If your A Level begins this year, hear me out

It's been a whole six months since I last wrote an article; and this here is exactly what it's like to be an A Level student.

You don't get time. For anything; and I guess that's perfectly fine because to be very honest, it's just two years, and the effort you put in now can potentially change your entire life. Half of the people i did my A1 with told me they would've given anything to have someone warn/guide them beforehand about how A Level works, and what to expect from college. I'll confess, too, at this point, that i was scared out of my skin the second I set foot inside the corridors on my first day. So here we go. I cannot emphasize enough on the fact that everything I'm about to list down below is my first hand experience, and it can help you A LOT if you take my word seriously.

1) Selecting the right college

A nice building and pretty classrooms may attract you to the gates of an institution, but here's how it works in real life; if your college doesn't offer highly qualified teachers and a friendly environment with a two-way communication, you'll probably end up hating these two years. The college  I chose for myself was/is tiny, and it helped me stay focused. Too many attractions may seem nice, but you're not there to enjoy. It can be highly damaging in the longer run. So please, attend as many orientations as you can. Investigate, and see where you fit in correctly.

2) Subjects

I have seen students ruin their academics and career paths over the past year, just because of their poor decision making skills when it came to subjects. A number of science students I had the opportunity to sit around with' told me they didn't realize how they weren't understanding the subject, or catching up with the way their teacher was going over the course' in the first few months, and now it's too late for them to change anything. Result? Pandemonium. A complete state of mayhem. Half of my seniors, including my own brother, had to repeat sessions, go back to A1, change subjects, and lost a whole academic year JUST because of wrong decision making when it came to their subjects. So please. Be careful. Think it through. Ask your seniors how a particular subject worked out for them. Do a self analysis and see how capable you are. Is this subject something you love? Consult career advisers. And most importantly, if you realize, even vaguely, that you're not comfortable with your subjects in the first week or so, do something about it as soon as possible.

3) The right company to surround yourself with

This is something I wish I had known before. College life is a completely different world. Nothing like school has been for you. Half of your friends will decide upon a different institution for themselves, and chances say you'll enter college all by yourself. I used to suspect that friends aren't an important part of educational life. I was wrong. Given how immensely overwhelming college life and 
A level can be, you'll need a few people to support your well-being along the way. Try your best to associate yourself with students who can help you out in the coming years. This, however, does not mean you divert your energy and attention into social life and 'groups.' Just a few people to support you along the way is what you'll need. Or else, I can tell you how suffocated I felt during the first few months of college, all by myself.

4) SAT

The sooner you're done with your SAT, the easier your life will be. Try to go for the August session. If you feel like you're competent enough to mange both A Levels and SAT together, you're most probably wrong. There's already enough stress. Get over with things as soon as you can.

5) First two months are extremely easy, DON'T fall for it.

You'll have a minimum of 3 subjects, so picture this: you've just made it out of 3 years of studying 8-12 subjects in O Levels. Your life would be a lot easier once you start A Levels (I can't say for sure about the science students though.) The added stress of following a disciplined schedule for 8 hours straight is gone, you can eat whenever you like, take a break, and as far as subjects such as humanities are concerned, you'll start off with a tiny fraction of syllabus. Guess what? It's all delusional. Don't let it get to you. Revise every single thing you study, daily. Because if you procrastinate at this level, it'll straight up ruin your life. Once you've made it to the point where you have a cie the next morning and you're not prepared for your exam, there's no way out. (I sincerely hope this scares you) So please, if you have spare time at college (you'll have a lot of it) spend it in the library. Study now. You'll owe yourself in the future.

6) Don't miss a class

Don't miss a class. It's not cool. Your friends and classmates are stupid. They're risking their education. You're not one of them. 
A level teachers are materialistic. They won't help you out if you've missed out on a class, and unlike O Levels, you cover a lot of syllabus during classes 'once you're 2 or 3 months into the academic year. So just turn around and say goodbye to peer pressure and laziness. You got this.

7) Maintaining notes

Use a separate register for every subject. Note down everything you study. A Level is more about your own notes. You barely use the textbooks. So make notes. Do not, I repeat, do not depend on your classmates for notes. Most importantly, take care of your notes and don't hand them around to everyone.

8) Health

You. Your health. Your mental health. Nothing is going to work out unless you're doing well. I lost around 14 pounds this year, and it's not okay. Your body won't cooperate if you're not taking care of yourself. Getting head rushes and mental breakdowns every single day is not okay. Make it a point, do not compromise on your health, your diet and yourself. Every thing will stress you out but nothing, I insist, nothing is more important than you at the end of the day. Give yourself breaks. You'll be fine. We're all in this together. Reach out to someone if you feel like your studies are growing on to you. Take care of yourself.

There's a lot more to it, but these are the things I feel like we all should know before we enter A Levels. Give yourself constant reminders that thousands of students have done this before you, and you're no less than anyone else.
Good luck to whoever reads this!