and send off my UCAS application to my referee - eep! I also read a few pages of Le Père Goriot before I left and made myself a massive to do list for when I get home.

Luckily I have Monday morning to stay at home and work to make up for not using Saturday. But do I regret it? Nah. I’m chilled :)

28/09/18 - 17/100 days of productivity

Wow, these days are going fast. Almost 20% of the way there already!

Today was fairly boring in terms of what I did - I started the day with two of my three lessons: Chemistry (wherein we didn’t do much - just revision on benzene), Biology (test on the kidney), and then I had my friend pick up a McDonalds because I wasn’t allowed to leave and she was. Cheat days are ok if they are once in a very very long while 😂

After that I had German (character analysis on Hempf in Das Leben der Anderen). All while sipping on a strawberry milkshake :)

Then I had an hour free, which I used to do a review exercise in maths.

This evening I decided to take advantage of the fact that it is Friday night and chilled out. I’m not over-exerting myself right now because I don’t want to burn out, especally while I am still recovering from illness. I’m slowly but surely making progress with Le Père Goriot, and I am falling in love with the descriptions in this book.

27/09/18 - 16/100 days of productivity

Well, today was... interesting. I got to school at 8am, went to form, had a cup of tea and did a maths challenge in said form... and spilt my water all over my bag. My important stuff was fine, but my phone and everything up front got soaked. Oops!

I had to lay all my stuff out on the desk and wait for my mother to bring a spare backpack. Of course, stupid me forgot to take my key out that bag so I was locked out for an hour when I got home :(

Other than that, I had 4 free periods and 1 lesson today. I made biology notes on gene regulation and the lac operon from 08:55 to 10:55 and did a mixed exercise on geometric sequences from 11:20 until 12:20.

Then came Chemistry, where we did worksheets on orders of reaction because my teacher had a massive migraine.

Lesson 5 was my designated time to see my tutor, who is a retired maths teacher and is helping me along. We spent 45 minutes talking about the binomial expansion and then radians, which was great fun. That was such a nice way to end the day.

When I got home (which was almost an hour later than usual since I was locked out!) I kind of flopped on my bed and completely forgot that I had to do homework due in tomorrow.

So at 17:00, I sprang into life again and finished German (pictured) and then Chemistry. That took until 21:00, when I forced myself to stop.

Girl’s gotta look after herself, you know?

26/09/18 - 15/100 days of productivity - studying with a full-on cold :(

Happy Wednesday guys! I had a full day of lessons today. The routine is pretty much the same as Tuesday (and, as you’ll find out, Thursdays and Fridays too). Anyway, this is what my Wednesday looked like :)

06:45-07:20 Up, washed, dressed and out the house

07:35-08:00 Commute to school

08:00 German quizlets in the sixth form work room

08:30-08:50 Form time with my lovely bio teacher! Fun times

08:50-09:50 Chemistry ft a fun rant from my teacher (not really it scared me even though it wasn’t aimed at me!) about how we are all deluded if we think we are going to succeed by putting such little effort into things

09:55-12:25 Double German! (With a half an hour break in between, don’t panic). Half was spent studying Der Vorleser, the other half on grammar

12:30-13:30 French with my favourite teacher. I did a listening assessment and... not much else to be fair 😂

13:30-14:00 Lunch/ form competitions. I represented my form in skittle sorting with one hand. I won my heat but came in third overall so far. The rest of the forms play tomorrow. We are out of the running for the form prize but I did get the bag of skittles haha

14:00-15:00 Biology - the topic was regulating gene expression on the transcriptional level and I LOVED IT. What an amazing way to end the day!

15:40 Arrived home to chill out. Honestly I feel awful so I decided to take a break.

17:00 Tea time :)

17:30-20:00 Maths revision before I move on to A2 stats (ew)

20:00-21:00 A cup of tea for me... plus some Vick’s Vapour rub and paracetamol haha

Night all! I might do another of these when I’m not ill so you can really see my life - this is nothing compared to how I normally work. Yes it’s a lot but I have to plough through.

25/09/18 - 14/100 days of productivity

Hi all! My Tuesday has been fun, although sneezing constantly isn’t. Here’s what today looked like:

06:45 Get up and in the bath

07:00 Get dressed, pack my bag and take my medication (always disgusting because it’s a liquid but you know. Gets the worst out of the way)

07:25 Out the house, waiting for the 07:35 bus.

08:00 I arrived at school and did some German quizlets!

08:30 Form time - I normally read but I left my books by accident.

08:50 Lesson 1 - Biology. We learned about SCNT, embryo twinning and the ethical argument about cloning.

09:55 Lesson 2 - French. We debated whether it was right to allow transgender biologically-male people to join girl guides.

10:55-11:25 Break; I found my chem teacher to discuss my personal statement

11:25 Lesson 3 - free. I did a maths paper

12:30 Lesson 4 - German. We talked about the EU, doing topic work from our text book

13:30 Lunch

14:00-15:00 Lesson 5 - Chemistry. We had to make presentations about orders of reaction and the rate constant.

15:40 I arrived home and took myself to bed because I feel like having a day off today.

17:00 Tea time - I love me some tomato soup when I’m ill haha

17:20 Cup of tea, documentaries and chill. I’d normally stick my headphones in but my ear aches so I’d better not :(

24/09/18 - 13 days of productivity // Day 1 of 7 in my life

Despite the raging cold, this is what my Monday looked like!

07:10 Wake up!

07:15 Brain training using Peak while having a bath

08:20 Finally got out the bath... don’t judge it was cold outside haha

08:30 Dressed and ready to knuckle down. I had taken my meds and made a cup of tea.

08:30-09:00 Chemistry homework!

09:00-09:30 German quizlets

09:30-11:20 Maths

11:20-11:45 Lunch!

11:45-12:30 More Maths

12:30-13:00 Break with my mum

13:05 Bus to school

13:30 Arrival at school - their lunchtime

14:00-15:00 Biology lesson

15:00-16:00 French lesson

16:16-16:30 Bus home

16:30-17:30 Chill (Skyped friends today)

17:30-18:10 More maths! Arithmetic progressions and all that jazz

18:10-18:30 Tea time! (Or dinner, depending on where you’re from)

18:30-19:10 French homework

19:10 Pack my bag for tomorrow, relax in my room with a cup of tea and Le Père Goriot

21:00 My bedtime - non-negotiable haha

23/09/18 - 12/100 days of productivity

« Aujourd’hui Lauren est morte. Ou c’était peut-être hier, je ne sais pas »

- Camus, L’étranger... also how I feel right now. Dead.

I have contracted the illness that was making the rounds at school... symptoms started today (or perhaps it was yesterday 😉). I’m one of the last people to get it. I fought so hard 😭

So yeah, studying with a raging cold. Possible? Doesn’t feel like it. Nevertheless, I’m reading my the latest French book my lovely teacher brought back from France for me and I’m going to do some maths on my whiteboard and then revise my AS French notes for speaking practice tomorrow. And I might do some German quizlets too.

Time to make my three millionth cup of tea and plug my nose with a mountain of tissues folks. And hope that I don’t sneeze so hard I bite my tongue off :)

22/09/18 - 11/100 days of productivity

I’m in the library today, currently doing maths. I’ve already gone through 4 sets of quizlets for German and next up once I finish this will be to finish my chemistry homework.

My friends are going to turn up at some point, too. I’m going to help one of them with a personal statement and then I’m going to read Le Père Goriot

Juggling 5 A Levels: a week in my life

Hello all! I’ve been getting a lot of questions based on how I balance school and home life, so I’ve decided I’m going to break down my days, hour by hour, over the course of the week beginning Monday 24th September 2018.

I’m mainly doing this because I love finding out how people use their days - and because I would personally benefit from really analysing how I use my own. Is this something you’d like to see?

21/09/18 - 10/100 days of productivity

10% of the way there, folks! I’ve done some chemistry revision today, learnt 4 sets of 30 German flash cards before having double German and doing loads of grammar drills. I had 2 cups of tea while my lovely bio teacher was talking about osmoregulation and then in my free at the end of the day I made some maths notes while sneaking pizza into the work room.

I hope you’ve all had great days :)

20/09/18 - 9/100 days of productivity

I had one lesson today - chemistry! We did a really simple practical for our official records which I am about to write up. I also got my maths mock back - 82/100, which is an A! I’m so happy!

Nothing can bring me down today and I’m feeling so productive. I’ve just done my German homework (as you can see, it’s about the EU 😭) and I have also done a load of Quizlet practice and admin for German.

I’ve also started reading Le Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac, which my lovely French teacher brought back from her parents’ home in France for me to read!

Next up: filing away and revising French notes so I can be prepared for a mock speaking on Monday :)

19/09/18 Maths notes!

19/09/18 - 8/100 days of productivity

I had an awesome day today! I have a new chemistry teacher and she’s really lovely, and straight after her lesson I had German, where we studied Der Vorleser. I had a free period lesson 3, so I edited my personal statement for the 500000000th time, and then in French I wrote an essay under timed conditions about L’étranger. And then lesson 5 was the genetics topic in Biology - I freaking LOVE genetics!

Right now I’m going over a load of flash cards for German on Quizlet and then I’m going to write up some biology notes and I might finish off some more German homework if I have time. If not, I have 4 frees tomorrow so I can do it then :)

I hope you’ve all had awesome days 😊

18/09/18 - 7/100 days of productivity

Today was very busy but I started writing my personal statement in my free period and then typed up biology notes, did a French listening homework and uploaded a load of German vocab to Quizlet. And now I’m in bed - night all! :)

17/09/18 I have to write a surprise essay on Wednesday so I’m revising quotes for themes in L’étranger

🎵Clair de lune - Debussy🎵

17/09/18 - 6/100 days of productivity

Good morning all! I’ve just arrived at sixth form and I’m making chemistry notes and clearing up any homework I have left until my first lesson starts at 2pm (I have 4 free periods).

16/09/18 - 5/100 days of productivity

Sorry this is late - I had internet problems last night. Anyway, I did a 2 hour maths paper and did a whole bunch of filing (which took up the whole day!)

13/09/18 - 2/100 days of productivity

I make all my notes in advance of lessons (these chemistry notes are weeks if not months in advance) so lessons are revision sessions and I can just get on with practice questions. I can add to them in lessons if needs be :)

13/09/18 My sixth form brought sweets for us!

07/09/2018 Biology notes in the local library!

I met up with a friend and we are having a very productive day.