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Take it from someone who knows: It isn't about reading everything and spending every waking minute studying in the naive belief that to do otherwise would be wasting valuable revision time. You can read too much, you can mentally exhaust yourself. Infact, you can read so much that you can't remember in which of the 12 books or journal articles you saw that really useful quote/table or idea. I've seen people be in the library before me, take shorter breaks than me, still be there when I leave, and study longer, and harder than I. I don't think I necessarily did better because I'm naturally better- although I think in life you will find those who somehow find the right answers and draw the right conclusions from a mere skim of the material- and thus far I've been one of those people. I do however believe I study more efficiently, and cover the right things to get a broad base of material to build on- and I've taken law modules, I know what they contain. Too many first years are awful at studying efficiently, I've ran tutoring classes for plenty of them and it's a common characteristic- a month of cramming for a first year exam that doesn't carry a lot of marks is detrimental in the long run- even if you do well in it, as the workload increases, it creates bad habits to just read more and more and more in later years- and eventually there comes a point where that tactic won't work, and a few exams go horribly, and people walk away having not learned the lessons they should have in first year, with a 2:2.
Of course, some of that could just be students who peaked at school- and that's happened plenty of times, or were just lazy. I'm also personally wound up by how busy the library is in Glasgow for very specific times of the year, and how people think the place is some sort of social area where they can whisper across tables very loudly.
On that rather cheery note. I'm back on TSR.
Of course, some of that could just be students who peaked at school- and that's happened plenty of times, or were just lazy. I'm also personally wound up by how busy the library is in Glasgow for very specific times of the year, and how people think the place is some sort of social area where they can whisper across tables very loudly.
On that rather cheery note. I'm back on TSR.
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0404343m
I'm also personally wound up by how busy the library is in Glasgow for very specific times of the year, and how people think the place is some sort of social area where they can whisper across tables very loudly.
I don't know how it compares to other places, but ours is extremely busy considering its size. I was in at 11 o'clock on Sunday night and the computers on the 9th floor were still full. It's even more impressive/puzzling when you consider there's the Reading Room, most departments have their own computer rooms and a fair number have their own libraries.
0404343m
On that rather cheery note. I'm back on TSR.
No one leaves TSR
It's like a vortex that just keeps sucking you back in.Student2806
I don't know how it compares to other places, but ours is extremely busy considering its size. I was in at 11 o'clock on Sunday night and the computers on the 9th floor were still full. It's even more impressive/puzzling when you consider there's the Reading Room, most departments have their own computer rooms and a fair number have their own libraries.
No one leaves TSR It's like a vortex that just keeps sucking you back in.
No one leaves TSR
It's like a vortex that just keeps sucking you back in.I know
I lasted for three months though, that's got to be worth something. I'm only here because apparently theres mis-information that needs-a-sorting.Well, I guess to answer your earlier point- a) it's the computers, and they always go first, and b) Sunday night is usually when all other depts/reading rooms etc are closed, leaving only the main lib. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of annex space- it's just that they don't have plug sockets for my laptop, with a battery life of about nine seconds. One of the SRC VPs has been in meetings with the Lib about people taking over computers and leaving them- I suggested using a cheap(ish) system that's been pioneered in a couple of places in the States- all computer desks get fitted with a touch-bulb that goes on when you touch it, and will stay on for an hour until you touch it again. So you can have computer, wander and collect books, go for lunch etc, as long as you're back within the hour. If light goes off, desk is fair game. Computers also set-up to autosave and log off after an hour of no usage. Simples.
0404343m
Take it from someone who knows: It isn't about reading everything and spending every waking minute studying in the naive belief that to do otherwise would be wasting valuable revision time. You can read too much, you can mentally exhaust yourself. Infact, you can read so much that you can't remember in which of the 12 books or journal articles you saw that really useful quote/table or idea. I've seen people be in the library before me, take shorter breaks than me, still be there when I leave, and study longer, and harder than I. I don't think I necessarily did better because I'm naturally better- although I think in life you will find those who somehow find the right answers and draw the right conclusions from a mere skim of the material- and thus far I've been one of those people. I do however believe I study more efficiently, and cover the right things to get a broad base of material to build on- and I've taken law modules, I know what they contain. Too many first years are awful at studying efficiently, I've ran tutoring classes for plenty of them and it's a common characteristic- a month of cramming for a first year exam that doesn't carry a lot of marks is detrimental in the long run- even if you do well in it, as the workload increases, it creates bad habits to just read more and more and more in later years- and eventually there comes a point where that tactic won't work, and a few exams go horribly, and people walk away having not learned the lessons they should have in first year, with a 2:2.
Of course, some of that could just be students who peaked at school- and that's happened plenty of times, or were just lazy. I'm also personally wound up by how busy the library is in Glasgow for very specific times of the year, and how people think the place is some sort of social area where they can whisper across tables very loudly.
On that rather cheery note. I'm back on TSR.
Of course, some of that could just be students who peaked at school- and that's happened plenty of times, or were just lazy. I'm also personally wound up by how busy the library is in Glasgow for very specific times of the year, and how people think the place is some sort of social area where they can whisper across tables very loudly.
On that rather cheery note. I'm back on TSR.
Yep, that's our point. That's why we should start studying more intensely than we have been now so that we can do it efficiently. None of us suggested that we left it to the last minute, quite the opposite. There is some stuff that requires sheer memorising too, though. My point was that to do the best possible we should make the best use of our four weeks before the exams, not that we should start studying manically because we somehow forgot to do any work at all before now. Also, out of the two pieces of course work and three exams we have in the next five weeks, three of those are worth the majority of our grade (two of them 100%) and one other joint largest percentage of our grade. So it's not like these don't affect our mark for the year, which is important in terms of the DLP.
I'm not having a go at anyone, I just think that it was a little unfair to suggest we don't know what we're doing by dint of fact that we're in first year.
FyreFight
Ok, it's obvious I seem to have personally offended you with the implication that some people are better learners than others
It's more the constant "OH WELL I GUESS YOU JUST DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY
" bit. And no, I am not and have not made the assumption that everyone memorizes facts at the same rate, but some of what you've said has gone beyond "some people take different approaches to revision" into "lol people who need to revise are making up for not being as intelligent". It's very nice to hear about your friend who revised for a couple of hours the night before the exam only to be interrupted by an escaped, ferocious lion who he took down in a single punch due to his natural ability at punching lions, but I'm inclined to believe he's either a standout case or got very lucky.
I'm not doing Law, so it might be different for you guys (Most of my coursework is done) but there's no wayI'm studying through literally ALL of the Easter Holidays. I'm gonna take it easy for the first week or so, and then do a couple of hours studying every day after that. Once I get back to Uni, then I'll ramp it up a bit.
Everything in moderation. The last thing I want to do is be completely stressed out over the holidays, anyway.
Mind you, it is slightly offensive saying we may as well barely study at all - that's not the best thing to do at all, even if first year isn't that big of a deal for most students.
Everything in moderation. The last thing I want to do is be completely stressed out over the holidays, anyway.
Mind you, it is slightly offensive saying we may as well barely study at all - that's not the best thing to do at all, even if first year isn't that big of a deal for most students.
FyreFight
I don't know anyone who studied law in first year and needed to revise for a month solid to pass first year exams, honestly.
I suppose some people might if they can't manage it through ability alone?
I suppose some people might if they can't manage it through ability alone?
Mate, entry onto the DLP, the professional qualification, is based on first & second year subjects and, for the really ambitious, the MC and big London firms start hiring 2 years before graduation, so 1st & 2nd year exams are either quite important or really important for law students wanting to be solicitors or advocates or w/ever. Which is a shame, 'cos I didn't study as much as I should have.
Most of it is regurgitation as opposed to criticism or that, so ability will only carry folks so far.
EDIT: passing and even getting the required GPA and grades for honours isn't that hard. Need a GPA of 11 iirc.
0404343m
I know I lasted for three months though, that's got to be worth something. I'm only here because apparently theres mis-information that needs-a-sorting.
I lasted for three months though, that's got to be worth something. I'm only here because apparently theres mis-information that needs-a-sorting.Are you coming back up to Glasgow for your PhD? I could be woefully misinformed. I am not a stalker.
Well, I guess to answer your earlier point- a) it's the computers, and they always go first, and b) Sunday night is usually when all other depts/reading rooms etc are closed, leaving only the main lib. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of annex space- it's just that they don't have plug sockets for my laptop, with a battery life of about nine seconds. One of the SRC VPs has been in meetings with the Lib about people taking over computers and leaving them- I suggested using a cheap(ish) system that's been pioneered in a couple of places in the States- all computer desks get fitted with a touch-bulb that goes on when you touch it, and will stay on for an hour until you touch it again. So you can have computer, wander and collect books, go for lunch etc, as long as you're back within the hour. If light goes off, desk is fair game. Computers also set-up to autosave and log off after an hour of no usage. Simples.
If there is a computer that has sat empty for a while I just log them out. I don't really care if their stuff is there, especially if I'm only needing a computer to print stuff off. But I have long since given up on using a library computer unless I need to print something double-sided.
FyreFight
No need to get defensive if you, personally, rely on pure bloody-nosed revision to get you through exams. I'm just giving advice; none of the people I knew studying it needed to do anything like that sort of work to pass first year and there's no need to invest that sort of effort if you have the ability to succeed without it.
First years just think it's a big deal at the time. They know all about it later on.
To be fair, most law students I know worked hard but not constantly. As in, they took an easter break and then worked really hard a week or so before their exams. I guess we can't really comment if we're not doing their course :/
Even on my course I know people who spend weeks revising whereas a few days (hours!) tend to be enough for me.
0404343m
On that rather cheery note. I'm back on TSR.
On that rather cheery note. I'm back on TSR.
I knew it wouldn't last
missimpossible
Yep, that's our point. That's why we should start studying more intensely than we have been now so that we can do it efficiently. None of us suggested that we left it to the last minute, quite the opposite. There is some stuff that requires sheer memorising too, though. My point was that to do the best possible we should make the best use of our four weeks before the exams, not that we should start studying manically because we somehow forgot to do any work at all before now. Also, out of the two pieces of course work and three exams we have in the next five weeks, three of those are worth the majority of our grade (two of them 100%) and one other joint largest percentage of our grade. So it's not like these don't affect our mark for the year, which is important in terms of the DLP.
I'm not having a go at anyone, I just think that it was a little unfair to suggest we don't know what we're doing by dint of fact that we're in first year.
I'm not having a go at anyone, I just think that it was a little unfair to suggest we don't know what we're doing by dint of fact that we're in first year.
In my experience of tutoring first years at both Oxford and Glasgow Universities, a heck of a lot them don't know how to study- the secret is, it should NEVER be intensive and stressful. Whether that means four weeks of 14 hour days, or eight weeks, or three months. I'm not entering this debate on either side, but I think my track record suggests I'm either un-naturally brilliant or just better at studying. I'm not the former. I think, for first year law, four weeks pre-exams is sensible- and you should spend a couple of days first getting notes and things in order, and looking over past papers looking for common themes- history and law are taught and examined almost identically in this respect. Then you can study more efficiently. Literally 90% of the crammers I've came across since highers, which were now seven years ago in my case, ended up not doing as well as they hoped, as intensive study tends not to work too well when you're then asked to re-call it. The final four weeks should be refreshing what you already know ideally, but if you don't, then being in the library from dawn till dusk re-reading the entire course three times hoping things stick isn't usually a good way of doing things. Everyone's different in that respect, we can all cite the odd person who crams and gets straight As, but in my (admittedly fairly limited, but by comparison with 99% of TSR, huge) teaching experience, that ain't how most people find it.
0404343m
I know I lasted for three months though, that's got to be worth something. I'm only here because apparently theres mis-information that needs-a-sorting.
Well, I guess to answer your earlier point- a) it's the computers, and they always go first, and b) Sunday night is usually when all other depts/reading rooms etc are closed, leaving only the main lib. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of annex space- it's just that they don't have plug sockets for my laptop, with a battery life of about nine seconds. One of the SRC VPs has been in meetings with the Lib about people taking over computers and leaving them- I suggested using a cheap(ish) system that's been pioneered in a couple of places in the States- all computer desks get fitted with a touch-bulb that goes on when you touch it, and will stay on for an hour until you touch it again. So you can have computer, wander and collect books, go for lunch etc, as long as you're back within the hour. If light goes off, desk is fair game. Computers also set-up to autosave and log off after an hour of no usage. Simples.
I lasted for three months though, that's got to be worth something. I'm only here because apparently theres mis-information that needs-a-sorting.Well, I guess to answer your earlier point- a) it's the computers, and they always go first, and b) Sunday night is usually when all other depts/reading rooms etc are closed, leaving only the main lib. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of annex space- it's just that they don't have plug sockets for my laptop, with a battery life of about nine seconds. One of the SRC VPs has been in meetings with the Lib about people taking over computers and leaving them- I suggested using a cheap(ish) system that's been pioneered in a couple of places in the States- all computer desks get fitted with a touch-bulb that goes on when you touch it, and will stay on for an hour until you touch it again. So you can have computer, wander and collect books, go for lunch etc, as long as you're back within the hour. If light goes off, desk is fair game. Computers also set-up to autosave and log off after an hour of no usage. Simples.
Welcome back!
TheOneWho
Are you coming back up to Glasgow for your PhD? I could be woefully misinformed. I am not a stalker.
If there is a computer that has sat empty for a while I just log them out. I don't really care if their stuff is there, especially if I'm only needing a computer to print stuff off. But I have long since given up on using a library computer unless I need to print something double-sided.
If there is a computer that has sat empty for a while I just log them out. I don't really care if their stuff is there, especially if I'm only needing a computer to print stuff off. But I have long since given up on using a library computer unless I need to print something double-sided.
Dunno, TBH. I applied to loooads of unis, since until being elected to the Snell, I was first reserve for funding at two unis last year, so I didn't want that to happen again. As it turned out, being first reserve whilst applying with only predicted grades, was actually much better than most- so I needn't have worried. Anyway, long story short I figured in terms of supervision in my area that Glasgow and Oxford were the best two for me. I was sitting on funding offers from both Bristol and KCL for about a day until Glasgow offered me both AHRC and ESRC depending on which faculty I want to register with, so I withdrew from everywhere else. If Oxford offer me it, it's a toughie- they meet next month.
I've been telling anyone that'll listen on the Library commitee not to buy more desktops, but that's not really getting through. Over 99% of new undergrads bring laptops to uni now, and they're cheaper, lighter and with longer battery life than ever- and insurance is the cheapest it's ever been. TBH, I'd say a student that doesn't bring their laptop to the library is probably just lazy in most cases, with better excuses only applying to the tiny minority. There's good wifi, big tables with plug sockets are good thanks very much. If they sorted the annex out on most levels with plugs and better reception that'd probably do the trick, but knowing the library committee they'd rather spend £30,000 just filling them up with big desktops too.
I like to bring my laptop but sometimes that just doesn't cut it. I need to use Minitab etc for my subjects and don't have them on my computer. The Psychology lab has them so I can use them there but they don't have Word or anything, just a notepad. It's making the whole thing more complicated and I always end up in the library. It would be nice if there were more computers but overall I think it would just be great if people don't reserve them for hours and/or watch TV on them. Don't be so antisocial! (Sorry for the rant but am currently on a Stats project and not being able to work on it for big chunks during the day because I can't find computers is just adding to the stress 
)
)Would piss me off if it got to the stage that there were computers everywhere; I need a large desk to spread out on and ain't too bothered about getting on a computer 99% of the time so it would just take up space.
Agree entirely with everything said, get the folk off not doing work, don't let folk reserve them for hours and provide plenty of facilities for laptops.
Agree entirely with everything said, get the folk off not doing work, don't let folk reserve them for hours and provide plenty of facilities for laptops.
I think specialist software is one of the legitimate cases for needing university computers- but I'd suggest that that isn't a problem for most of the people in the library- there's now 40% less desk space than there was six years ago. Computers and all that are great, but it's turning the library into a place to kill an hour on facebook between lectures rather than actually do anything, meaning people who actually need computer space can't even find a desk to plug a laptop in. Luckily, there's about four or five desks in the Adam Smith Library that are in easy reach of plug sockets- although as I'm not a Glasgow student I can't borrow from the main lib to take books across to the Adam Smith, so for the next few weeks I'm stuck with desk hunting, or finally buying a new battery for this laptop.
The only thing I use the library desktops for is to print stuff off. It annoys me immensely seeing people sitting there surfing YouTube or Facebook between lectures when there are others wandering around looking for a computer to do genuine work on. If you've got a spare hour, go and have a coffee or something, don't hog computers.
I don't want computers everywhere, I am just having a bad time lately because of the software we need to use. The other day I had to look for a computer for over 45 minutes and that in addition to feeling stressed does not really help my mood
I think it would help if the computers would log you off earlier somehow, it feels like they run forever even when no one is using them. I always feel bad when being on facebook or something, even if I worked for hours before and only have a few minutes break.
Whenever I don't need a computer I quite enjoy the quiet areas of the library, without computers. Especially the couches etc, it's just so much nicer to sit and read on them sometimes.
Overall I quite like the library, I just don't get as much done at home
I think it would help if the computers would log you off earlier somehow, it feels like they run forever even when no one is using them. I always feel bad when being on facebook or something, even if I worked for hours before and only have a few minutes break.
Whenever I don't need a computer I quite enjoy the quiet areas of the library, without computers. Especially the couches etc, it's just so much nicer to sit and read on them sometimes.
Overall I quite like the library, I just don't get as much done at home
On the odd occasion I'm doing an essay in the library I'll sneak a quick glance at the Beeb or SSN every 2 hours or so, like the time I spent a weekend doing Tax law earlier on in the year and the choice was between taking a break or killing myself. I get a red neck doing that for more than a few minutes and I'm not usually one to be that socially aware! I wonder how people can sit there idly for hours, maybe 'cos it's accepted?
Buecherwurm
I don't want computers everywhere, I am just having a bad time lately because of the software we need to use. The other day I had to look for a computer for over 45 minutes and that in addition to feeling stressed does not really help my mood
Wasn't a dig at you mate, more bemoaning [matric number]'s* prediction that more and more desktops will be bought.
I think it would help if the computers would log you off earlier somehow, it feels like they run forever even when no one is using them. I always feel bad when being on facebook or something, even if I worked for hours before and only have a few minutes break.
See above, think that would be an idea maybe, along the lines of the ideas mooted above.
Whenever I don't need a computer I quite enjoy the quiet areas of the library, without computers. Especially the couches etc, it's just so much nicer to sit and read on them sometimes.
Overall I quite like the library, I just don't get as much done at home
Overall I quite like the library, I just don't get as much done at home
Are you me? Agree entirely.
*Sorry mate, I'm a) bad with names and don't know if using them is the done thing and b) I'm lazy.
Names are fine, Chris will do- all of the moderators on here know me by name anyway, so there isn't exactly much to hide- the matric number thing was a stupid idea when I first joined.
Sadly, I think only a lack of funds will stop more computers being bought- provisional annex refurbishment for the next three years had desktops in the plans... They'd be cheaper just providing new students with laptops.
Also, Oxford gives us the software we need for free if our course convenor asks them to- you get a product key with the CD for one year- so if you leave you cannot re-use it.
Sadly, I think only a lack of funds will stop more computers being bought- provisional annex refurbishment for the next three years had desktops in the plans... They'd be cheaper just providing new students with laptops.
Also, Oxford gives us the software we need for free if our course convenor asks them to- you get a product key with the CD for one year- so if you leave you cannot re-use it.
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