31/08/2024

So

My mocks are all done and over with!! My biology and maths papers were pretty good, but my chemistry paper was an absolute nightmare. My chemistry teacher told us all to revise the wrong topics, so the whole class is screwed.

My focus now mocks are over with is to catch up with and learn some of the content from year 13 that I haven’t yet got the hang of yet with a particular focus on maths. I also want to do some extra curricular reading as well, complete my singing and piano music grades (which I will probably write a bit about), and just focus on picking up my hobbies again.

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

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

26/08/2024

The time I didn’t spend doing EPQ today I spent thinking obsessively about EPQ and trying to plan what the next steps I need to take are.

Things achieved today:

I created a pretty solid outline for the discussion of my EPQ

I began doing a very rough first draft of my EPQ

Spent an hour doing some of a maths paper

Maths is proving to be something of a problem for me. I can do it - i know I can do it because I study hard for it and get some good grades - but me doing well relies hugely on my mindset. I really struggle to break out of the panic feeling when I can’t do a question, and everything spirals downwards from there.

Even when I am doing well though, I go so slowly that I always run out of time.

I think I just need to practice more so I’m faster and more confidant.

Things to do tomorrow:

More EPQ, basically

21/08/2024

I went on a day out today so I didn’t get very much studying done. We went to a library for a few hours and I got part of my personal statement first draft done! I was so stressed about it and was worrying that I wouldn’t have anything to write about, but once I’d started it was a lot easier than I’d thought, and I knew what I wanted to write about. Also did a few hours of tennis and swimming, so the day was academically unproductive, but I’ve enjoyed myself :)

Things achieved today:

First draft of personal statement

A little bit of chemistry group 7 and redox revision

I should have more time to study tomorrow, which is good because school starts soon and I still have lots (lots 🥲) to do.

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

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

26/09/2024

Spent a double period in a chemistry practical today. I read through the instructions obsessively before hand, but I was still struggling to do everything right. I cant process it for some reason.

Things achieved today:

Successfully completed the chemistry practical!!

Got my EPQ coordinator to read through it and she seemed very happy

Finished the first draft of my personal statement to hand in tomorrow

I am handing in my personal statement first draft to my form tutor tomorrow, so hopefully it is all okay :)

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.

Welcome to my blog!!

My name is Katie and I’m a student studying maths, biology and chemistry in the UK. I’m posting here because I need the motivation to study and (hopefully) having this page will push me to revise!

This blog will be a record of what I’ve achieved and my progress through the rest of sixth form, and maybe when I’ve finished next summer I’ll be able to look back and feel proud of what I’ve accomplished.

After school, I’m not entirely sure what I will do, but at the moment I’m thinking either biochemistry or natural science at university, then a job in some kind of related field.

Some other random things about me:

I like reading.

I also enjoy writing - some fanfic and some of my own stuff, depending on the mood that hits me.

My favourite instrument to play is piano, but I also do flute, vocals and some (very basic) guitar.

I am learning French alongside my studies.

Running is my favourite way to relax.

I also enjoy occasionally climbing, tennis and badminton.

My favourite colours are purple and blue.

I ultimately aim to achieve A* A* A in my A-Levels.

Politics is one of my other big interests, and if I hadn’t done sciencey stuff that’s definitely where I would’ve gone.