[Jenski]

Hey,

I'm in my final (3rd) year of biology and finding it horrendously stressful, the volume of work is, and has been, making me unhappy for about 14 months and the pressure to do well is immense.

I’ve been thinking about taking a year out for a long time (day dreaming about it has got me through the last year or so). I really need some advice, who do you talk to?

I know it sounds silly, taking time out with only 20 weeks or so before finals, but I’m depressed and have never been so stressed.

Any advice would be really helpful, thank you.

x

[pf1]

Originally Posted by Jenski

I really need some advice, who do you talk to?

The Senior Tutor in your college, or your subject tutor (or most probably a combination of the two). I had several friends who deferred their finals - it's not that uncommon, so don't worry.

[Athena]

Do you think that a year out will help you recover from the stress, or just make it harder to go back? How are the other biologists you know coping?

[thomasjtl]

academic affairs rep in the jcr perhaps.

[Jenski]

I'm quite sure I would go back to complete the year. Would I have to start in Michaelmas or Hilary? I don't know if the year would help me recover from the stress or just prolong it (this is what my parents and boyfriend think). The stress comes from the feeling that there is so little time left to prepare. Some days I can't cope, others I feel that not getting a first isn't the end of the world (obviously...but you know what it can be like at Oxford) and working/stressing less and being happier may be a more sensible option. It's just difficult to not worry.
Thank you for your help x

[Bekaboo]

Normally if you defer finals it's for a full year, and you wouldn't necessarily have access to e.g. the RSL and the department - actually bearing in mind who the main characters in the department are I think they'd be pretty nice about it, but I know people for other subjects you've basically had to pick themselves up and get on with it without any support, which could be hard.

Whatever you decide to do I have three pieces of advice:
* Get your project done ASAP. Put off everything else until it's done. Once you have it finished it's a huge weight lifted, and so many people told me I wouldn't be able to concentrate until it was done. (Actually, are you the year that has to get it in 5 weeks earlier?)
* Use your January collections to make notes. I literally wrote out all my lecture notes in full prose, copying diagrams with legends etc. It really helps you to work out what you know, and which lectures you didn't understand. Don't worry about learning the stuff, just use it as an opportunity to pinpoint your weaknesses. Using them properly also has the advantage that it still gives you time to go to 2nd year lectures if you need to (which I did!)
* If you don't already have or use the stats book, get it and read it now. Kate and I would have failed stats had we not read that book. It was like ooooooooooooooh thaaaaaaaaaaat's what you meant. Even for stuff I thought I understood, it was so much clearer after that!

Oh and as for who to talk to:
* Your tutor
* The senior tutor at college
* Martin Speight.

[Jenski]

I've decided not to but thanks for your advice, especially Bekaboo. I think it was my project that was getting me really down (I *hated* every second of it). I think I just want to get it over and done with now and the quickest way to do that is to stick it out. Ah well.
Thanks again x