My name is Stephanie Cohen and I am 18 years old.
A Level results day is one of those things you can’t really avoid. Once you’ve done the exam and filled in those personal details on the exam paper, there is only one thing you can do: wait. The waiting game is all daunting, but also exciting. Exciting, because I knew I had finally finished the stressful and important exams, daunting because my performance was being judged the moment my summer began.
As results day neared, I tended to forget about it, but I sometimes tried to predict what might happen. This built up the good and bad possibilities, i.e. not fulfilling plan A, and thinking of a plan B. So, the pressure came when the countdown began. A week before results day (or as I called it ‘death day’), everyone was venting their emotions through social media, so I couldn’t really avoid the reality of how close the all-deciding was… As expected, my night’s sleep before ‘death day’ was non-existent, as everyone was checking UCAS for updates and underestimating their exam performance.
Fortunately, the day came. I had received an email from my firm university, I saw ‘Congratulations’, and without reading any more, I immediately jumped up and shouted ‘I got in!!’. Everyone at home was so happy and relieved, as this message meant I had met the conditions to study Law at York. Two hours passed, as I informed my friends and family of the exciting news, but I had forgotten the main reason why I got into my firm choice in the first place: my results! So, my sister and I quickly rushed into my sixth form college to collect the valuable envelope. I opened them, smiled and felt proud.
Now, appreciating the fact that I am actually going to university this September has produced excitement, but also another cause for stress – preparing for university accommodation! My sister (who is also going to university this year) and I have compiled a list of university essentials to ease the stress of preparation. So, as the weeks of university enrolment and Freshers’ approach, we have bought pots, pans, blankets, pillows, clothes etc. to move into our academic location. Obviously, university doesn’t come cheap, so I have looked for a series of ways to get past some of the costs, for example applying for a student account, which can help take off some expenses for travel and other necessary aspects involved.
Our university journey continues, with much tension, but obvious eagerness.