i bet if we had a grammar or punctuation or spelling or even creative writing test i would whoop every1 to japan and then to tokyo.
Hm... Section 2?
OP: Unfortunately, I can only give advice on subjects I did...
1.
Science/Maths studies require
practice to achieve absolute accuracy and speed. It doesn't matter if you understand things before your teacher has fully explained it. There is no way to be great at precision subjects (subjects where your answer is either right or wrong) except excessive over-practice. Don't slack off like I did. My greatest regret this year is not doing much if any work for Specialist until exams came around when it was too late to cram absolutely everything.
2.
English requires you to be excellent at
bullshit. Bullshit arguments, bullshit analysis, bullshit passion for things issues and debates you would not care about otherwise. (However, if you really are passionate about anything English-related, like reading or writing or twisting people's words to suit yourself, pursue it like a madman.)
Drop all preconceived ideas about needing to be 'right'. You don't need to fit a predetermined standard of 'right' (assuming you have excellent syntax and spelling already - if not, treat that like maths and rote learn it), you just have to be very adamant about the thing
you have chosen to argue about, pursue your points with the persistence and persuasion of a presidential candidate covering up a scandal (that is, the scandals that you have yet to hear about). Always remember to give a point and then expand on why you are obviously, definitely right about it (some forget to give their point and ferociously but messily dig into their expansions, others have essays resembling shopping lists. Don't be either.).
You will also need to spend a lot of time making up crap by over-thinking your texts/context. This should be easy if you are a (nerdy) girl. I spent many a lunchtime viciously gossiping about the characters in the book. ('Omg can you
believe he did that' - really effective, trust me.) If your writing is at least about 9th grade level, all you need beyond that is a lovely set of made up notions backed by 'evidence' - and then you're set. Really, English can often be like a game of shouting random crap with great confidence and feigned evidence until someone seriously calls bullshit (but no one will if you intimidate them with your veeeeery persuasive arguments).
The conclusion of this rant is - have a different attitude to maths than you have to English. Maths is about precision and practice, English is about cultivating as many theories and ideas out of nowhere as you can (and then expressing it all neatly).
3.
On LOTE subjects. Languages are best learned through immersion. Now is a great time to watch all shows and listen to all music in that language (without subtitles or anything) for the entire year/holidays. Trust me, it's awesome. Also grab hapless speakers of your language and make them talk to you (this does not apply to dead languages. Necromancy is illegal and unethical. Just saying.) If you are keen on doing very well (and you should be, try to aim very high while you still have the time to work towards it), then write at least one essay per week (again, not applicable to dead languages.)
4.
Regarding exams - Read all questions carefully. Including in the English exam. Several people were screwed over in English for not reading the instructions carefully. (They were told to analyse all the opinions present - or something to that effect, some didn't.) Also, don't forget to bring your glasses like I did.
5.
On having a life~ Have one. You need it. You will be so bored otherwise.
That's all for me. I am now going to change my signature to 'replies with rants'.
TL;DR - What everyone else probably already said regurgitated in Sickle's words.