International GCSE Reflection

Here we go! At the time of writing this, I have officially completed the first major assessment of my life - The International GCSE course has been both an exhausting yet memorable one; with more than two years of hard work, I have finally completed the exam and would like to share everything I have learned with you all. From studying tips and self-care advice to everything in between, I hope the upcoming posts can help anyone who is struggling with the course or just stressed about school, even in the slightest bit!

Addressing the obvious

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Where have I been, and why have I disappeared for close to half a year since my mocks? To put it truthfully, I have put my website on hold and have not found the motivation to write everything that I’d hoped to write on here, since any free time that I had post-mock was spent with family or devoted towards my hobbies. I recognize that I said that I would update the blogs as often as possible, but sadly haven’t got around to my promise.

Thinking back, the post-mock period wasn’t as liberating or euphoric as I’d imagined. What followed were more content to be learned and assessments every other week in every subject to make sure everyone is on track with their learning while remembering past content as well. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy myself spending time with family in Mainland, China, for Chinese New Year and had a phenomenal snowboarding trip to Hokkaido, Japan (all while indulging in yummy foods), but the slight tension clinging in my heart never went away. But maybe, that was a good thing. The slight tension helped keep me on track, never forgetting to remind me to have fun, but not to the point where I lose all my discipline.

How did the exam period feel?

I’m not sure how many people need to hear this, but I certainly wanted one of my seniors to share how they felt during the exam period and what they did on a daily basis to give me a heads-up for what’s to come. Now, taking the exam in Hong Kong certainly gave me an ‘advantage’ as the exams started according to the UK time, which is 8 hours behind Hong Kong, which meant that all my exams took place after 12pm. For someone who sleeps late at around 11:30pm, being able to wake up later to ensure that I have enough rest was crucial. Despite time restrictions set by my school as to when I can arrive at school, I chose to ignore them, as I figured that being well-rested was significantly more important. Is it a risk I’d recommend everyone to take? No. Is it one I would do again? Certainly, given that my travel time to school was an hour and waking up at 5am each day was too exhausting.

This was how a typical day in my routine looked like:

Upon arriving at 10am, I would do any last-minute recap on any missed concepts or one last timed past paper before heading for lunch at ~11:30-12pm. Then, my study room would become increasingly chaotic and loud as the panic sets in for everyone, so make sure to breathe and focus on yourself! (Tip: Never ever forget your headphones! No one warned me about those who come in to play poker with their friends, so make sure you block those noises out with some headphones!). To add to this, you should never let the anxiety of others wash over you; instead, temporarily calm yourself with heavy breaths or make jokes with your friends about something unrelated as you walk up those daunting staircases to the exam hall. I found this to be particularly useful!

Personally, after each exam, I never discuss answers with anyone. Why stress yourself out by discussing the answers with others and realizing that you may or may not have gotten a question wrong? Why impose a danger to yourself by putting yourself in a liminal state of doubting what you’ve already submitted? After the exam, what’s done is done. You’ve got more to go, and you need to divert your attention to them. So, my advice is to leave the exam hall quietly and -if you are able to leave school - give your brain a break by devoting yourself to something you enjoy. For me, it was plugging in my headphones and heading to the gym; the sense of adrenaline rushing through my body every time I exercise is something I crave and something I advocate for everyone. Obviously, the grind resumes at night as most of you will have more exams to come, but a little break throughout the day doing what you love is important, too.

Here’s the catch: some of you will have 2 consecutive exams within the same day and I assure you, those were the days everyone dreaded but were inevitable. I’m not sure if it is done intentionally by exam boards, but everyone will at least have two papers that clash on the same day. It is crucial that you divide your time concisely and plan which subjects to focus on within the 24 hours before the two exams. For example, I had a day with Further Pure Math at 12:30pm for two hours and Biology at 3:45pm. Knowing that I wanted to be warmed up before my exam, I dedicated the time between 10:30-11:30am to doing a timed Math paper while in the morning I finished my final Biology recap and did a paper from 8:30-9:30am at home. This way, I ensure that I have at least refreshed my mind on Biology (my weaker subject of the two) while being able to enter into the exam hall for Math comfortably.

What was it like finishing my last paper?

I know people who had screamed, cried and done everything in between to celebrate for the end of the IGCSE course, but for me, I felt no different. No liberation, no sadness, no sudden burst of energy. This mostly came down to the fact that I was incredibly lucky to have had a 4-day break during the exam period to prepare for my final 3 papers, which had put me in a significantly less anxious state, both mentally and physically, almost as if I was ready for the holidays already! Obviously, I took the first chance I got to travel and enjoy good food with one of my closest friends in Tokyo, Japan, but I did lack the feeling that I had the power to take over the world (in contrast to what was described to me by a friend from the year above). Perhaps, again, this cautious feeling to maintain good habits and refrain from slacking off completely is good, and it pays off as I am able to return to a focused state more easily.

If I have anything to say about the end of the exams is for you to enjoy and cherish it. Soon other pressures emerge, but those last few days of school before holiday starts and before you (most likely) commit to some kind of summer course are the days you feel the most relaxed.

How did I relax post-exams?

My current sources of happiness stem from mostly three things, which I embraced to the fullest when exams finished: First, I indulge in scrumptious meals from all kinds of cuisines which I delayed having as I was too busy before. I’ve realized how much I enjoy visiting new restaurants and places around the world to enrich myself of their culture and cooking techniques, and being able to review and appreciate them has made me truly joyful. Secondly, I love to connect with those that I love and connect with myself. It is cringy in a sense, but 9 times out of 10 I would spend my time with people I love, either 1 on 1 or in small groups, than go to a party or attend a large-scale festival. There’s nothing wrong with the latter, but my suggestion is for you to spend your time without regretting any moment of it afterward. Thirdly, I love staying active. Be it playing badminton or doing weight training, I stay active to distract myself from any stress that I might be feeling or generally to build up a strong body. Yes, it is often easier to just lay in your bed and scroll on Instagram - I love that too - but once you’re out exercising, you don’t want to go back.

The most beautiful thing about my trinity of happiness is that they can be combined to be enjoyed altogether: I can indulge in an all-you-can-eat buffet with my family or make plans to play doubles badminton with my friends - all of which I have already done, by the way. Some might say that I live like a grandma while being at a tender age of 16, but I say that I’m improving little by little everyday while being incredibly satisfied. I say any one of you reading this can too.

Identify things you love and use them as motivation.

For now, these are the immediate advice/thoughts I have when reflecting on my International GCSE experience. I promise I will do my absolute best over the summer to catch up on what has been going on in my life and share all the discoveries I have made so far. If you’re currently a rising Year 11 or anyone struggling that would like some help or just someone to talk to, please feel free to comment or personally email me and I will try my best to get back to you!

Thanks for reading, and see you all in a bit.

-Winnie 25/07/2024