St Bede's Catholic School & Sixth Form College

Even though it feels like a lifetime since I left Sixth Form, it is still one of my favourite experiences. I studied History, English Literature and French during my time there and absolutely loved it. Sixth Form really gave me the opportunity to explore subjects that interested me and build the foundations for what I wanted to do later on. I enjoyed the content of my subjects and found that we were genuinely learning things that were interesting. The smaller class sizes can seem intimidating at first, but you really are able to make the most of bouncing of other people's ideas and getting an education that is specified to your needs and interests. I would definitely recommend trying to get the most out of things like work experience or just anything that can build on your CV/Personal statement. I did the Bar Mock Trial in Year 12 and can honestly say it has helped me a lot when writing out applications for job roles and graduate schemes in my final year of uni, so never underestimate how useful these opportunities will be. After Sixth Form, I went on to study English Literature and French at the University of Manchester. Even though I didn't do history at university, it has massively come in handy during my studies here. My choice of course has given me a lot of invaluable experiences. Last year, I got the chance to live in Quebec, Canada for a year. Moving to the other side of the world definitely takes a lot of independence and resilience but it was an amazing opportunity that I would absolutely recommend it if you get the chance to study abroad. Another great part of taking A Levels to get to University are the opportunities outside of academics. There are hundreds of things to try and everyone is in the same boat of being new, so there really is no better time to pick something up. I started doing netball on a team with some girls from my French course in first year and we are still doing it together in our 4th year. It's an amazing time to try a new skill whilst making great friends. As difficult as it can seem to choose a discipline at 18 and stick with it forever, don't overthink it. Take the advice of your teachers and choose something you genuinely enjoy, it's a lot easier to change career paths than you think. Despite choosing to do English Literature and French for my undergraduate degree, I'll be starting a Masters in International Business next year and (hopefully) moving abroad again. My best advice would just be to make the most of Sixth Form, the two years will honestly fly over. Take every opportunity to enjoy your lessons and try new things, whilst also remembering to have fun with your friends.