2022 O'Level Result

2022 O-Level Results

After the release of the 2022 ‘O’ level results, the CGS Corporate Communications Committee had the opportunity to interview some of the O level graduates who had just received their results after months of anticipation.

What is the recipe for your success that you could share with your juniors?

Jaime: I don't have a recipe for success per se, but I would say that being consistent in doing daily revisions and having good time management have greatly helped me to tackle tests and exams. I would revise daily after completing my homework even when I didn't feel like it.  I also planned out the time spent on each subject. For the subjects I found more challenging, I would allocate more time for revision. Sometimes I wished that we had more than 24 hours in a day!

Keona: I think one of the key ingredients I can attribute my success to would also be consistency. Each day after lessons, I would return home and write notes for the concepts and content covered for that day. Through those daily revisions, I was not only able to better understand and retain the knowledge, but also keep up with lessons taught on the following day. This constant revision helped me to be well prepared by the time exams rolled around, and all I needed to do then was to recap the content.

Sevvel: I always cleared my doubts quickly with my teachers rather than wait until the last minute. Being familiar with the question types and answering techniques by completing past year papers also helped. I personally believe in quality over quantity; rather than doing as many revision papers as possible, I focused on ensuring that I understood the demands of the questions. Lastly, 8 hours of sleep is definitely something one shouldn’t compromise on!

Where did you draw your source of inspiration from?

Jaime: I draw my source of inspiration from my parents. They are my biggest supporters who constantly encourage me to work hard and remind me to stay grounded. Whenever I see my parents working hard at their jobs, I will be even more motivated to do well in my studies as well as in other commitments that I have, such as my piano practice.

Keona: My family and friends have been my greatest source of inspiration in very different ways. My family has constantly challenged my way of thinking and encouraged me to seek out different perspectives. My parents have encouraged me to think beyond achieving good grades and take things in my stride.

On the other hand, my friends have been with me through this entire secondary school journey. They’ve pulled me out of my bouts of burnouts and made me laugh ceaselessly throughout the O level exams period.

What advice would you give to your juniors who will be preparing for their O levels this year?

Laavanya: Focus on your mental health as much as your grades. Throughout the year, you will face struggles or obstacles. So, it is really important to believe in yourself and know that you are worth more than the grades you achieve. Speaking of goals, it would be to have a goal in mind at the start of the year, be it a school or a certain score and work towards that. At times when I was unmotivated and tired, remembering my goal gave me the drive I needed and pushed me to work harder. Finally, I think it's also important to have a good support system throughout this journey. Always talk to someone you trust, be it a parent, friend, or teacher, so that you don’t get overwhelmed.

Ruidan: Have at least eight hours of sleep everyday so that you’ll be able to focus well during lessons. I also find making use of small pockets of time to complete my work a good way to manage my workload while having enough rest. For example, recall or teach your friend what you have learned when both of you are taking the same bus or queuing for food. Remember to ask your teachers questions too and explore different study methods to see which works best for you.

Sophie: Always try to clarify your doubts with your teachers as soon as you can! Try your best and stay positive! Most importantly, learn to make use of the resources you have, and treasure your time with your classmates and teachers.

“How have you managed to change from previous exams or tests?”

Akshayaa: I think learning from my mistakes was a really important step for me in trying to achieve better grades. For example, with the help of my Pure Literature teachers, I was able to analyse my Prelim essay responses to see where I could improve on. I started to be more mindful of annotating questions and deriving points for my essays, which made me a lot less anxious and feel more confident during the exam itself.

Michelle: At the suggestion of one of my teachers, I did a ‘summary sheet’ for all my subjects, where I noted down key learning points for the exam, as well as examples of tricky questions. That helped me avoid making the same mistakes and reattempt difficult questions!

“Did you feel that the Crescent school culture helped in preparing for your O levels?

Akshayaa: Definitely! I feel that the school culture played a huge role in building my confidence and helped me feel prepared for the exams. For instance, the teachers were very supportive and approachable, making me feel comfortable and less hesitant when it comes to asking for help. Nearing the O-levels, the teachers created consultation schedules which made the process much easier and it was really helpful!

Michelle: Definitely! Everyone was quite self-motivated, which inspired me to work harder and push myself. During the period leading up to the O-levels, students studying together was a common sight to behold, and I would say that we influenced one another to do our best!

“Who are some of the people you would like to thank and what would you say to them?

Laavanya: Some people I’d like to thank would be my family, my friends and my teachers. To my parents, I’m really thankful that they ensured that I take care of myself as well as my grades and for staying up at night to take care of me and encouraging me to take breaks when needed. To my friends, thank you for listening to all my worries, giving me advice on problems and giving me such good memories and experiences that kept me going no matter what. Thank you for also encouraging me at all times and letting me know that I could do this. To my teachers, I would really like to thank you for believing in me and encouraging me to fulfil my potential even when I felt low and for letting us know that you’re there for us if we need it and being so dedicated to respond to my doubts or queries, no matter how late it was or the type of question I had. Your guidance and willingness to help really made all the difference and spurred me on to try my best.

Ruidan: I would like to thank my parents for their unwavering support. They have been waking up early in the morning to make me a nutritious breakfast. They also provided me with a very conducive environment to study at home. I would also like to thank all my teachers for answering my questions promptly throughout the years and for teaching me with clarity. Finally, I would like to thank my friends for chatting with me and listening to me during breaks. It relieved my stress and made school more enjoyable.

Sophie: I want to thank my class 4G3 for being so supportive, inclusive, and humourous. It's been such a rollercoaster ride this year, and I could not have done it without them. I want to thank all our Sec 3 and 4 teachers who have supported us throughout this journey. To our Form and Co-Form Teachers throughout these 2 years, Ms. Yuen, Ms. Boey and Mdm. Lim, we are so grateful for your presence in class every day, dealing with all our antics with so much patience. To our Co-Form teacher, Mr. Keong, we will strive to have a passion for Math like you someday!

What are some of your plans after this?

Jaime: I plan to do some travelling and apply for an internship programme if the timing works out well. I am also looking forward to embarking on the next stage of my life as a junior college student. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep up the momentum with my studies and revisions after taking such a long break!

Keona: I’m planning to take a good break, try out some new things and spend some time with my family and friends before I embark on my next adventure – junior college.

Sevvel: As for now, I plan to complete the 2 years in junior college while having as much fun as possible.

Interviewees: Jaime Lam, Selvam Sevvel, Keona Jo Francis, Shanmugam Akshayaa Kirubaa, Michelle Khoo Ern Chui, Li Ruidan, Laavanya Ratadia Sachin, and Lin Yu Rong Sophie (Class of 2022)

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