In this article, I will be sharing my experience having my Year 12 threshold exams. They started on the week beginning Monday 13th June 2022, and the last day for me was on 27th June 2022. Without any further ado, let’s get started!

I had: Tuesday 14th June 2022 – Chemistry Paper 1

Wednesday 15th June 2022 – Biology Paper 1

Thursday 16th June 2022 – Maths Paper 1

Friday 17th June 2022 – EPQ project deadline

Tuesday 21st June 2022 – Chemistry Paper 2

Wednesday 22nd June 2022 – Biology Paper 2

Thursday 23rd June 2022 – Maths Paper 2

Monday 24th June 2022 – Maths Paper 3

Day 1 – Chemistry Paper 1

For the first week of exams, I still had to attend lessons and do my exams. For this paper, I felt pretty nervous before the exam, and I ate lunch before doing the exam as it was an afternoon exam. We had all our exams in this exam period in the ‘Guided Learning Room’ in school and I felt quite scared on how the environment of the exams would be like in this room. I thought that this paper went okay, but I dislike judging how tests went. I barely talked with my peers after this exam, I just went home after the exam!

Day 2 – Biology Paper 1

Having had the first exam, I now had a benchmark on how this paper would feel. Before the exam, I felt less stressed as I now knew how exams felt, and also because Biology is considered to be one of my stronger subjects Alhamdulillah. There was a buzz of stress in the air from other students before the exam. When I went into the exam room, I realised that it was pretty hot inside. The exam went okay, and I managed to answer all the questions (thank God!). Later in the day, I stressed about if I had gotten the wording of the questions right, but then I motivated myself to keep going and focus on the next exams. 

Day 3 – Maths Paper 1

In the morning of this exam, I wasn’t feeling that stressed. I didn’t really revise in the morning of the exam. However, after doing the exam, I felt like the exam hadn’t gone too well. I felt quite stressed and felt like the paper could have gone better, especially when a few people around me told me the paper went well. This may have also been because I was in a bad mood that day. Since I had a free period and break after my exam before going to the next lesson, I went right outside of school and had a chat with my sister over the phone about the exam. Doing this was one of the ways I released my stress and my sister assisted me in keeping my momentum going after the exam. I knew all I could do was focus on the next exams, have no rigid outcome and keep faith in Allah. After school, I worked on my EPQ project mostly because the deadline for submitting my project was the next day.

Day 4 – EPQ Project Deadline

On lunchtime before the deadline, I went out with my two friends to visit this small, cute pond 4-5 minutes away from my sixth form. I felt so good hanging out with my two female friends. On this day, I submitted my 5000 words report for my EPQ. I did this in my free period which was my 5th lesson and I published around half an hour before the 3pm deadline with my moderator in the cafe to support me before the submission. I felt really proud of myself, and I felt excited for the future! I still have to work on the EPQ presentation and my production log.

Day 5 – Chemistry Paper 2

I had study leave this week! This meant that I did not have to attend any lessons and I only went into sixth form for the exams. On the morning of the exam, I overslept and woke up at 8am, but that was fine as my Chemistry paper in the afternoon. I studied and interchanged between studying Biology and Chemistry in the morning. I reached sixth form at 11:30am where I studied Chemistry for an hour in the cafe at school. It was so full and noisy but I listened to Quran lofi vocals only and powered through. An hour before the exam, I stopped revising and relaxed and had a slice of pizza for lunch. My exam went okay but I missed 2 or 3 questions that were 1-2 markers. I came back home after the exam, prayed Dhuhr (as normally every day), and got ready for the next exam.

Day 6 – Biology Paper 2

For this exam, I looked over some notes at 7am in the morning but didn’t do much revision in the morning. When I entered the exam hall and I flicked through the exam paper, I was quite petrified as there were many maths questions but Alhamdulillah I managed to finish all the questions. After the exam, I headed out of sixth form, walked to my local train station and then took the bus from the train station. I relaxed and watched YouTube videos 1-2 hour after the exam, and after lunch, I prepared for my Maths Paper 2 the next day. 

Day 8 – Maths Paper 2 

For this exam, I felt quite stressed and I did some last minute revision on the bus. I did not want this paper to go as tragic as the last one. The exam went okay, and after the exam, I chatted to my teachers and also one Maths teacher after the exam where I realised I may have lost 2-3 marks already (yikes!). But then I went home, and using this adrenaline I had, I started working on my EPQ presentation.

Day 9 – Maths Paper 3

For this paper, I had more time to revise as I had some of Thursday, Friday and the weekend. This meant I could not relax properly, however, I felt that the hard work was worth it. This paper, for my exam board OCR MEI B, had Section A Pure Maths and Section B Comprehension. Overall, the exam went okay and everyone seemed like they were on the same boat after the exams in terms of the ease and difficulty of the questions. I had my lessons after this exam, so back to lessons and this brings an end to my Year 12 exam period! My two main fears for my exam results was I lost marks for my handwriting and my wording for the questions. I felt anxious after the exams but I feel so pumped and excited for the summer holidays! I keep living my life as normal! 

Thank you so much for reading today’s article and sticking till the end. Alhamdulillah, by the mercy of God, I was able to get through these end of Year 12 exams. I will be receiving my results from my teachers over the next couple of weeks before the holidays In Sha Allah. Please keep me and everyone going through exams in your prayers! 

I will In Sha Allah be posting an article one what I did to relax after my Year 12 exams. 

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

Disclaimer: Of course, take all my tips with a pinch of salt and do what works for you!

The Exams I Had:

If you don’t already know, I study the A Levels Biology, Chemistry and Maths. For my school, every subject had one paper for the mock, covering pretty much everything that we have learnt since the start of Year 12. However, for Maths there were two papers. Before the Easter holidays, we were given our mock exam timetable spanning all the papers we had to sit. 

I had: 19th April – Chemistry Paper

20th April – Biology Paper

22nd April – Maths Paper 1

25th April – Maths Paper 2

First Day – Chemistry Exam

This was my first exam and I was fasting that day! The day before was quite stressful, so I woke up feeling okay. I did some light revision in the morning, and we had to be there by 1:20pm for the exam to start at 1:30. I arrived early, and chatted to my friend for about 20 minutes and just relaxed. At around 1:30, we entered the exam hall and my school provided stationery for every student already. I sat down and I did my paper. I then went home after that exam.

What I learned was:

1. Do little to no revision in the morning of the exam to ensure you don’t get stressed (preferably stop revising at least 6-7 hours before).
2. Arrive early for your exam but not too early and perhaps stay with friends that you are close to and who possibly don’t do the same subjects as you.
3. Make sure you bring the right equipment for your exams (for sciences and maths, calculators are essential!)
4. Time management is key during the exams to not run out of time.
5. Try to ignore others’ comments after the exam and try not to stay there too long after the exam.

Second Day – Biology Exam

For this exam, I had an early start. I woke up at around 7:15, so I was running a little late but this meant that I did not have time to stress. I then went to school and arrived on time and did the exam. After the exam, I went home immediately, but I did take some time to walk from my school to a bus stop to allow time to reflect on how the paper went.

What I learned was:

1. Feel the stress as early as possible.
2. Accept that there will probably always be some sort of problem during the exam, e.g. stomach rumbling, feeling hot and so on.
3. Have everything ready so you can go to your exam even if you are running out of time.
4. Keep the momentum throughout the whole time of the exam and try to leave at least 5-10 minutes at the end to check over your answers.
5. Allow yourself time to reflect how the exam went whether it is positive or negative, but do not dwell on it. As soon as you reach home, try not to think about it. 

Third Day – Maths Paper 1

This exam was quite memorable. This exam happened during the afternoon. I was fasting on this day (as for the previous two exams too), and I was quite hungry as this exam took place in the afternoon. I arrived quite early for my exam, felt quite stressed and then did my exam. After the exam, my peers and I did discuss how the exam went, which was quite inevitable. 

What I learnt was that:

1. If you are fasting during Ramadan, make sure to have foods that will take long to digest throughout the whole day and keep a healthy diet.
2. Please try to be comfortable before, during, and after an exam. Talk to people who will actually uplift you, not make you feel stressed. Don’t talk about the exam. 
3. Make your own mind up on how an exam went before discussing it with others. Otherwise, you may get influenced by others’s comments on the exams.
4. Give yourself a break after the exams, especially if you are fasting and you are tired.

Fourth Day – Maths Paper 2

This exam went okay. The thing about this exam was that I had lessons right after this exam. This meant that everyone moved on from the exam pretty quickly.

What I learnt:

1. Surround yourself with people who will uplift you and take your mind off the exam after the exam.
2. After your last exam, reward yourself! I went to Primark after school and bought some clothes!

Final Thoughts:

Overall, my mock exams were somewhat of a rollercoaster. There were some exams that went better than others and also my mood differed during different days.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed making it! And good luck to those taking exams in the future!

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

What Are The Differences Between Normal GCSE Exams and This Year’s One?

Firstly, don’t take my word for this because every school is cooperating differently. In my school, we have been having assessments throughout the school year and some of the tests contribute to our final grade. These May exams are especially important because they have been conducted in exam conditions and therefore have high efficacy and validity. 

This is in comparison to normal years where in most subjects, 100% of your grade would depend on the final exams.

First Week of Exams:

I started my first week of exams while fasting during Ramadan so my sleep schedule was different than normal.

Monday 10th May

I had one exam: English Language Paper 2

During this exam, I learned that: 

1. Wake up at least two hours before your exams (as I felt quite sleepy during the exam)
2. Every exam has a different seating plan (so prepare well)
3. Don’t discuss about the exam before and after (I know it’s tempting but don’t do it)

I revised throughout the rest of the day.

Tuesday 11th May

On this day, it was quite disastrous. I woke up at 8:07am which was just about 30 minutes before I was supposed to be in school. I got ready and ran to school (yes while fasting) so I did feel quite tired. However, I felt much more alert and focused so from my first exam that day: Maths Paper 1, I learned that:

1. Don’t run late to your exams.
2. Do some form of light exercise before your exam (don’t run, maybe walk around a bit) to wake yourself up as it helped me.

I then went to the computer room where I stayed until my drama exam. I talked to some friends, went to the toilet, went through some drama flashcards and played a game. I did not do too much last-minute revision for this exam. My second exam was the Component 3 Drama Exam. Obviously, remember to:

1. Go to the toilet before your exam.
2. Relax to calm yourself down.

Wednesday 12th May

My school was kind enough to leave this day off for study leave with no exams allocated as there was a possibility Eid would happen on this day. I stayed at home and revised on this day.

Thursday 13th May

My school also did not have any exams on this day. Therefore, I celebrated Eid on this day! I got ready, went out for a photoshoot with my sister and mother, and then went to Bread And Oregano to try the food there. It was delicious. After that, I did some revision in the evening (because I was still a GCSE student).

Friday 14th May

Ater the celebration of Eid, my schedule changed but my exams were there waiting for me. I went to school quite early because my school kindly offered breakfast. However, I ate breakfast at home and revised in the morning leading up to my exam. The first exam I had was the Science exam (composed of Chemistry and Physics). Two lessons I learned was that:

1. Don’t revise too last-minute.
2. Eat breakfast (I did that).

After that exam, I stayed in school in the computer rooms for about an hour where I chatted to some friends and went through some RE flashcards. I then attended a RE revision session kindly held by my RE teacher and after that, my friends and I ate lunch (it wasn’t Ramadan anymore). We then did the RE exam and it was pretty good.

Saturday 15th May and Sunday 16th May 

I relaxed and also revised after my first week of exams.

Monday 17th May

I only had one exam on this day: Geography Paper. I did my geography paper and one thing i learned here was that:

1. Let yourself breathe before the exam.
2. Get rid of distractions.

For the rest of the day, I stayed at home and revised.

Tuesday 18th May

I did not have any exams on this day, so I stayed at home and revised.

Wednesday 19th May

I had two exams on this day. My first exam was the English Literature Paper 1. It was okay. One thing that I learned is that:

1. After the exam, forget about it and leave it up to God.

I then stayed in school and I again chatted to some friends, revised Spanish and ate my lunch. I then had my Spanish Paper as my second exam. I told my sister about my exam updates after school. The lesson to remember is that:

1. Talk to someone about exams and let out your feelings.

Thursday 20th May

I only had one exam on this day and that was Maths Paper 2. I did the exam and that was pretty much it. One thing I learned is that:

1. Ignore anyone’s comments on how the exam went after the exam. It will not add value to you and instead may end up making you feel stressed.

Friday 21st May

I only had one and my final ever written exam. That was my Biology Paper 2.

I attended a revision session for Biology in the morning and it really helped me. I then ate lunch, chatted to friends and then did my exam. 

1. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself during the exam.
2. Check your answers.
3. Attend revision sessions when they are offered to you.

Saturday 22nd May and Sunday 23rd May 

I mostly relaxed and had a good time. I also did some GCSE Photography work.

Monday 24th May and Tuesday 25th May

I had no exams so I went to the library with my dad, printed out my GCSE Photography work and did work on GCSE Photography. I emailed my Photography teacher and learned the updates for the exams. I also relaxed.

Wednesday 26th May

That was today! Today was my last ever exam! I had my Photography Focus day. We were each assigned our own table and from 8:30am to 2:30pm, we worked in exam conditions (with break and lunch times included). I had quite a lot of fun, doing this creative subject as my last exam. After school I chatted to my friends, took photos with them and attended my dental appointment.

So… this was my GCSE exam experience. It was really a chaotic and celebratory two weeks filled with memories and lessons. I can use this article as a memoir of how my GCSE exams went. I hope this gave you an insight on how GCSEs were for me and also some exam tips you can use for your exams. 

I am now on my holidays for the next 3 months!!!

Comment down below how your exam experiences have been.

• My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student 
• My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events 
• My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
• The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
• How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!