Hard work pays off for students

The head boy and head girl of Cyfarthfa High School, Merthyr Tydfil, record their thoughts before and after receiving their A-level results on Thursday.

Sonal Lodhi

I've just sat A Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics. As you can see I've not really had much of a life for the past two years (I also did Electronics AS last year) but the science A-levels obviously mean I'm a hit with the ladies anyway!

Sonal Lodhi and Caitlin Weeks - a future doctor and lawyer?

For me, sixth form life has been really hard but lots of fun too - I can understand why so many people say that sixth form is the best time of your life.

Physics was probably the subject I found most interesting but it was also the one that I found the most difficult. Our school trip to NASA earlier this year was really amazing, and it showed me exactly what hard work and determination can achieve.

I'm really anxious about results day - even though I know that I worked really hard for my exams I'm still nervous!

I'm planning on opening my results with my friends because that way there doesn't seem to be as much pressure. My parents will be there too, hopefully to share in the excitement if I get my grades!

I'm planning to spend my day either drowning my sorrows or celebrating depending on what results I get, so hopefully, fingers crossed, it'll be the latter.

I'm hoping to get at least two A's and a B to go on to study medicine at Cardiff University in the autumn.

In the future I hope to become a successful doctor and possibly move abroad, maybe to somewhere in North America.

Update at 0945: At last, I can go to sleep for more than three hours, that's all I can say. I managed to fluke my way to four A's in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths. That means I get to study Medicine at Cardiff!

I was unbelievably nervous beforehand, but now my heart can finally slow down below a1000 beats a minute. It is good to know that the hard work put in has finally paid off, and really brings home how a little perseverance can go a long way.

I'm terribly excited about going to University, however a little disappointed that I can't realize my dream of being a hobo on the beach. How I plan to celebrate? Sleep! After that, anything goes!

Caitlin Weeks

I've just completed A-levels in English Literature, History and Business Studies. It basically means that I've spent the past two years reading lots of books and writing lots of essays, and unfortunately I think this is probably going to continue at university!

It's been a lot of hard work but hopefully it'll all be worth it - the wait for the results is by far the worst thing. I'm trying not to think about it to be honest, sometimes I think I'm better off not knowing!

I've found that shopping seems to be the best way to take my mind off results! I always open my results with my friends, so providing we're all happy and get what we need I think we are definitely due for a celebratory night out.

I think that feelings on results day will be really mixed, of course we will all be glad if we get the grades that we need but it's also sad and a bit scary that we will all be moving to different parts of Britain and we won't see each other every day anymore.

We're really lucky to have a fantastic head and deputy head of sixth form at Cyfarthfa; they're used to us randomly popping into their office for a cup of tea, a biscuit and some therapy when it all gets a bit too much.

They have definitely made a huge contribution to our A-levels and our sixth form life in general.

Hopefully if I get my three A grades I will be able go to Oxford University in October to study law.

After that I'd love a legal career, hopefully as a barrister but I'm keeping an open mind at the moment!

Update at 0945: Finally the wait is over! I found out this morning that I got three A grades in English Literature, Business Studies and History, which means that I can go to study Law at Jesus College, Oxford in October. I can't really believe it, I don't think it's really sunk in yet to be honest! I was really nervous, I don't think I got any sleep last night at all, but its nice to know now that all the hard work has paid off.

I'm so excited for University now, I've been doing my best not to think about it until now but I can finally get excited and drag my dad shopping for some new University clothes - any excuse really!

I definitely think celebrations are in order, all of my friends got what they wanted too so I think we are definitely in for a big night out!"

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