retaining in JC —> scholarship in Uni

How did I go from retaining in JC1 to getting a scholarship in University?

The short answer is: A lot of hard work

I struggled in my 1st year of JC - my school’s discipline master knew me by name, I felt like I didn’t understand what was being taught all the time & was breaking school rules. There was so much self doubt & feelings of inferiority.

Even though I received the infamous yellow piece of paper indicating that I could advance to JC2 after my promos (still contingent on IF I passed the supplementary exams), I made the choice to retain & repeat my JC1. I knew my foundation was weak & didn’t see it as a waste of time.

For the next 2 years, I did still misbehave quite abit HAHA (I think I used to have something against authority oops), but I stepped up my studying game. I went for consultations with my teachers, asked my friends for help, and went to the library after school to do my TYS.

Through this, I still made it a point to enjoy myself!! I recognised how important play was - going overseas with my friends nearing prelims, trying out different sports classes with my friends & going around playing Pokémon Go with my classmate less than 24h before my first A level paper. The key was consistency! It was about pacing myself properly and putting in the effort when I was learning/ studying.

The feeling coursing through my body when the principal announced my name to go onto the stage to receive my A level certification, made the blood, sweat & tears I put into this journey all worth it.

For those studying for their A levels/ are gearing up for it, just remember to enjoy the ride and not to put toooo much pressure on yourself! I know far too well the emotions/ stress/ anxiety that goes into this slip of paper, but just remember that this is truly just a small part of your life!! Life will get so much more exhilarating from here on out 🥳

To read about my insights into A levels, read my previous post!

Do drop me a comment/ dm if you’d like to know more about my journey & if you need any guidance! 🥰

#summerdiary #alevels #scholar #studying #education #juniorcollege #educationjourney #RealTalk #wellness #girlstudies