The skill no-one teaches you: Introspection (Blog Competition 2025 Round 3 Runner-Up)

Updated: 11.09.2025

Read time: 2 min read

My final year of sixth form was hectic: writing personal statements, preparing for medicine, as well as revising for the all important A-levels. But I was prepared. I put in the hours and the effort. I did endless flashcards and past paper questions until my hands felt like they were going to fall off. But when I opened my results, I didn’t see any A*s.

For a couple of days after opening these results, I felt disappointed, as if all the effort I had put in was for nothing. Scrolling on TikTok did nothing but add fuel as I watched more people celebrate their top grades. However, introspection gave me clarity following my results. After taking time to sit down and really think about the emotions I was feeling and thoughts I was having, I learnt new things about myself. For example, I realised I had tied too much of my self-worth to my grades, so much so that anything less than an A* wasn’t acceptable to me. Or the fact that I was struggling to keep up with the workload during the year yet I refused to ask for help. With university right around the corner, I have made goals to ensure that as well as continuing to work hard, I will take care of my mental health.

This simple act of introspection, analysing your own thoughts and emotions, is a skill that teaches you things about yourself that no book, YouTube channel or TikTok video can. Maybe you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to other people or maybe no matter how hard you try, you always procrastinate. Have a go at audio journalling, just saying whatever thoughts come to your mind. Ask yourself why and don’t be afraid to dig deeper.

Even though I didn’t get any A*s, this final year of sixth form has taught me many skills: perseverance, work ethic, and most importantly, introspection.