Different schools have different criteria, so right from before, I want to point out as a caveat, that I am not an expert on this and also that you should pick what you think is right for you.

For those who are wondering, I did my GCSEs on 2021 (got teacher-assessed grades) and here are the subjects I did: English Literature, English Language, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics as Triple Science, RE, Spanish, Geography, Drama and Photography. It was a pretty good experience overall! I feel grateful to have know most/all of this wisdom from before.

Now here are my tips:

Know which subjects your schools offer and how many you have to choose

The first tip is the most straightforward one yet so many people fail to do this – look at what subjects your school offers. In my school, for example, they had a somewhat limited range of subjects. We had to pick one language, one humanity and then two other subjects. I was selected to do Triple Science and it was compulsory to do RE. Make sure you know all the options available and what you have to choose.

Explore the course curriculum and assessments for each subject.

Now that you know which subjects you are allowed to pick from, you now want to start reading further into each subject. For example, for GCSE Music, do you need to know how to play an instrument? For Drama, do you have to do group work? How many exams do you need to take for GCSE Sociology? Are the exams coursework-based or linear? Ensure you dig into this, but don’t spend hours delving into this. 

Know the deadline for picking your options

Now of course, if you keep researching into this, you might end up taking hours and hours. And remember, that choosing what subjects you will do is important but shouldn’t be stressful. Make sure you know what subjects you will do one week before submitting your options to ensure that you are not stressing about it.

Pick subjects that you enjoy and are relatively good at

This is something that teachers say and is so true – pick the subjects that you currently enjoy and you are relatively good at. Don’t pick Computer Science when you know you hate it but you want it to look good on Results Day. This is because the grades are what matters at the end of the day, so it is better to get a 9 in GCSE Food than getting a 6 in Computer Science. Sixth forms and universities generally look at the grades, not the subjects. 

Don’t pick subjects because of a specific teacher or friend.

Again, this is something that must be emphasised. Don’t pick a subject purely because your best friend is doing it and you want to be in the same class as them. Also, don’t pick a subject just because your favourite Ms Williams (no hate to Ms Williams’s out there) is teaching it. That friend or that teacher will be sitting your exams for you in Year 11, and remember that you will find friends in your new classes.

Discuss with your family and teachers.

I would highly recommend discussing your options with your family and teachers. They want the best for you. But also, don’t let them pressure you into picking a GCSE subject that you know you dislike. E.G. I had a teacher who wanted me to do Computer Science but I knew it wasn’t my favourite so I didn’t pick it and that is okay! 

Don’t discuss what you will choose with your friends.

I cannot reiterate this tip enough! Please do not tell your friends what you have chosen until after you have submitted your GCSE options form in and you can no longer change your subjects. Why? Because it is very easy for you to get influenced by your friends’ options or even feel bad that you will not be in the same classes as them.

Make sure you choose carefully before submitting the form.

Make sure that you even make your back up subjects choices that you don’t mind doing in the worst case scenario. And then give in the form with confidence!

Listen to yourself.

Follow your gut and listen to what you want to do. It is that simple.

Remember that this is not the end of the world.

These GCSE subjects generally do not determine which career or degree you will get into. Really, the main ones that count are English, Maths and Science, and luckily for you, they are already compulsory! You must know this, that it is okay, and that these subjects you choose are not the end all be all.

Those were my 10 tips for picking the right options for you! 

Happy Subjects Choosing!

Please share this article with anyone who is picking their subjects right now.

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!

Step 1: Find out what work you have missed

For each of your subjects, ask someone in your class or your teacher about what you have missed. They can show you and you can understand how much work you have to catch up with. 

Step 2: Try not to miss any more school

After seeing this huge amount of work, you may feel overwhelmed and confused on how you are supposed to catch up with previous lessons and stay on top of the current lessons. The best thing to do is not to add extra work on yourself and just try not to miss any more school. 

Step 3: Make a revision timetable and a routine

For the first few days or weeks of catching up, you may feel disorganised. My tip would be to create a routine with times designated to do work that is being set now but also times where you are completing tasks from the previous lessons that you missed. Try to focus on one or two different subjects every day and if you follow this, you will see progress. 

Step 4: Create to do lists with deadlines

Now that you have made a routine and know at which times you will study (remember to incorporate breaks!) you now want to start creating daily to-do lists with deadlines. I like to use my bullet journal and I can also migrate tasks for future dates. Plan every day and make sure what you have to do and this will keep you on track to finish the work. 

Step 5: Remove distractions

Now you may sit at your desk, your couch or the floor (wherever you study) but you don’t feel motivated to get started. Is it because you have your phone next to you? If so, remove your distractions and start being productive.

Step 6: Seek help from your teachers, friends and parents

Whether you are feeling stressed with this work, or you don’t understand the catch up work, I would advise you to seek help from your peers, teachers or parents. It is okay to share your feelings and get some help.

Step 7: Ask for a time extension

If your teacher has set a specific deadline for an assignment, and you feel that you cannot keep up with it, it may be worth asking for a time extension to your teacher so you have more time to complete it. 

Step 8: Don’t stress

Please do not stress. It is just not worth it and will end up wasting more time and energy than actually doing the work.

Step 9: Catch up on holidays

If you have a few tasks that are not urgent and you know you can delay, perhaps you could migrate it for the weekends or the holidays. Since lessons do not happen on the weekends or holidays, you won’t have the current lessons to go to and you can spend this time catching up. 

Step 10: Manage your time efficiently

Catching up is all about time management. When you make your routine, please do include some breaks and maybe some extracurriculars, skills or hobbies that you can also do alongside studying. This will ensure you are not getting bored with studying.

Those were some of my tips and advice on how to catch up. It is okay to catch up with work. As always, comment down below how you catch up with work when you miss school.

Please check out my other articles relating to Islamic content, My Experiences, Teenage Advice, Book Reviews and Poetry.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

Differences Between Year 11 In The Past vs. Year 11 Now

Some differences are that previously, Year 11s would not have to catch up with lots of work, would not have certain restrictions around school and also have to retake exams. Now in Year 11, my school has been focusing on doing catch-up lessons for some subjects and also there are hand sanitisers around the building. Also, we have to wear face masks outside of the classroom. For some subjects, some students are retaking exams. We also have to take our tests seriously as it may contribute to our GCSE grade if public exams get cancelled.

In my school, we are also taking mocks in January.

Workload

I have been getting a bit more work than Year 10 but it isn’t a really big difference. As there are tests that should be taken seriously, there is revision to do. The teachers are quite helpful with the work.

Social Life

My friends and I have been chatting at break times and lunchtimes and sometimes in classes and via text. When it comes to family, I do chat with my family, and they have been quite supportive in terms of helping me adjust to this new routine.

Obviously due to the COVID-19 pandemic I don’t really go too far and I am quite busy on the weekends. I have found alternatives to have fun such as working on extracurriculars and self-care. I think the holidays are a good time to really go out.

New Habits

Some new habits that I have incorporated into my life is: using my phone less, drinking more water and EXERCISE! These habits have helped me quite a lot.

Some Other Highlights

I finished my Drama Component 1 performance that my class was supposed to do months ago but due to the lockdown, we couldn’t do it earlier.

I also have finished a few tests and I am quite happy so far with the work.

We have also received our mock timetable and some people may be taking their education a bit more seriously now.

I have incorporated some things into my life as part of my self-growth journey.

Extra-Curriculars

I have nearly consistently been posting website articles on this website and also posted on my podcast ‘The Chat Library’. These have helped me to manage my time. Fun fact: a lot of people in my school know about these and some people are quite rude, while others are supportive. Just ignore the hate and look at the positives! :)))

Stress

I have dealt with some stress due to personal reasons, a bit of academia and other things. But it’s absolutely fine, everyone has low days and it is good to accept it. I am grateful for everything that I have as I do live a privileged life.

Thank you so much for clicking on this article. This was a bit of a glimpse into my life. Please remember to share this article.  

Please check out my other articles relating to Islamic content, My Experiences, Teenage Advice, Book Reviews and Poetry.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

And you may intend for this holiday to be productive.

What does it mean to have a productive holiday? Can you really do everything that you want to do during the holidays? And most importantly, how can you be productive this holiday?

In this article, I will be answering all those questions so make sure you scroll down and read the secret steps to success.

What Does It Mean To Have A ‘Productive’ Holiday?

Productive – achieving a significant amount or result. (By Google)

When you have a productive holiday, it doesn’t mean that you are working at your desk 24/7. It means that you are doing things that will add value to your life. Some of the things that I like to do in my holidays which makes me feel productive are focusing on academia, extracurriculars but also on self-care and relaxation.

Can You Really Be ‘Productive’ During The Holidays?

Of course you can. The key to being able to achieve your goals during the holiday and stay productive is time management. If you can manage your time, you can get it all done.

How Can You Be Productive During The Holidays?

Create A Holiday Plan

On your first day of the holiday or the night before, take a piece of paper and create different mind maps. For me, I like to make mind maps respectively for ‘Homework’ ‘Revision’ ‘Free Time’ and ‘Extracurriculars’. This can vary from holiday to holiday. Make all these mind maps in one sheet of paper and write down all the tasks on each mind map. This helps you to visualise what you want to get done this holiday.

Create Daily To Do Lists

After creating your holiday plan, you should know now what you have to do. Now, every single day, pick out a few tasks from each mind map and add them to your daily to do list. By having a variety of tasks, you are less likely to get bored and more likely to get them done. Make sure to follow those to do lists and you will realise some progress happening.

Work And Have Fun At Your Optimum Times

If you are a night owl, you may realise that during the holidays, you are getting academic work mostly in the night. Try to use your optimum times to your advantage. If you like doing academia in the morning, extracurriculars in the afternoon and fun activities in the evening then follow that.

Try To Wake Up And Sleep Around The Same Time

Now that you know which times you work best at, try to also wake up and sleep at around the same time. For instance, if you are a night owl, perhaps, you may wake up at 10am and sleep at around 11:30pm. Make sure it fits you.

Reward Yourself

Please remember to reward yourself as the holidays are a time for relaxation. Relaxation can also sometimes be productive if done in limits. If you have a 10 day holiday, maybe you spend 6-7 days of that holiday staying at home and then the remaining 3-4 days may be spent lazing around fully. Do what works best for you.

These were some of the tips on how to be productive during the holidays. Comment below any tips that you have in order to stay productive in the holidays. Also, don’t forget to share this website article with your family and friends.

Please check out my other articles relating to Islamic content, My Experiences, Teenage Advice, Book Reviews and Poetry.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

In today’s article, I will be answering this question to ensure that you have a distraction-free zone to complete all your tasks.

What Is A Distraction?

A thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else. – Google

For example, if you are trying to do your math homework while also trying to talk to your friends unnecessarily, it may decrease your productivity and efficiency of that task or it may just take longer to complete the math homework. Everyone gets distracted but it’s about how you deal with it.

Examples Of Distractions:

• Phone 
• Social Media
• Unnecessary Noise 
• People Talking To You
• An Untidy Area
• Negative Thoughts
• Being Hungry
• Being Tired

How To Remove These Distractions:

Phone

If you are not using your phone for your work and you don’t need it while working, put it away.

Try not to place the phone in your work area. Put it in another room, give it to someone else in your family, put it in aeroplane mode or even use an app such as Forest to grow trees while you are studying. These are all pretty good ways to ensure that you are not using your phone while studying.

Social Media

Well let’s say that you need to use your laptop for your homework but you still have access to all your social media in your laptop…what do you do then? In that case, I would say to place an extension on your laptop. Use these at your own risk. With these extensions, you can block certain websites that distract you for a set period of time while you are working so you can’t access them. Problem solved.

Unnecessary Noise

If you are studying in a library, for example, and there are people talking which is distracting you and making it difficult for you to focus, I would suggest trying to block out the unnecessary noise by either playing white noise, listening to non-lyrical music or even moving to another area. If it is someone who you know making the noise, you could simply tell them to quiet down respectfully.

People Talking To You

If you are trying to study and your brother comes into your room and starts distracting you, you could simply try telling them to come back when you are free. Try to maybe have a notice on your door to let your family know when you are studying if needed to prevent them breaking your bubble of concentration. If your friend tries talking to you face-to-face, explain nicely that you are studying and they can come back after a set amount of time.

An Untidy Area

Sometimes, the distraction may lie in where you are studying. If you look at your study space and realise it is untidy before even starting to study, chances are you may feel like procrastinating. Therefore, if needed, spend 5-10 minutes before starting to study to tidy up. Not only does it make you feel put-together, but it may also increase your productivity for your next study sessions.

Negative Thoughts

If you are trying to study while having worries, it may decrease your productivity as the worry may take control of your focus. Instead, try to write down these negative thoughts and write the solutions next to it. If you don’t have a solution, then assign yourself time for when you will deal with that problem, either by thinking about it or talking to someone. This will ensure that you can give your full focus to your work.

Being Hungry

Some people cannot concentrate if they have not had their food. Therefore, in order to solve that problem, you could simply make sure you have proper meals during the days and also make some quick study snacks to have while you are studying. Mind you, I said ‘quick’ which means you can make the study snacks in 5-10 minutes, it should not cut out your studying time to make these.

Being Tired

If you have not had enough sleep the night before, it is more likely you will feel tired and lose focus very easily. Try to get the work done quickly and then have an early night to get the optimum hours of sleep you need. If you are just tired because you have had a long day, take regular breaks in between your study sessions so you have time to rejuvenate yourself.

There were some of the distractions that I could think of. Remember, it is okay to get distracted or even have a low day because it’s part of human nature and you can learn how to deal with it. But just keep working hard and don’t stress.

Comment down below what common distraction do you face. Please check out my other articles relating to Islamic content, My Experiences, Teenage Advice, Book Reviews and Poetry.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

Make a weekend to-do list.

I would recommend that on Friday after school, make a weekend to-do list with all the tasks that you want to do. This includes your homework, chores, events and also all the rest of the things on the list. Then, you can prioritise your tasks. I recommend leaving one day of the weekend for mostly studying and revising and the other day to do extracurriculars and have fun. 

Wake up early.

Try your best to stick to wake up around the same time at the weekends as you do in school. Not only will your body clock be used to waking up at that time, but you will also realise that you have time in the morning to be in that productive mode. A bonus is that of, for example, you wake up early on Saturday and do all your work in the morning, you might even have the rest of the weekend free.

Study and have breaks in between.

This article would not be complete if I did not mention something that all students do and that is to study. Of course, when I say study, make sure it is adapted to you. Some people like to work for 8 hours straight (which may not be healthy) and they finish all their work and others like to spread their work out and have regular breaks. Regardless of what type of person you are, ensure to put your phone away while studying if you don’t need it and work in a clean environment.

Practise some self-care.

A lot of students forget to do this in the midst of their busy lives but remember to incorporate some self-care into your routine. For example, you might have a spa routine on Sunday mornings or write down your feelings. Remember the weekend is the time to study and relax.

Exercise.

Another thing that you can definitely do in the weekends is to exercise. Whether it’s by doing a workout at home or going to your local park or gym, getting some form of exercise is really good.

Do an extra-curricular.

Extra-curriculars are so important to ensure that we all are learning things even outside of school. Your extra-curricular at the weekends could be joining a club, writing an article for your website (like what I am doing right now) or even learning something for a course or YouTube video.

Talk to your family.

If you are busy during the weekdays, chances are that you don’t have enough time in the weekdays to talk to your family who literally lives under the same roof as you. Make sure to spend at least 2 minutes to greet everyone in your family and catch up with them.

Do chores.

Cleaning your environment can actually make you feel so organised. Ensure to clean your desk, for example, and see how you feel afterwards.

Reward yourself e.g. hobby.

It is important to reward yourself every now and then because it gives us motivation for the future. Make sure to reward yourself by either performing a hobby or even going out with your friends (stay safe though!)

Get ready for the next week of school.

On Sunday evening, when your weekend is just about to end, start to prepare for the next week of school. Ensure you have completed all your homework, packed your bag and tidied your outfit for Monday, and maybe even done some meal prep.

I hope that this article will help you to have more of a productive but fun weekend. Make sure to take these one step as a go and incorporate them into your routine and you will realise that you won’t get that bored at the weekends. 

As always, please comment down below your thoughts on this article and feel free to check out my other articles relating to Islamic content, My Experiences, Teenage Advice, Book Reviews and Poetry.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

So in today’s article, I will be discussing some habits you need to incorporate into your routine for this school year.

Make a to do list every day.

Making to do lists can help to prioritise and manage tasks. It can also prevent you from procrastinating. I use three planning systems. Find what works for you and make it a habit

Have a time in the day for reflection.

Amongst our busy lives; it can be extremely easy to just get caught up into it and not have the time to stop, breathe and relax. Having a time in the day set to either pray to God, meditate, perform yoga or even just recite positive affirmations really helps. As a Muslim, there are 5 prayers a day to do this.

Read books/listen to podcasts and audiobooks

Even if you dislike reading, you can still try to do this. Whether you do this as soon as you wake up or before you go to bed, it is a means of seeking knowledge. Other alternatives are listening to podcasts or audiobooks.

Exercise regularly.

Exercise is so important yet many teen students tell themselves ‘they don’t have enough time.’ It may be the reason why some teenagers end up feeling lazy. Even exercising twice a week (once in PE lessons and once in the weekend for example) can really help.

Have a good skincare routine.

Some students neglect the importance of skincare while others try way too many products and cause acne for themselves. Instead, use a few producers that actually work for you and keep it sustainable so you can perform it regularly. This skincare routine should be for your face, arms and legs.

Pack your backpack and tidy your uniform the night before.

Have you ever been in that situation where you forgot a book for class because you were packing your bag in a hurry in the morning? Make sure you are not in that situation by spending some time the night before to pack your bag and tidying your school uniform/outfit the night before school. It will save you time in the morning.

Drink enough water every day.

This is surely something that not everyone does. Drinking enough water is necessary to keep you going but it can be hard to maintain. If you drink one litre of water at home and one litre of water at school, that is pretty good.

Study at least one hour every day.

If you don’t feel like studying some day, try to study at least one hour. It will make so much more difference and it is better than doing nothing. Little but consistent revision is better than doing everything last minute. 

Have a limited screen time.

If you are using your phone 5 hours a day for using social media, chances are you are not being productive in those 5 hours. If you have an iPhone, check your settings and then screen time or download a screen time app on your phone. Check how many hours you use your phone and on which app. Then give yourself a screen time goal of how many hours you want to use your phone. 

Build some good tidying habits.

Did you just tidy your room what literally felt like 5 minutes ago, only to see that ‘a typhoon hit it’ and you have to tidy it again? Maybe it is time to regularly tidy your room. You could do this by tidying your room every night and doing a clean and disinfecting on the weekends for 15-20 minutes. It can leave you feeling like your life is together.

Those were 10 habits that I think are pretty useful. There may be more so feel free to comment below any habits that you think may boost your productivity. As always, please check out my other articles relating to Islamic content, My Experiences, Teenage Advice, Book Reviews and Poetry.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

But now that I have finished my first week of Year 11, I wanted to compare my first week of Year 10 when there was no COVID-19 and I was starting my GCSE course, to now when it is quite different. 

Disclaimer: This is just my own personal experiences that I had, but it may not be similar to other GCSE students and other schools all over the UK as everyone has different lives. Please check and confirm certain details with your own school and do not rely on this article for information about your school.

Feelings:

• Before I started Year 10, I had some mixed feelings for many reasons. Some reasons on why I may have felt excited is because I would finally get to start the GCSE course and know how it feels like but I was also nervous for some reasons such as being able to bond and feel comfortable in my new classes.
• Before I started Year 11, I also had some mixed feelings. I may have felt elated to see everyone after 6 months of lockdown and get back into the school routine but also, I may have felt nervous for reasons like if I have really changed this lockdown.

Timetable Changes:

• For Year 10, my timetable did change quite a lot in comparison to Year 9. I only had my GCSE subjects, PSHE and PE while in Year 9, I was doing all the subjects. This means that I would have to focus more on each of my subjects and for some of the subjects, there were more lessons in the week for it. I also did not have to attend extra Triple Science classes after school as they were incorporated into my Year 10 timetable.
• For Year 11, my timetable also changed but because of COVID-19, everyone’s timings changed. School started and ended in different times so it was staggered. But I had a similar number of lessons for each of my subjects overall when comparing it to Year 10, so it wasn’t really a big jump.

Jumps:

• The jump from Year 9 to Year 10 was quite a big jump.
• The jump from Year 10 to Year 11 was not so big.

School:

• Because there was no COVID-19 when I was going into Year 10, there were no face coverings and big restrictions around school.
• Now in my first week of Year 11, there are some specific restrictions in my school. We are not allowed to wear face coverings inside the classroom but we are allowed to wear it in corridors and communal areas. However, not many people wear them in school. There are also hand sanitisers around the school building, and there are bubbles. For example, Year 11s are in a bubble with Year 10, Year 11 students and teachers. On the other hand, Year 7s, Year 8s and Year 9s have their own bubbles respectively. For books to be marked by teachers, they have to be quarantined for 3 days. There are some social distancing stickers. Of course, there are also staggered times, with form time being the last class I go to in the day.

Friends + Teachers + Seating Plans:

• In Year 10, friends and teachers were pretty good but the seating plans for most of the classes were quite fixed and chosen by the teacher.
• For Year 11, it is quite similar to Year 10 but I feel that for some of the classes, teachers have allowed us to choose our seats and then we have to stick to them probably.

Workload:

• As I said, the jump from Year 9 to Year 10 was quite big and the workload gradually increased, as there was more focus on each subject.
• When it comes to the workload in Year 11, it has been pretty okay so far but I think keeping on top of your work and starting from Day 1 is the best way to go forward.

Preparation:

• In the first week of Year 10, I was pretty productive and made a vague outline of my routine before and after school.
• In the first week of Year 11, I have also been quite productive and I have made quite a detailed revision timetable, a weekly list and I also created a website articles plan.

Those were some of the key highlights of school in Year 10 vs. Year 11 for me. I really hope you have enjoyed reading my article and I hope it gave you an insight into how it has been so far for me.

What year are you in and which country do you live in? Comment down below.

Check out my other articles, relating to Islamic content, My Experiences, Teenage Advice, Book Reviews and Poetry.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!