Original post by odkfnI got a first in Civil & Structural Engineering. I'll go through your checklist and write what I did and did not do.
1. True, I guess. I never went into an assignment not knowing what to do. Although this sometimes was more of a hindrance than a help - I.e. on many occasions lecturers said "IF I WERE YOU I'D STUDY THIS TOPIC FOR THE EXAM!!!!!!", get in the exam, BOOM, nothing on that topic at all. Cheers, *******.
2. Probably the most important, in my opinion. I found I learned best when I was explaining the topic to others. It's one thing to think you know the subject matter, but if you know it well enough to teach someone and answer questions on it, then you're probably set.
3. Disagree. I went to almost every lecture and took pretty good notes. A lot of course work I did do, but on occasion, didn't. And even when I did do it, if it wasn't assessed then I didn't put much effort in. My methodology for the whole of uni was to do the bare minimum to scrape by (unless assessed) and then, a month prior to the beginning of exams, I'd be in Uni 9am-5pm studying, go to my part time job 6pm-10pm, then back into uni after it from 11pm-2/3am. I would do that for a month solid prior to every set of exams. Note that I grew up playing warcraft so I can easily sit and state at a computer screen for hours and hours on end without losing concentration/getting headaches, etc. Plus, I found the beauty of going into uni LATE in the evening with a friend is that: A. there's a sense of comradery, and B. you tell yourself "you're not going home until you finish that past paper." or "You're not going home until you understand how to do that equation", etc.
4. Disagree. I think I went out drinking as often in fifth year as I did in first year. That is to say that at most I'd only every go out twice a week, but more often than not once a week (mainly due to money). As I say, though, in my intense study month I had no nights out, etc.
5. Agree. The only reason I wanted a first was because I hold myself to a very high standard. If I didn't get a first my mum wouldn't care, my girlfriend wouldn't care but I would care. I didn't want to live the rest of my life annoyed that I didn't put in a little extra effort to get the best grade possible.
6. Agree. I'm by no means a genius, I just knew what was required, what grades I needed in every single exam to achieve it, that my thesis counted for 3 courses (so I put SO much effort into this), etc. Know your strengths and weaknesses, if you hate studying a subject it's probably because you suck at it and therefore you should study it to the point you don't hate studying it.
7. Fact. I had a group project in my final year that went tits up. Some group members were lazy, one girl got her dad to do her work, then when she ****ed it up and we only spotted it the night before submission she was furious at us she had to get her dad out of bed to fix it - if she had done it herself in the first place she wouldn't have had to bother her dad. I had no problem with that girl prior to this incident, but she's one of the few people I left uni actively disliking.
8. Fact. With my thesis in particular. As this huge document was worth the equivalent of 3 classes, and as you have regular meetings with your thesis advisor, I told myself there was absolutely no excuse not to get an amazing grade. Do some serious planning and then stay on top of it.
9. Fact. The worst exam I ever sat I passed by the skin of my teeth. The reason for this was that the questions could come in one of two forms - I banked on it being form 1 and, wouldn't you know it, it was form 2. Luckily I had remembered enough to SCRAPE a pass. After that I told myself never again, and never went into an exam so unprepared again. Luckily for me this was in third year!
10. Time management is important. Finding the balance between starting revising so early you forget stuff by the time the exam rolls around, and starting revising so late you don't have time to cover everything.
11. Spot on. Deadlines are very important for graded work.
I think OP has covered most things. Two further things I would add are:
A. Get on with your lecturers. These are the people who mark your thesis, your course work and who submit appeals for you, should you need them. It does you absolutely no harm to be in their good books. I'm not saying brown nose, but if you see them in the corridor say "hi". If you have a question, stick around after a lecture and ask it, they'll begin to recognise your face, etc.
B. The type of person who will get a first knows what it takes to get a first. Don't get me wrong, before I got mine I definitely googled and checked forums, etc, but when it came down to it, if I was slacking I was the first person to kick my own arse and tell myself I needed to work harder. If someone said "skip studying tonight and come out drinking" I'd say no without a moments hesitation, etc. You, yourself, will know if you're on track for a first and you will also subconsciously know if you're doing enough towards your goal.
Good luck, all! Any questions, just ask.