How To Start Strong in Semester 2: High School Edition

The second half of the year is approaching, and with it comes the second academic semester and the year-end exams! Some schools are also having their term assessments very early in Term 3, very soon after the June holidays. Things become more high-stakes in these two terms, with the final exams, shorter teaching time, and increased amount of content to study. And if you happen to be in your O Level or A Level year, you’ll know exactly what we mean when we say it can get even more stressful than it already is!

So, while you still have a little bit of breather time before the semester goes into full swing, it’s high time to make some preparations. You’ll have no time to waste once the semester begins, so getting yourself organised and motivated is key to entering Sem 2 on the right foot. Read on below for some things you could do to prepare for Semester 2!

1. Get up to speed with past semester’s content

Still have things you are unclear about from Term 1 and 2? There will be little time to go back and ask your teacher about them in school, what with the new topics and year-end revision schedule. Before you forget all about what you have learnt, it’s a good idea to review the work from Semester 1 and get help from a tutor if you need.

Many topics in Semester 2 will build upon your knowledge from previous chapters. For example, you will need a firm foundation of algebra before you can continue to learn about linear graphs and quadratic graphs, and you will need to know your differentiation techniques well before you can move onto applications of differentiation. So, you can imagine how important it is to have a strong foundation! For students who need help catching up with previous topics, our tutors at Future Academy can guide you through small group lessons or one-to-one sessions upon request.

2. Don’t make the same study mistakes

While reviewing your past assessments, you may find some areas that you didn’t do so well in. Besides attributing it to gaps in your knowledge, you may realise some are due to poor study habits. For example: Did you procrastinate too much? Were you overly distracted by your phone? Part of improving your grades also involves improving your study habits and efficiency. This new semester, try out different techniques and see what works for you!

Some study methods you may want to try include: making flash cards, quizzing yourself or a friend, and the Pomodoro productivity hack. Planning your study sessions in advance also goes a long way to help you be productive and stay on track. In addition, consider joining a tuition class which will help you organise your revision schedule better! Tuition classes like the ones here at Future Academy are structured to include not just teaching time but also topic revisions, timed practices, and mock tests before your actual school exams. By just attending regularly, you can be sure that you will never go into another class test completely unprepared.

3. Go through the syllabus beforehand

Semester 2 is usually packed with project deadlines, quizzes, and exams. Not to mention, you may also have CCA commitments and other projects to juggle. It’s a good habit to take note of the new semester’s syllabus and timeline so that you know when the important milestones are. This way, you can also plan your study sessions and pace yourself throughout the study terms.

For example, you will notice some completely new topics which will turn out to be very important for your year-end exam (e.g. statistics for Sec 1 math, and lots more trigonometry for Sec 3 math). If you are a little more hardworking, you can even read ahead and familiarise yourself with what you will be learning even before going into class. Alternatively, you can also join a tuition class where the tuition schedule matches your school curriculum so that you can review your subjects regularly and do suitable revision work nearing your school tests. At Future Academy, we cater specially to students in IP schools who have differing curriculums from most other schools. To see if we are running any classes for your school, don’t hesitate to drop us an enquiry before booking your lessons!

Conclusion

Whether you did well or not in Term 1 and 2, it’s time to move forward and make Semester 2 an even better one! It’s worth it to invest some time preparing for the new semester, rather than fall into Semester 2 unprepared and get swept away by the storm.

Wish to get more help for your studies to end off the year with a bang? Future Academy tutors are here to support you as you enter the second half of the year and work towards your year-end exams. You can find IP Math tutors as well as IP English tutors and more, right here at our MOE-registered tuition centre in Singapore. Get in touch today to book your class!