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1st or social life - hey, why not both?

For many years on this forum and still up to this day I keep browsing through threads that perpetuate this idea that instead of getting a first and spending all of your time in the library, it is better to get a 2:1 and have a social life as degree classification isn't everything.

I think that's a valid point of view, but there is just one problem: why not have a 1st AND a social life? Why is that never offered as an option?

I intend to have both.

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Reply 1

shahbaz

I don't know about that, maybe you can at Durham, but not at other unis.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

im so academic

Original post by shahbaz

I don't know about that maybe you can at Durham, but not at other unis.

Which universities?

Reply 3

shahbaz

Original post by im so academic

Which universities?

The ones with higher workloads.

Reply 4

Smack

Volunteer Team

You can have both. Plenty of people on my course who achieved firsts had strong social lives. You've just got to work smart... and of course, natural ability helps too.

Reply 5

im so academic

Original post by shahbaz

The ones with higher workloads.

Plenty of people at Oxbridge have fantastic social lives and they have the highest workloads of them all.

Reply 6

tehforum

No one in my first year got a 1st...

Reply 7

The Right

If you lack any natural ability, all day study is required, it is not a matter of what you want but what cards you are dealt

Reply 8

The Right

Original post by tehforum

No one in my first year got a 1st...

I thought almost everyone at imperial got a 1st in the first year

Reply 9

tehforum

Original post by The Right

I thought almost everyone at imperial got a 1st in the first year

I'm not at Imperial

Reply 10

im so academic

Original post by NYU2012

Most of the problem is time - for example, as a law student, if you're actually going to do your weekly work, you'll have very little time for other things.

During my 1H, NO law students achieved a 1at average, even those who studied constantly. The top scoring law students are still those who don't have very large social lives. Even students who do study a lot and don't have much of a 'social life' still don't always do well.

What the ****? That doesn't sound right. It must be possible to do a Law degree at Durham, get a 1st and have a social life. :lolwut:

Original post by tehforum

No one in my first year got a 1st...

Not even one?

Reply 11

The Right

Original post by tehforum

I'm not at Imperial

Last time I checked you were

Reply 12

tehforum

Original post by The Right

Last time I checked you were

Ironic username

Original post by im so academic

What the ****? That doesn't sound right. It must be possible to do a Law degree at Durham, get a 1st and have a social life. :lolwut:

Not even one?

Nope.

Law is a tough degree, that's why it has the lowest percentage of 1sts nationwide.

Reply 13

im so academic

Original post by tehforum

Nope.

Law is a tough degree, that's why it has the lowest percentage of 1sts nationwide.

So how is it possible then for someone to obtain a 1st in Law, have a vibrant social life and still do Law-related activities such as mooting?

Reply 14

Juichiro

Original post by im so academic

What the ****? That doesn't sound right. It must be possible to do a Law degree at Durham, get a 1st and have a social life. :lolwut:

Just because it doesn't sound right does not mean that it is not right. I think Darwin and Galileo among others heard the "it does not sound right" a lot of times. :redface:

Reply 15

tehforum

Original post by im so academic

So how is it possible then for someone to obtain a 1st in Law, have a vibrant social life and still do Law-related activities such as mooting?

Natural brilliance and consistency.

If you have the spark required and a decent work ethnic you can have the situation you described above.

But consistency is the downfall of many because 1st class work requires brilliance. And that brilliance needs to be applied in a wide range of areas in the law.

Reply 16

Le Nombre

3 things: Social life, First, sleep. Choose 2.

You can do it with good study skills and solid time management, but it isn't easy. Some sports people are good examples, think Louloudis is meant to be on for a First and he combines it with some casual rowing at world class level, plus the Boat Race. Apparently a swimmer called Michael Rock got a First in Law from Manchester, and he was in Olympic finals and the like.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 17

Joinedup

Depends what type of social life you want to have too... people who are quite serious about their sports seem to hold it together well imo, perhaps because they're more self disciplined and organised than average. That's probably rather a square looking social life to a lot of people.

also get ready to take your foot off the social gas pedal in the final year.

Reply 18

+ polarity -

Original post by tehforum

Ironic username

lol

Reply 19

illusionz

Sport 4-5 times a week, drinking 2-3 times a week and got a double first. From oxbridge.

Come at me brahs

whoa wtf isa is back? I remember when you PM'd me years ago asking for PS help for oxbridge lmao