Don't know if I should drop out of uni

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Sorry to hear that collections didn't go well. Could you schedule a feedback session with your tutors to find out what you can work on? My tutors were very good with helping students 1 on 1, and I'm sure yours would be happy to do the same. Alternatively, if you know what your weakness is (e.g. time management), you might want to specifically practise that. To be really honest, law exams are 50% content and 50% exam technique in my opinion. You honestly don't need to know that much content to get a 2i.

Have you seen a counsellor or other support staff (e.g. chaplain)? They might be able to give you better support and/or provide advice on managing your anxiety. Lots of people struggle at Oxford, especially in the first few months/ terms, and these people have a lot of experience helping students like yourself.

If your anxiety gets amplified in a formal exam setting (which might be the case since you felt very anxious about collections), would you consider getting dispensation from taking Mods in exams schools? The tutors can arrange for you to sit papers in your own college if I recall correctly. I've supervised students who had special exam arrangements for various reasons and there's absolutely no harm or shame in asking if it would allow you to do your abilities justice.

Statistically, it's extremely and highly unlikely that you'd fail catastrophically. Very, very few people ever fail Mods (see past examiners reports). I know it doesn't feel that way right now (definitely had nightmares about failing Mods too), but it's really, really unlikely.

As always, PM me if you want to chat more.

Hi Mishieru I think your definitely right about the exam technique thing, although I told myself thats what I would look at over the holidays I got bogged down with notes and learning the stuff so I couldn't focus on the actual exam. In regards to the anxiety thing, I'm finding it hard to tell if it's just the stress that comes across with Oxford (in which case academically I feel there is very little that they could do for me), or it is more personal thing but I do think that your right that I should talk to someone impartial like a counsellor. I'm going to try and organise another meeting with my tutor as I think part of the stress stems from the fact that they keep pushing for a first and seem unhappy with anything else. Honeslty, I'm fine with a 2:1 or a 2:2 but whenever I get marks corresponding to that they make it very clear that it isn't acceptable. Being honest with my goals and what I want out of the degree I think will really help

Reply 21

nexttime

Original post by Anon1098

Honeslty, I'm fine with a 2:1 or a 2:2 but whenever I get marks corresponding to that they make it very clear that it isn't acceptable. Being honest with my goals and what I want out of the degree I think will really help

Avoiding the 2.2. is a good idea I'll give them that but... criticising your for a 2.1?! As opposed to merely encouraging you to do better? That's just silly - every time they say that literally just ignore them. They want you to get a 1st because it looks good for them. Go by your goals not theirs.

So what were your collection marks? Was it that - a smattering of 2.1/2.2 equivalents?

Reply 22

claudiorafael

Dont drop out, seek counselling first and see how it helps. I think you're probably feeling the shock from transitioning from A-levels to Oxford. You haven't adjusted yourself to it yet. I think overtime that feeling will go away when you finally get used to the teaching style and workload of oxford. Try your best to not miss that opportunity you were given, a lot of people wished to be in your position, including me but im a business student lol. If regardless of what you do, you feel you can't cope with Oxford then consider a transfer

Reply 23

mishieru07

Original post by Anon1098

Your tutors are being ridiculous - I'd ignore them if they're pressurizing you to get a first. A 2:1 is perfectly acceptable (certainly, that's what my tutors expected and I think it's an entirely realistic goal). Career-wise, a first is only really required if you're aiming to be a commercial/ equity barrister at the better sets, or if you want to be an academic.

I'd advise aiming for a 2:1 - a 2:2 would restrict your job options as a lot of law firms ask for a minimum of 2:1.

Can you speak to another senior or a counsellor/ other support staff? I think your tutors are setting unnecessarily high expectations, and if your collections are a smattering of 2:1 and 2:2, you're on the right track to achieve a 2:1 for Mods, which is all you'd probably need. People can and do improve from collections to actual exams - I went up 7 marks for one of my finals papers so if you got a 2:2 you probably can pull it up to a 2:1.

Reply 24

CharlieH1992

Hi!

I came across your thread and while I can't really give much advice I thought I'd just say if you want to chat just PM me. I was an Egyptology first year in 2009/2010 and went through exactly what you're going through now (including not wanting to apply and that feeling of sickness in the pit of your stomach on finding out i had been accepted). It turned out that I was the only undergraduate on my course, there were only 4 of us but the others were postgrads with previous linguistics degrees and content was pitched way above me with no previous linguistics base. I felt very alone and behind very quickly.

I thought that riding it out for at least a year was the best option because people (not family I should point out...) kept on telling me that I should be grateful for the opportunity that I had as so many others would have killed for it. In all honesty statements like that were even more damaging to my mental and physical health as all they did was add another layer of guilt to what I was feeling. I spoke to our college chaplain and the head of my college, chaplain was great, head of college not so much (didn't want me as a drop out statistic but didn't want to offer any help either).

In the end I dropped out at the end of February and went to a different uni and did a totally different course the following September. To be completely honest, that 18 months between courses meant that going back to uni a little older (and wiser :tongue:

lol) I'd had time to properly choose a course I wanted to do rather than everyone else thought was best and one that I'd researched fully and properly. I've always openly admitted on personal statements and CV's that I dropped out and been honest with employers and uni's as to why, no one has ever made it an issue and seem to understand that it just wasn't right for me, we all make mistakes, we're only human :smile:

You have to do what's right for you, but don't suffer in silence and don't suffer for the benefit of anyone else. Sometimes you've gotta put you first :smile:

Reply 25

Indy2017

Original post by Anon1098

Sorry for the length of this one, it's just been building up and I feel like I need to get it out
I've just finished my first term studying law at oxford and honestly I don't know what I should do.
Firstly, I feel like I should start by saying that I never really wanted to go to Oxford in the first place. Due to various pressures from family and school I ended up applying, but I never thought I'd actually get in. When I got actually got in all of my friends and family thought I was crying out of happiness whereas I was crying because I realised what a stupid mistake I made. Although I know that some of you will say that it was then my choice to choose Oxford, I really felt like I had no choice. I feel like I applied to see what happened and to give me choices, whereas in reality all it did was take my choices away.
I would like to also add that there are lots of things I have enjoyed about University, for example I've made great friends and I find that I do actually enjoy the subject.
But during the term I feel like I've changed into a different person I'm anxious, tearful never mind constantly stressed. Everything is so fast paced and intense and compared to my classmates I take information in at a much slower rate so it constantly feels like I'm behind. Whilst I've been back on holiday, things if anything have got worse as I've started revising for my exams.I'm really starting to consider dropping out but for a number of reasons I'm reluctant:
1. I don't like giving up on things and part of me will feel like a quitter if I do
2. I'm worried that other universities will see I've dropped out and even if they do accept me I don't want to have to wait a year to apply
3. I'm also worried that perhaps I'm not cut out for university/ the world of work at all- If I can't cope with the pressure after one term at oxford what's to say I can cope with the work anywhere else
3. This is probably the most important reason- I don't want to let people down by giving in after only one term. My family were so ridiculously proud when I got in, and they can't stop talking about the hot shot lawyer I'm going to be after Oxford
So if anyone who has been through a similar experience could give me some advice that would be great, as although I've spoken to my mum and a few friends about it, they're somewhat biased

Short answer: finish off and then do a PhD. That's me.
On a different topic, would someone be kind enough to generate me a code for HoF from Unidays? Lost my NUS card, grr..

Reply 26

whatnamewhatname

just want to say that I'm in pretty much the same position at Cambridge - have pm-ed you, and hope you're doing okay.

It's such a horrible situation to be in, this not knowing what will make you feel better in the future. I hate it so much :frown:

Reply 27

r.murphy

I'm not going to lie, this whole thread is an eye opener to me. I never knew feeling disgusted that you got into Oxbridge was a thing. I was devastated that I was rejected, and when my friend was accepted into Christ Church, I didn't understand why he was so.....well, unenthusiastic and indifferent.

Reply 28

CharlieH1992

Original post by r.murphy

It definitely wasn't disgust that I felt, just a feeling of being completely overwhelmed and in too deep and now having to follow through something that I assumed would never happen!