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Is year 2 really that much harder?

I am going to start my second year, and people keep on saying how it becomes much more demanding. I am a little concerned because I suffer with motivating myself and I have the tendency to kick back.

I am not concerned about my capabilities. I got good grades in year 1. I am worried about my wiliness to work, which is sad,because willingness to work is so vital. You need both, intelligence and the willingness to work hard.

Anyway ā€“ what are your year 2 experiences ā€“ workload? Crisis perhaps? Was it okay?

ps: I'm doing business economics.
(edited 7 years ago)
It'll depend on the course, but in general from what I've seen I'd say yes. As long as you maintain a similar effort level to most of your course and don't try to relive the party hard side of first year you'll be fine though.
Original post by Helloworld_95
It'll depend on the course, but in general from what I've seen I'd say yes. As long as you maintain a similar effort level to most of your course and don't try to relive the party hard side of first year you'll be fine though.


I don't party, not much of a drinker either.

My life is quite laid back, no pressure, which probably works against me, although it does also help not having pressure.

I need to make time to see my GF at least twice a week, she lives an hour away.

I want to be able to watch football, keep fit, relax and, in general, have my personal and leisurely aspects of my life to enjoy without feeling overly stressed with uni work.

Hope this will be possible
No, 2nd year was easier for me
In my course's case everything got doubled in 2nd year. coursework and length of lectures. I study psychology.
It depends on you. Most people ask this question because they want to do just enough to coast by. I made that mistake and suffered. Up your game, go out there and smash it and do your best. If it gets harder and you get a first doing your best, great, if you get a 2:1, 2:2 or a third, so what if you went and did your best. Just don't try and coast, you'll regret it.
For me, 1st year was alright, everything was introductory, challenging in places but there to help you settle in etc etc.

Second year, the modules were mostly boring which was a disappointment and when you're not really 'enganged' with the stuff, it's not fun. Then, for some reason, it looks interesting again in the third year.

In terms of difficulty I found that yes, it does step up slightly but not kind of hugely? I'd say that it's kind of similar to (and smaller than) the gap between Year 13 and first year of uni.

But also don't forget that second year is probably not the end of the world if you don't do particularly well - third year probably weighs more. Also don't forget to get involved (in uni and outside of uni too), look for experience in the summer perhaps and have fun from time to time.
Original post by hypothesis101
I am going to start my second year, and people keep on saying how it becomes much more demanding. I am a little concerned because I suffer with motivating myself and I have the tendency to kick back.

I am not concerned about my capabilities. I got good grades in year 1. I am worried about my wiliness to work, which is sad,because willingness to work is so vital. You need both, intelligence and the willingness to work hard.

Anyway ā€“ what are your year 2 experiences ā€“ workload? Crisis perhaps? Was it okay?

ps: I'm doing business economics.


Yes, it's stressful as heck, I didn't study business economics but chemistry and the workload goes up exponentially
Yes. Yes it does.
Reply 9
In short yes it does the workload and importance go through the roof.
Yes, the work gets more intense (not necessarily more difficult, but there is often a larger volume of content to learn) and you are expected to produce a higher quality of work. Saying that, I enjoyed my second year way more than my first year, so just because it is harder doesn't mean you can't enjoy it.
Original post by hypothesis101
I am going to start my second year, and people keep on saying how it becomes much more demanding. I am a little concerned because I suffer with motivating myself and I have the tendency to kick back.

I am not concerned about my capabilities. I got good grades in year 1. I am worried about my wiliness to work, which is sad,because willingness to work is so vital. You need both, intelligence and the willingness to work hard.

Anyway ā€“ what are your year 2 experiences ā€“ workload? Crisis perhaps? Was it okay?

ps: I'm doing business economics.


Why do you think you are unwilling to work hard? Maybe if things ramp up a bit the challenge to test yourself and see if you're capable will motivate you...

PLus for motivation just check out how brutal the jobs market is!
I didn't find second year any harder than first year. I had fewer lectures/tutorials/practicals and the coursework was worth the same or less and wasn't any more complex. I had more exams and exams worth more, so the last term was quite busy.

Third year however was a bit of a step up. If you are only doing a three year course you have to deal with lectures, coursework, revision for exams, dissertation work and applying for jobs/masters/PhDs all at the same time.
Original post by AJCSShp
I didn't find second year any harder than first year. I had fewer lectures/tutorials/practicals and the coursework was worth the same or less and wasn't any more complex. I had more exams and exams worth more, so the last term was quite busy.

Third year however was a bit of a step up. If you are only doing a three year course you have to deal with lectures, coursework, revision for exams, dissertation work and applying for jobs/masters/PhDs all at the same time.


If you're doing a four year course then you have to do all of that at the same time too, just in fourth year instead of third.
Original post by hypothesis101
I am going to start my second year, and people keep on saying how it becomes much more demanding. I am a little concerned because I suffer with motivating myself and I have the tendency to kick back.

I am not concerned about my capabilities. I got good grades in year 1. I am worried about my wiliness to work, which is sad,because willingness to work is so vital. You need both, intelligence and the willingness to work hard.

Anyway ā€“ what are your year 2 experiences ā€“ workload? Crisis perhaps? Was it okay?

ps: I'm doing business economics.


Hello :smile:,

I can totally understand this feeling. Throughout university I really lacked the university to work because I believed I could do the work in a time frame that wasn't... desirable - let's put it that way.
In Second Year, yes the work did increase. The work load and the demand for it and the demand to meet grades - however, I started to seek the support of the university to show me how to prioritise and really kick myself into gear when it was needed and it helped a lot.

Best of luck :smile:
Thanks everyone - I guess I will just have to roll with it and see.
Original post by skeptical_john
Why do you think you are unwilling to work hard? Maybe if things ramp up a bit the challenge to test yourself and see if you're capable will motivate you...

PLus for motivation just check out how brutal the jobs market is!


I don't know, maybe I'm slightly depressed, bored, not as engaged. Mixture of things really.

But perhaps the challenge will make me raise my game - time will tell.

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