The 2013 Tripos Exam Chat Thread! (Cambridge students only!!!)

OP

Yep, big sympathy to everyone right now. Particularly finalists. I think motivation is hardest in final year because you've depleted your stores of productive panic and are just so tired of it all. At least everybody else is in the same boat.

Original post by Blaah Blaah

The loveliest

What do you do these days?

Reply 183

Eggs and Ham

I'd like to seek a fellow Cantab's advice. I've got prelims in June and picked up an optional paper at the beginning of the academic year. At the time I wasn't aware of how the Tripos worked and assumed that in doing this paper, I would be able to substitute it for something else. But I was wrong. The thing is, I hated doing an extra paper and it was impacting on my other main papers as it was a lot of work to take on. I really want to drop it, but I just got confirmation of my prelim for the extra paper. In other words, I want to ditch it before the exam, which don't count for anything. I need to discuss it with my DoS. But how shall I approach the conversation? Please 'quote' my message so I can track responses...

Reply 184

Smaug123

15

Original post by Eggs and Ham

I need to discuss it with my DoS. But how shall I approach the conversation?

I'm a mathmo, and one who believes in doing things in the most unambiguous possible way when they're very important, and my DoS is similar, so I would just brain-dump into an email, tidy up phrasing etc to read well, and send it.

Reply 185

Eggs and Ham

Original post by Smaug123

I'm a mathmo, and one who believes in doing things in the most unambiguous possible way when they're very important, and my DoS is similar, so I would just brain-dump into an email, tidy up phrasing etc to read well, and send it.

Thanks for this. What kinds of phrasing shall I use in the e-mail?!

Reply 186

Smaug123

15

Original post by Eggs and Ham

Thanks for this. What kinds of phrasing shall I use in the e-mail?!

I would just say something along the lines of "At the start of the year, I picked <paper> as an optional extra, thinking that I could drop it for <other thing>. At the time, I didn't realise that I had to keep with that paper, so I stopped working on it after <rough time>. I've just received confirmation that I'm sitting <paper>, when in fact I've not done any work on it for <rough time> because I thought that I could drop it. I think that doing the extra paper will adversely affect my performance on the main papers. Is it possible to drop the paper now?"
Or whatever you see fit, really - maybe add something at the end about seeing your DoS in person if that's what you want to do.

Reply 187

Eggs and Ham

Original post by Smaug123

I would just say something along the lines of "At the start of the year, I picked <paper> as an optional extra, thinking that I could drop it for <other thing>. At the time, I didn't realise that I had to keep with that paper, so I stopped working on it after <rough time>. I've just received confirmation that I'm sitting <paper>, when in fact I've not done any work on it for <rough time> because I thought that I could drop it. I think that doing the extra paper will adversely affect my performance on the main papers. Is it possible to drop the paper now?"
Or whatever you see fit, really - maybe add something at the end about seeing your DoS in person if that's what you want to do.

Thanks so much, I'm going to e-mail my DoS today...

Reply 188

Topaz_eyes

12

Losing the will to live... in one week I'll be in my first exam. I have so much left to learn, but at the same time I just want it to be over... :frown:

Reply 189

Tortious

16

Original post by Topaz_eyes

Losing the will to live... in one week I'll be in my first exam. I have so much left to learn, but at the same time I just want it to be over... :frown:

We can do this! :jumphug:

Spoiler

Reply 190

OP

I think I'm almost as anxious as everyone else for exam term to end. The libraries are really stifling, and I want to throw something at all the groups of people who sit and giggle for hours on end rather than working :colonhash:

You can't escape them.
Summer is going to be awesome.... (apart from the ton of research I need to manage) three months of quiet library space all to myself :daydreaming:

Reply 191

Nichrome

18

Original post by Topaz_eyes

Losing the will to live... in one week I'll be in my first exam. I have so much left to learn, but at the same time I just want it to be over... :frown:

Good luck! Part III (probably) won’t be so bad – at least the exams are spread throughout the year!

Reply 192

Topaz_eyes

12

Original post by Nichrome

Good luck! Part III (probably) won’t be so bad – at least the exams are spread throughout the year!

That's if I make the grade :tongue:

Thanks, though :smile:

Reply 193

camaieu

Tomorrow.

By the time I get to Wednesday things hopefully won't seem so bad. I'll have all my language and translation papers over by then, leaving me 6 days to revise French lit, and 9 days for Spanish.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 194

OP

Original post by camaieu

Tomorrow.

By the time I get to Wednesday things hopefully won't seem so bad. I'll have all my language and translation papers over by then, leaving me 6 days to revise French lit, and 9 days for Spanish.

Posted from TSR Mobile

6 and 9 days are enough :yep:

Keep it up!

Reply 195

Topaz_eyes

12

Original post by camaieu

Tomorrow.

By the time I get to Wednesday things hopefully won't seem so bad. I'll have all my language and translation papers over by then, leaving me 6 days to revise French lit, and 9 days for Spanish.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Good luck! I keep doing that too - "It's okay because this time next week I'll be..." (on my day off, but with 4/7 done and 70% of the whole year finished!)
6 and 9 days are plenty of time :smile:

Reply 196

OP