What do you wish you'd known about studying for a masters?

Scroll to see replies

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

Thing is I have depression and social anxiety and I am on pills for it. I have no interest in anything :-/ All I want to do is live at home and hide away from everything. Also I am just really really lazy.

If you stay at home and hide away form everything you will be entering a vicious cycle whereby staying at home makes you feel worse and so you are less likely to want to leave home, which makes you feel worse... and so on. :smile:

Being unemployed is soul crushing. I was struggling after I graduated from uni, so I went abroad for a couple of years teaching English because I didn't know what else to do. It was a really good decision because it shook things up for me and got me out of the rut.

In that respect doing a masters could be a good idea as it might have a similar effect. However if you're genuinely not interested in the course then trying to get through a masters that doesn't appeal to you probably won't help....

Have you tried looking for masters courses that WOULD interest you? :beard:

You have a good degree so you're definitely capable of doing one :smile:

It might be good for you and open some doors.

Reply 21

ChaoticButterfly

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

Have you tried looking for masters courses that WOULD interest you? :beard:

Yeah I have but they all turned me away except this one. -.-

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 22

Puddles the Monkey

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

Yeah I have but they all turned me away except this one. -.-

Were you interested in it when you applied? What don't you like about it? :beard:

Reply 23

monkyvirus

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

I was saying to a friend yesterday that I posted this thread on TSR and now I'm bricking it! (I was feeling pretty confident before) :rofl:

He said that it is a high workload but generally if you're wanting to do a masters you're a driven person anyway, so you'll be fine :redface:

Are you doing a masters and then a PhD now?

Yeah. The way the funding works I get 4 paid years so I'm actually being paid the normal PhD rate for my masters. In terms of job security it was a lucky break.

On the other hand if I don't do well enough I can't progress to my PhD...

I guess it's better to be warned about the workload now so I'll either be prepared or it won't be as bad as I think :biggrin:

Reply 24

ChancedTravels

Am starting my MA in Sept and now I am freaking out!! Hahaha. I want to do a PhD though so hoping the dream will carry me through

Reply 25

hermitthefrog

Would you say there's time to have a part time job? I feel it would really help with rent etc if I could even work 10 hours a week, but I think I'm going to have 6 modules a semester, and I'm also planning on applying for grad schemes in my spare time. Will I need all my weekend and evening time to study?

Reply 26

Puddles the Monkey

Original post by monkyvirus

Yeah. The way the funding works I get 4 paid years so I'm actually being paid the normal PhD rate for my masters. In terms of job security it was a lucky break.

That's awesome :five:

On the other hand if I don't do well enough I can't progress to my PhD...

I guess it's better to be warned about the workload now so I'll either be prepared or it won't be as bad as I think :biggrin:

This is also my plan :biggrin:

I am sure you will be fine :crossedf:

Original post by ChancedTravels

Am starting my MA in Sept and now I am freaking out!! Hahaha. I want to do a PhD though so hoping the dream will carry me through

You can do it :dumbells:

Reply 27

shawtyb

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Wish I'd known that referencing/bibliography software exists :colondollar:

Posted from TSR Mobile

i use an online one lol cant imagine doing it solo

Reply 28

QHF

Original post by monkyvirus

I guess it's better to be warned about the workload now so I'll either be prepared or it won't be as bad as I think :biggrin:

Bear in mind that every master's course is different: some are a lot of work concentrated into a short period, some are a lot of work spread out over a longer period, and some are less work. My comments on time management above are based on my experience of an intense course which fitted a full master's worth of content into nine months. But whatever your course is going to be like it's probably better to go in prepared for hard work; that way the worst that can happen is that you'll be over-prepared and will crush it.

Original post by hermitthefrog

It depends on the intensity of your course, and how well-organised you are. I knew a couple of people who worked part-time jobs while doing fairly tough master's courses. They both did well, but they also both commented that it was very hard, and at least one of them wasn't applying for PhD places that year. Personally I don't think I could have done a part-time job during my master's, at least not without very seriously damaging my academic performance. But you may be more organised than me, and/or your course may be placed differently.

Reply 29

Whinchat

I wish I hadn't been all like "I don't need to make new friends, I'm almost 30 and this is just a stepping stone to doing a PhD". Would have enjoyed the taught portion of the course more, wouldn't have felt so perturbed by my perception of everyone elses intelligence, would have met tons of interesting international students and what's the harm in leaving something behind with a fair few new friends in tow.

Such a numpty.

Reply 30

beautifulbigmacs

I wish I knew that the prices were going to shoot up, otherwise I'd have done more courses at the time.

Masters study is very enjoyable. Reference your work well, know that there are lots of good academic journal articles that come up in a google search. Plan your time well and frankly, don't be afraid to look a concept up on Wikipedia for a succinct explanation where needed lol.

Reply 31

beautifulbigmacs

Original post by monkyvirus

Seriously this thread is freaking me out... I was popped onto my masters because they had 1+3 funding going spare. I was accepted initially for a PhD. As I'd done an integrated masters already, I thought "well my dissertation was fine so I'm sure it'll be fine this time" but now all this talk of crazy workloads is making me really worried!

My MSc isn't even for people who graduated with my degree :s-smilie:

It's for social scientists whereas I'm a statistician working in a Psychology department for my PhD :s-smilie:

I thought another masters would be easy :frown:

I promise that as a psychology bod you should be able to make a smooth transition to social sciences. A lot of the study methods are very similar.

Reply 32

beautifulbigmacs

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

I'm not really that keen on the course.

Thing is I have depression and social anxiety and I am on pills for it. I have no interest in anything :-/ All I want to do is live at home and hide away from everything. Also I am just really really lazy.

The social life at MMU is excellent. It could help you to not feel in a rut. It could inspire you.

Equally don't do something just because your parents are making you as you risk feeling resentment and that won't help.*

Reply 33

beautifulbigmacs

Original post by hermitthefrog

I maintained part time jobs throughout my first masters. It was doable at a push but I wouldn't recommend it if you don't have to do it. On my other one it just wouldn't have been possible.

Reply 34

beautifulbigmacs

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

Yeah I have but they all turned me away except this one. -.-

There's still time to apply for something that you would like to do. There are lots of great unis and courses about that take people right up until early September.

Reply 35

ChancedTravels

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

Babe I have BPD and am on antidepressents and antipsychotics and was under crisis teams throughout my undergrad. You need to fight it and build yourself a positive life or things won't get better. Being lazy is not an excuse!!

Reply 36

ChancedTravels

Original post by hermitthefrog

I have no choice but to work 12-14 hours a week and I'll be volunteering 3 hours a week as well. I worked 25-30 hours throughout my full time undergrad though so I think it should be fine. Personally I sacrificed having friends :P :P

Reply 37

anita-573

Hi
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, so I'm set to graduate in 2017 from a BSc Chemistry degree and I have no desire to stay at this uni for my masters, however I feel like getting into a different university will be difficult because I have no summer placement experience of any sort so I feel like I will have hardly anything to write in a personal statement. I don't know what to do because I haven't had the best time at my current university and I can't bear an extra year.
Thanks

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 38

dimitra_rgu

Original post by anita-573

May I ask, which uni are you studying chemistry at?
In my opinion you shouldn't worry about getting into a different uni for a masters since you have the required knowledge for it. ( A masters which requires chemistry as prerequisite for example). As for bearing with another year, you should get to postgraduate when you're ready don't push yourself. If it's a uni of your choice it will be enjoyable :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 39

anita-573

It's the university of nottingham, I worked hard in first year and obtained a high first to show my dedication when applying for a summer placement, but I was let down at the last minute (middle of July), so it's seems like a bit of a waste. I saw it as my ticket out of my current uni but now I'm feeling a bit helpless. There's always going to be some other applicant with a slight edge and a degree seems to not be enough. I haven't had any positions of responsibility either to talk about in an interview or personal statement.

Posted from TSR Mobile