Is it ok to take a day off studying at Cambridge?

Reply 20

Chief Wiggum

20

Of course it's OK.

Just don't tell this guy:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-41899293

Reply 21

SteamboatMickey

20

Original post by Platopus

I’m in my first term at Cambridge and I have honestly done nothing but work since getting here (didn’t even have a proper fresher’s week as I got an essay on my first day and lectures stared a few days after arriving).

I am in the unusual position of having finished my essay which is due in tomorrow and all my other work. I have no lectures or classes at all today... So, I could technically do no work at all. But, I feel guilty just thinking about it. There’s always another book to read and I have a reading list several miles long.

Would it be ok to take the day off?

I usually take a day off on a Saturday. I work Sunday-Friday and then have Saturday off (sometimes just the morning + afternoon, then very gentle reading that night). I've been doing this since term started and I find its really beneficial! I've also heard people who refuse to work beyond 8pm etc etc.

We need to meet up for another coffee or something :biggrin:

I also find it helpful to write a list of what I need to read, which might be subject specific advice for history, but I tend to read a total of 10 books and I split it so I read 2 over the weekend, four on a monday, four on a tuesday + write my introduction and outline my argument on a rough bit of paper, write wednesday and thursday, and then read around my lectures on a friday. I have the majority of Saturday off and usually just walk around the town for a few hours, get my books on Saturday evening, and start it all again on Sunday. I want to spruce it up a bit because its a little bit monotonous, but its been a good way to start things off.

We were told in one of our first lectures to have a 6 day week, and work 2/3 of a day, which is what I've been sticking too. Some days are more productive than others, but its been working so far. :biggrin:

I think as things get more intense I'll change my routine as needs be, but its worked this term.

I've been focusing on not getting too sucked into the workload too early on because I just don't want to be burned out by Lent. A lot of people on my corridor seemed to have adopted a "enjoy first term" approach because University is a one-time thing. Don't know how good that approach is but I've just tried to strike a balance.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 22

Racoon

19

Original post by Platopus

I’m in my first term at Cambridge and I have honestly done nothing but work since getting here (didn’t even have a proper fresher’s week as I got an essay on my first day and lectures stared a few days after arriving).

I am in the unusual position of having finished my essay which is due in tomorrow and all my other work. I have no lectures or classes at all today... So, I could technically do no work at all. But, I feel guilty just thinking about it. There’s always another book to read and I have a reading list several miles long.

Would it be ok to take the day off?

I would and I'd try and do something I really loved as a reward for working so hard.

Reply 23

AngeryPenguin

18

Original post by Chief Wiggum

Of course it's OK.

Just don't tell this guy:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-41899293

lmao, I had no idea that that made the news.

A Memebridge post in a national newspaper :rofl:

Reply 24

Chief Wiggum

20

Original post by AngeryPenguin

lmao, I had no idea that that made the news.

A Memebridge post in a national newspaper :rofl:

Lol it even made Fox News in America!!

Reply 25

username3469936

9

this is a bit of a pointless thread... it's just common sense that the answer is yes, you didn't need anyone to tell you that.

Reply 26

Doones

21

Original post by gnwekor

this is a bit of a pointless thread... it's just common sense that the answer is yes, you didn't need anyone to tell you that.

Not entirely true, sometimes it helps to be reminded by others :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 27

Platopus

OP

19

Original post by SteamboatMickey

I usually take a day off on a Saturday. I work Sunday-Friday and then have Saturday off (sometimes just the morning + afternoon, then very gentle reading that night). I've been doing this since term started and I find its really beneficial! I've also heard people who refuse to work beyond 8pm etc etc.

We need to meet up for another coffee or something :biggrin:

I also find it helpful to write a list of what I need to read, which might be subject specific advice for history, but I tend to read a total of 10 books and I split it so I read 2 over the weekend, four on a monday, four on a tuesday + write my introduction and outline my argument on a rough bit of paper, write wednesday and thursday, and then read around my lectures on a friday. I have the majority of Saturday off and usually just walk around the town for a few hours, get my books on Saturday evening, and start it all again on Sunday. I want to spruce it up a bit because its a little bit monotonous, but its been a good way to start things off.

We were told in one of our first lectures to have a 6 day week, and work 2/3 of a day, which is what I've been sticking too. Some days are more productive than others, but its been working so far. :biggrin:

I think as things get more intense I'll change my routine as needs be, but its worked this term.

I've been focusing on not getting too sucked into the workload too early on because I just don't want to be burned out by Lent. A lot of people on my corridor seemed to have adopted a "enjoy first term" approach because University is a one-time thing. Don't know how good that approach is but I've just tried to strike a balance.

Ah it's so nice that you can take every Saturday off (mostly). Yesterday was the fiirst day I've actually been in that position sadly haha. I didn't do any work work, but I did finish reading one of my set texts so I feel like I at least did something productive.

Yes, we should meet up again! Maybe I will see you at Ian McKellen or Stephen Hawking? Otherwise, we will need to find afew hours when we're both free!

Original post by gnwekor

this is a bit of a pointless thread... it's just common sense that the answer is yes, you didn't need anyone to tell you that.

Actually, no. Here you have people telling you to work work work, so you genuinely don't know whether it's ok to stop without being told.

Reply 28

Platopus

OP

19

Original post by Chief Wiggum

Of course it's OK.

Just don't tell this guy:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-41899293

Oh my gosh I've see this! So glad my DOS is lovely and would never say those things (even if some of them implying lack of intelliegence and potential sound as if they were written about me!)

Reply 29

auburnstar

17

Two of my friends studying there complain that they keep having to write thousands of words for essays at 1am or 4am. They study classics and chinese respectively. One thing's being challenged but I know I couldn't write well in the very early morning. Is this true for every course??

Reply 30

Doones

21

Original post by Platopus

Oh my gosh I've see this! So glad my DOS is lovely and would never say those things (even if some of them implying lack of intelliegence and potential sound as if they were written about me!)

And that DoS has been heavily criticised by other academics at Cambridge.

(Which, like the rest of that DoS's opinion, is rubbish :wink:

*You* are clearly there entirely on merit, and your place is well-deserved. You don't need to prove that to anyone, and certainly not in your day to day work... not every essay has to be 100%. After all, a 2:1 is 60%, and even a First is "only" 70%.)

Posted from TSR Mobile

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 31

Paralove

21

Original post by auburnstar

Two of my friends studying there complain that they keep having to write thousands of words for essays at 1am or 4am. They study classics and chinese respectively. One thing's being challenged but I know I couldn't write well in the very early morning. Is this true for every course??

At some point I think most of us have stayed up late to get an essay done... but far more often than not it could have been avoided, whether that be through not procrastinating, spreading work out more evenly or whatever. I do MML and find my issue is often having so many pieces of work to do (language work, translation and then literature papers on top) which makes it easy for me to choose to do the nicer but less-imminently due piece of work aha.

Reply 32

username1865079

14

Original post by auburnstar

Two of my friends studying there complain that they keep having to write thousands of words for essays at 1am or 4am. They study classics and chinese respectively. One thing's being challenged but I know I couldn't write well in the very early morning. Is this true for every course??

Certainly many people do work past midnight often, but having to do it everyday or very regularly until 4 am is bit extreme......
It’d all depend on how well you can time-manage.
Some people learns relatively quickly how to be efficient, some people take longer to get a grip of it.
But I think it’s fair to say your sleeping time will probably be reduced quite a bit while at Cambridge.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 33

auburnstar

17

Original post by vincrows

Certainly many people do work past midnight often, but having to do it everyday or very regularly until 4 am is bit extreme......
It’d all depend on how well you can time-manage.
Some people learns relatively quickly how to be efficient, some people take longer to get a grip of it.
But I think it’s fair to say your sleeping time will probably be reduced quite a bit while at Cambridge.

The last point's a fair one given the workload, but if someone needed 8-9hrs of sleep because of a chronic illness would they be able to survive in that environment and make adjustments or would it be unrealistic and not worth applying/taking up an offer?

Reply 34

Captain Jack

20

Original post by Platopus

I’m in my first term at Cambridge and I have honestly done nothing but work since getting here (didn’t even have a proper fresher’s week as I got an essay on my first day and lectures stared a few days after arriving).

I am in the unusual position of having finished my essay which is due in tomorrow and all my other work. I have no lectures or classes at all today... So, I could technically do no work at all. But, I feel guilty just thinking about it. There’s always another book to read and I have a reading list several miles long.

Would it be ok to take the day off?

You've got to take a day off. Only by freeing up your brain and relaxing will your best thoughts and ideas come to you naturally.

Reply 35

username1865079

14

Original post by auburnstar

The last point's a fair one given the workload, but if someone needed 8-9hrs of sleep because of a chronic illness would they be able to survive in that environment and make adjustments or would it be unrealistic and not worth applying/taking up an offer?

I think it’d really depend on how efficiently you can work during a day.
I don’t personally know anyone who were able to get 8-9 hr sleep regularly when they were at Cambridge.
I know my daughter and many of her friends’ usual sleeping hours there was something around 5/6 hrs or so at most and sometimes even less, so was my niece’s, which is considerably shorter than when they’re at home.

And I don’t personally know anyone who needs a long sleep for medical reason, so I’m not in a position to answer your question, I’m afraid.

The difficult thing is, they can usually provide very good support if you have physical or mental difficulties, but if you have a condition getting a long sleep regularly is the must for your wellbeing, I’m not too sure how they can accommodate it in their teaching, if you can’t cope either their regular workload for your course. Would they reduce the assignment for you or would they lower the expectation of standard you can produce? I have no idea.
I think you’ll have to ask the question to the admission tutors in this forum. Nobody else can give you any appropriate advice on the issue like that.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 36

Tian1Sky

15

Original post by auburnstar

The last point's a fair one given the workload, but if someone needed 8-9hrs of sleep because of a chronic illness would they be able to survive in that environment and make adjustments or would it be unrealistic and not worth applying/taking up an offer?

I always get 8/9 hours, even during term time. It's worked so far for me. My attitude is that if you can't get your work done by 10pm, you're doing something wrong. I think the problems stem from poor time management, too many other activities, or the mistaken belief that you have to do every single thing your lecturers/supervisors tell you to do.

Reply 37

Tanya W

7

Original post by Platopus

I’m in my first term at Cambridge and I have honestly done nothing but work since getting here (didn’t even have a proper fresher’s week as I got an essay on my first day and lectures stared a few days after arriving).

I am in the unusual position of having finished my essay which is due in tomorrow and all my other work. I have no lectures or classes at all today... So, I could technically do no work at all. But, I feel guilty just thinking about it. There’s always another book to read and I have a reading list several miles long.

Would it be ok to take the day off?

Yes, yes, yes, you can and should take a day (or more) off. You deserve to have a break and some time not doing anything academic. This will give your body time to recoup and ensure you do not become stressed or ill.
Try to wipe any guilty feelings, as you will achieve more (in all areas of life), when you balance things.
Best of luck and do put taking "me" breaks into part of your student life.