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How much work really is a Cambridge degree?

Have an offer but am so concerned about my poor work ethic. I don't really do much/anything and have never really mastered the discipline of solid hard work. Am I really going to struggle at Cambridge and if so how can I change this?! So worried!

Reply 1

jcb914

11

Too much.

But everyone's in the same boat. I'm in my second year and still haven't mastered the art of hard work.

Reply 2

SiaSiaSia

16

Everyone I know at Cambridge (even the supergeniouses) find it immensly hard :P

Reply 3

greenjm90

6

serrellen

I don't really do much/anything and have never really mastered the discipline of solid hard work.

Yeah exactly the same - i have an offer and this is exactly what I am worried about! Maybe if A Levels were more stretching, I might have developed a better work ethic!!

However, I'm sure that we're not the only ones that are in this position. I'm just gonna have to roll with it, and if there's ever a place to develop a work ethic and get the necessary support and guidance, it's Cambridge!!

Reply 4

LUFCsuperstar

serrellen

Have an offer but am so concerned about my poor work ethic. I don't really do much/anything and have never really mastered the discipline of solid hard work. Am I really going to struggle at Cambridge and if so how can I change this?! So worried!

Ditto

We'll drag one another through it! :smile:

Reply 5

serrellen

OP

11

LOL have to say I am glad I'm not the only one in this position! It's the unstructured nature of the work that scares me most! I mean... work independently?! Just won't happen!

Reply 6

silver_j

I have the same worries, though I guess they wouldn't have given us offers if they didn't believe we could do the work.

Reply 7

coszcatl

7

I think you have to really enjoy the subject/s you're doing for independent study to be successfully possible. Last semester I was crap at not working from any set checklist; y'know finding the motivation to sit down and just do it. Happily though, over the festive period I did nothing to such an extent that I was extremely refreshed (sort of) and actually looking forward to getting into some derivations and problems (physics).
Me aside, my advice would be to think deeply about how your chosen subject interests you (or better- what makes/made you so passionate about it in the first place) Surely if you love studying it, independent work will be less of a chore- hopefully not a chore at all!
Sorry that sounds a bit lame but I hope you know where I'm coming from..

Reply 8

Y__

13

coszcatl

I think you have to really enjoy the subject/s you're doing for independent study to be successfully possible. Last semester I was crap at not working from any set checklist; y'know finding the motivation to sit down and just do it. Happily though, over the festive period I did nothing to such an extent that I was extremely refreshed (sort of) and actually looking forward to getting into some derivations and problems (physics).
Me aside, my advice would be to think deeply about how your chosen subject interests you (or better- what makes/made you so passionate about it in the first place) Surely if you love studying it, independent work will be less of a chore- hopefully not a chore at all!
Sorry that sounds a bit lame but I hope you know where I'm coming from..

From my experience, this is not true at all. You may love your subject more than your cat and your goldfish, and still you will procrastinate and do the assignments that you've been set at the last minute possible, which will definitely make them a terrible chore, even if they're actually interesting.

Reply 9

eulerwaswrong

13

i havent got a good work ethic - i always just wing it in exams and end up doing ok.

However in cambridge/imperial ill will work because ill have to work. Ill be surrounded by people better than me, throughout my life ive been a big fish in a little pond. And havent have to do anything to keep it that way, but in cambridge/imperial ill need a work a little bit to remain a reasonable sized fish in a much bigger pond

Reply 10

coszcatl

7

Y__

From my experience, this is not true at all. You may love your subject more than your cat and your goldfish, and still you will procrastinate and do the assignments that you've been set at the last minute possible, which will definitely make them a terrible chore, even if they're actually interesting.

hmm, I didn't really take into full account the Cambridgeness of the matter.

Reply 11

wiio

7

nah, its not that bad. Almost everyone copes, although you need to work hard if you want to excel.

edit: should point out that I'm only in my first year, but that is my impression so far.

Reply 12

lemoncheesecake

Like mining.

Only easier and not quite as tough on the lungs.

Reply 13

SunderX

14

I seem to have lost my work ethic from last year, procrastination seems so easy...

Reply 14

jw366

However in cambridge/imperial ill will work because ill have to work. Ill be surrounded by people better than me, throughout my life ive been a big fish in a little pond. And havent have to do anything to keep it that way, but in cambridge/imperial ill need a work a little bit to remain a reasonable sized fish in a much bigger pond

Exactly!

And I'm in the same position as the OP, I have an offer and I get this feeling I'm way too laid back and disorganised with my work. We'll manage hopefully. :smile:

Reply 15

Cities

16

Depends what you're doing. In a science one, I think it's possible to do less work because the course is so rigorously structured. In the arts subjects which I presume you're doing; you have to take your own initiative and hence it probably is about as hard as you will expect.

Reply 16

FadedJade

15

You learn, quickly.
Even though we all talk about procrastinating etc we still do a hell of a lot of work. A lot of people here characterise themselves as lazy, I certainly would, but you have to do so much just to get through it, so you just get on with it really.

Reply 17

--

3

Failing or not doing the work isn't really an option, so almost miraculously, the work pretty much always gets done. You'll soon get into the habit of ploughing through your work. You're scared, which is good, the fear will help you work.

Reply 18

bean87

15

lemoncheesecake

Like mining.

Only easier and not quite as tough on the lungs.

JCB digging?

Reply 19

Craghyrax

17

serrellen

LOL have to say I am glad I'm not the only one in this position! It's the unstructured nature of the work that scares me most! I mean... work independently?! Just won't happen!

Its very structured. Even Arts subjects. Your supervisor says 'I need this essay by this date', and then another supervisor says the same thing for a slightly different date, and then a third and fourth. And then you suddenly realise that you have about four days for each subject and you get your bum and your reading list to the library, read the book, write the essay and then begin another one straight away. You don't really need motivation; there isn't much choice involved...

How much work really is a Cambridge degree?

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