Ask HN: How to navigate the world as a brain-damaged 17 year old?

Thank you for the link. It's good to know that people can heal with proper treatment. Getting that treatment is difficult in the UK. As a nation we've entirely committed to a national health system. It's broken and everyone knows it, but it's presented a binary option between the NHS and the American system: there is no discussion of the European health systems that appear, at least from the outside, to be significantly better.

The education system infuriates me. I go to a technical school, it's meant to be for intelligent, motivated people to learn in peace and safety. But because of our ban on new grammar schools, bullies were let in - had to be let in - and their actions taken for granted. People insist standards are high, but they're only high if it's someone with a history of being civilised doing something wrong. It's just expected that there are violent people who will fuck things up for everyone around them, and nothing is really done about it.

There's CCTV footage of the attack on me as well. The problem isn't proving what happened, it's sentencing. The police (after 3 months of waiting...) told me not to bother, and I spoke to a magistrate who said they'd get a slap on the wrist. Additionally, the attack was retaliation for my friend going to the police a few days before. I decided that the risk of another attack, combined with the additional stress of going to court, to get a slap on the wrist wasn't worth it. I might look into civil court - it seems there's a 3 year expiry, which would allow me to wait until after A levels.

Thank you for the kind words. I'm not really sure what to say - reading this thread has really helped me, particularly your comment. I've seen time as my second-biggest problem throughout the last year, and it's good to hear from you and others that I can afford to slow down and still be alright.

First off: You are a hero.

Needs to be said.

You are way smarter than most even with the concussion. Way ahead of where I was, using 3 programming languages.

You should find out your full options first then carefully choose. If you can spread your A levels over another year it might reduce the workload and give you time to recuperate. Talk to the school. Changing schools or going to college might be another option if they wont let you.

Apply to Oxbridge still. See if a letter with supporting letters from those involved (school, police)? To show not just extenuating circumstances but that you have solid values.

Is clearing still a thing? You might get in that way too.

Optimise for your health. NHS can be hit and miss so if you suspect the doctors are fobbing you off about something get second and third opinions. If there are issues then consider going private if needed if your parents can afford to.

Good luck… again you are a hero as much as a war veteran, you should get some kind of medal IMO.

Thank you for the advice. I don't think I'll go the freelance route, at least without significant improvement.

I guess you know how bad your concussion was and its prognosis, but having post-concussive symptoms that last You may be "less intelligent" for now in a performative sense, but you're probably not less intelligent substantially. If I don't sleep, I am "less intelligent". If I'm angry, I'm "less intelligent", and so on. Intelligence is mediated and presently you are temporarily suffering some persistent mediators.

A-levels are significantly harder than GCSEs. You may be partly misattributing the difficulty to your concussion due to a coincidence in timing. Similarly, your coding ambititions may have leveled up. Sometimes when you level up you have to grind for a while before you get good enough to do what you want: this could be another thing you are partly misattributing to your injury.

As others have stated, take fewer A-Levels or take a break. If you take 3 years to do your A-levels instead of 2, its not a big deal. If you are an "eyes on the prize" sort of chap, it may be a mode you'd benefit from postponing for a while. Being goal driven can play terribly with significant unexpected impediments.

I'd add lastly that its good to have ambitions like "get into Oxbridge": shoot for the stars, and all that. However, bare in mind that you cannot get in by just getting good grades -- even if you got straight As. There has never been more straight A students in the UK, and Oxbridge is always over subscribed, so if that is something contributing to the stress of all this, I'd suggest speaking with people familiar with the internals of the entry process, they are not difficult to find.