Have you felt perpetually dead since the start of the first term? Are you tired of your monotonous routine revolving around classes and sleeping? Does your heart ache with a desire to get something more out of these two years of actual agony? If the answer to all these questions was yes then congratulations, you’ve come to the right place! Here are some things every A levels kid should dabble in at least once in their life, even if only to temporarily escape societal and academic confines.

1. Learn a new language

Yes, okay, I know it’s easier said than done, and you barely have any time on your hands as is, but it’s a really good way to pass the time. Not only that, but it would also look really impressive on your resume. I mean really, who doesn’t want to be the Cool Multilingual Kid™ in their friend group, right? The Duolingo owl and literally the entire internet is your best friend. Real people are mostly snakes; it’s a win-win situation.

An anonymous source says: “learning a new language is a really good breakup coping mechanism, and hey, we don’t really have any shortage of those!”

2. Get into art

Now if you have a particular affinity for the finer things in life, this is for you. Spend some of that money you save by not buying food from the canteen, instead, mooch off of your friends, and get some art supplies. If you’re really determined and talented enough, you can even try out digital art. It’s fun, easy and a terrific way to pass the time and you’d be surprised to see the amount of validation you get. Also a win-win situation. 

This is gold advice kids.

3. Bullet journaling

Do the sticky note color coding, it makes your heart skip a beat. (If sticky notes have the same effect on you, you’re a huge nerd!! and that’s okay because in this house we love us some bullet journalers). 

So this is also kind of inclined towards the art side, but you can get into this even if you’re not exactly a Picasso level artist, if you get what I mean. I’d specifically recommend this to people who like maintaining order and keeping things really organised. Plus you can buy really cute journals and planners online, which makes it all the more fun.

4. Get into a sport

Now apparently, there are some people who like running around!! and sweating!!

Nope, you didn’t read that wrong. Sounds tiring, right? Why would anyone subject themselves to this pain? But like, if this is you, then well, this is definitely your type. I’m sure you’re well acquainted with the frankly alarming arsenal of balls our school has. Still can’t place them? Constantly being thrown around our, um, “ground”, hitting nets and noses alike? If you’re done with your life, you know where to go. Although I still don’t get why anyone would willingly subject themselves to this, but I guess there really is no accounting for taste. 

5. Learn a new instrument

Did you ever have that emo/punk kid phase back in the seventh grade, where you’d paint your nails black and only listen to 2000’s Fall Out Boy? (Don’t even think about lying, everyone had that phase).

Maybe now is the time for you to bring all your guitar fantasies to life. A short trip to the music room won’t hurt you, and will definitely be worth the trouble, that I can vouch for. Special sightings include: Pakistani BTS in the form of our very own dramatics society Vice President, and if you’re really lucky, a $750 guitar from Boston. (P.S: it’s the same model as the one Chester Bennington had on tour).

6. Go to an MUN or debates tournament

I can’t believe I’m the one recommending this, gosh, but here we are. So this is an extreme scenario okay? You do this if and only if you’re completely done with your life, and are so emotionally dead that you quite literally have no other choice. I mean, you wouldn’t be the first person going to an MUN for validation (exhibit A: myself), but anyway, I guess you could call MUNs and debates a nice platform for you to voice your opinion on a plethora of issues (or for multiple breakdowns, whatever’s effective immediately).

AND FINALLY

7. Write for The LACAS Chronicles

So before any of you call me out for this shameless self promo, hear me out okay?

TLC really gives you a nice platform to voice out your opinions, no matter how controversial or poorly researched they may be. Not just that, but it’s a really cool and fun way to pass the time if you’re into writing since you pretty much have free reign over whatever your topic should be. 

With all that said, I hope something in here clicked with your hopefully not dead brain and gave you an incentive to stop hating your life. You can thank me any time in school. Or anytime out of school if you’re not in my school because I got to MUNs. Whoops.

Fatima Farooq Chishti
Class of 2020