A New Beginning

Holidays are over and this week most post GCSE or equivalent students will be off to their sixth forms or colleges to study A Levels(GCE) or equivalent.

For some, hopefully most of us,  it will signal an end of an happy and enjoyable summer holiday full of action, drama and loud noise or perhaps it was more quiet, peaceful and calm. Both scenarios coupled with excellent exam results.  Nevertheless these people wish that their holidays never stopped nor their GCSE years for that matter. Yet they will be confident, overconfident perhaps. With those who have overconfidence, complacency may creep along and bite them where it hurts most. Obtaining success is one thing, sustaining sucess is another. For our reliance on our past success can never assure us future success because our minds and our surroundings are never constant. Furthermore, the higher you achieve, the further your fall should you fail to live up to the high expectations created by one's success. One must heed with caution.

For some of us, school could not have come more soon having endured terrible and anxious holidays and be dejected of disappointing exam results. For those who feel this way, fear not. It is a new beginning and therefore must be met with optimism, hope and belief that the tides can turn around. Why shouldn't it? GCSEs are one thing, A levels are another. GCSEs are composed to test, stretch and view the potential of one's academic ability maximised by willingness to work hard and desire to achieve one's optimum ability. A Levels are composed to challenge the commitment to learn and expand one's interest through rigorous academia but also a test of passion for one's interest and skill capabilities to cope with challenges beyond the syllabus. It is the next two years where one's true colours are revealed. GCSEs may show rounded, intellectual ability- something that can never be disregarded since it is a sign of durability- but it does not test neither our the willingness to express one's passion of a subject nor our ability to apply complex theory in practice- something which occurs in the everyday life. So don't give up just yet.

Whatever it maybe, one hopes one's holiday was most relaxing and that one is refreshed and recharged to expand one's interests or tackle the difficult challenges ahead of us, academia or not. Judge yourself not now but in two years time. For that surely counts the most.