You wake up in the morning and you realize that it’s a new day. Oh my god, do I really have to do this again? That’s probably the first thought that comes to your mind. You already did this yesterday. But now everything’s starting again. That whole cycle of going out, going downstairs, and trying your very best to make that transformation happen, whatever it is that it’s supposed to be.

Learning isn’t easy. I get it.

If everyone could do it, then maybe every single person out there would have A-stars. But they don’t. Only 10% of the population gets them. If learning were so easy, maybe everyone would be Yoyoma, Serena Williams, and Ronaldo all rolled into one. But no. Not everyone is a superstar, cellist, tennis player, or football (whoa, almost said soccer there!) aficionado, shattering records, and taking the world home on the spin of a dime and a wink of an eye. 

What? Were we supposed to study for 10 hours, 20 hours? Why is it so difficult? We need to watch TV. Do X, do Y, Z. Any number of things but this suffering that you would inflict upon me.

Look, I get it. You want to do other things. You want to tell yourself that this is a truly important part of enjoying your youth. I get it. 

The reality, though, is that sometimes you have to make a choice. And sometimes that choice is not as hard as you think. Because you do want to consider things a little more widely if you think that the most important thing that you could ever do is watch How I Met Your Mother on repeat for the 35th time and say that that was the best way that you could have spent your youth. 

Well, if that’s what you think, then I have to say this. I respect that, but I think you’re an idiot.

Because here’s the reality, friends. Once the IGCSE comes and once it goes, if you don’t get the grade that you want, then you take it again. 

There’ll be more time lost, more energy lost, and at least one scholarship opportunity missed.

Since you’re here reading this and wasting your time anyway, you may as well make it into something a little more productive than it otherwise would’ve been. If you are planning to use TikTok and scroll for 2 hours after reading this, avert that plan. 

If you wanted to spend an hour and 50 minutes looking at Instagram instead, move away from that.

I don’t want you to feel attacked by the way, because browsing social media repeatedly is something that many of us do, often without thinking, so I don’t want anyone to feel like they’re being attacked here, because this is a very, very normal behavior.

But yeah, my point remains.

Learning isn’t easy.

You may have to overcome your natural instincts. You may have to fight against your nature. Every single cell in your body might be opposing this project that you have set out for yourself and have you questioning whether the universe wants you to do this or not. Well, as the famous words of Coldplay’s The Scientist declare, nobody ever said it was easy. They’re song lyrics, but they ring as true as the first day that Chris Martin sang them. To quote a slightly different person, I’ll say this. Ask not for an easy life, but rather ask for the strength to overcome a difficult one. These were the words of Bruce Lee, and they are the words that I share to you today.

Be strong, my friends. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, and when it comes to IGCSE success, there’s no question that what you need to do is sit down, push, and do your best work. Good luck to all of you.