Essay Crisis!!!

al65

Oh well...there goes any hope that next year would be easy :wink:

. BTW how many supervisions do you get per week (and is it the same for all colleges)? How long do they last?

I get 3, and they're an hour long each. We also get 2 supervisions a term in Medical Sociology and ISBM. Other colleges might be slightly different, but you'll have at least 3. And your Biochem supervisor will probably be the same as mine, unless they change things.

Reply 62

Alex_R

Hi there mate, I'm a first year medic at Christ's. I reckon I've skipped a few lectures mainly due to essay crises (and occasionaly the 3-4 hours rowing training I do a day), and even worse a few dissections. For me, if my work were to slip in biochem or anatomy, I would get asked some tough questions by my DoS or tutor. Physiology, you can just about get away with if you're good at it. It's best to go to lectures as it makes the revision so much easier, but if the notes are good sometimes its possible to skip a few and still make the essays look good. Look forward to seeing you in October, what's your offer?

Reply 63

al65

Alex_R

Hi there mate, I'm a first year medic at Christ's. I reckon I've skipped a few lectures mainly due to essay crises (and occasionaly the 3-4 hours rowing training I do a day), and even worse a few dissections. For me, if my work were to slip in biochem or anatomy, I would get asked some tough questions by my DoS or tutor. Physiology, you can just about get away with if you're good at it. It's best to go to lectures as it makes the revision so much easier, but if the notes are good sometimes its possible to skip a few and still make the essays look good. Look forward to seeing you in October, what's your offer?

Hey!!!! That's great!! I'll definitely be seeing you next year as my offer's EEE (+ 2 take AEAs) and I'm gonna accept cambridge as a firm. The only reason I'm really asking about skiping lectures is because it'd be nice to have a lie in every now and then if possible (and also compensate for these saturday lectures i've heard about). I already know a couple of guys at christ's (2 doing medicine)...know chinty by any chance?

Reply 64

al65

The only reason I'm really asking about skiping lectures is because it'd be nice to have a lie in every now and then if possible (and also compensate for these saturday lectures i've heard about).

We don't have Saturday lectures in the first year.

We even have a lie in tomorrow - no lecture till 12 :biggrin:

Alex - are you rowing for the 1st boat? That sounds like crazy hours! I'm sure even our mad boaties don't do that :eek:

Reply 65

hildabeast

OP

7

jamierwilliams

how many essays a week does your friend do who studies History & German?...also, what does she think of the course?

I think she gets two a week, which is the same as me. She seems to like it, but thinks it's challenging. She also seems to have quite a few more lectures than the single honours people.

Reply 66

DC_1234

Alex_R

Hi there mate, I'm a first year medic at Christ's. I reckon I've skipped a few lectures mainly due to essay crises (and occasionaly the 3-4 hours rowing training I do a day), and even worse a few dissections. For me, if my work were to slip in biochem or anatomy, I would get asked some tough questions by my DoS or tutor. Physiology, you can just about get away with if you're good at it. It's best to go to lectures as it makes the revision so much easier, but if the notes are good sometimes its possible to skip a few and still make the essays look good. Look forward to seeing you in October, what's your offer?

Couldn't you form a union with all the other boaties and make an agreement that you won't train if they don't. Think about it.... all that extra time saved and you don't need to worry about anyone else getting better.... everyone can just fester in free-time bliss.

Reply 67

Alex_R

Al65: Yeah I'm friends with a first year Christ's medic called Chinthake if that's who you are talking about. Nice guy.

Helen: Yeah rowing first boat at the moment. Can't wait until bumps are over and I can stop getting up at 5:45. Be nice to do some work as well.

Faboba: I'm not sure you get the whole rowing thing. You have to put in the hours to get results. If you goof off training then you get beaten by everyone else and get laughed at by the other colleges. No good.

Off to the van of life now before I go to bed.

Reply 68

Bumblebee3

8

Hi HildaB - pity me, I had 4 essays in the same week once this term. Usually it's about 2 a week which is still bad. Think 'Cambridge/Oxford companion to...', strong coffee and chocolate orange :-)

Reply 69

Katie J

10

Haz

Hi HildaB - pity me, I had 4 essays in the same week once this term. Usually it's about 2 a week which is still bad. Think 'Cambridge/Oxford companion to...', strong coffee and chocolate orange :-)

Heya...I was given your name earlier...are you the Newnham Arch & Anther??
I have a Newnham offer for arch & anth 2004...what's it like?! (nice general question...! :tongue:

) You're above post is a tad scary!
And they keep telling me A-Levels are the hardest thing I'll ever have to do... :frown:

Reply 70

Bumblebee3

8

Katie J

Heya...I was given your name earlier...are you the Newnham Arch & Anther??
I have a Newnham offer for arch & anth 2004...what's it like?! (nice general question...! :tongue:

) You're above post is a tad scary!
And they keep telling me A-Levels are the hardest thing I'll ever have to do... :frown:

Hi,
yep, I'm a Newnhamite Archnanth, don't worry, the 4 essay thing was just bad supervision timings. Usually I can sort it so I don't have so many in one week. It is a lot of work but It's also enjoyable which makes up for it. Newnham work loads are on the heay side but the up side is you will be more confident in exams and it has a good academic rep. Besides, when I first arrived I was spending a few days on essays and now I can write one in a day (or night :-) or less. You will get into the swing of things really quickly, promise! & Catherine (our DOS) is great (even if she scared you at interview!)

Feel free to PM with any questions

Reply 71

Katie J

10

Haz

Hi,
yep, I'm a Newnhamite Archnanth, don't worry, the 4 essay thing was just bad supervision timings. Usually I can sort it so I don't have so many in one week. It is a lot of work but It's also enjoyable which makes up for it. Newnham work loads are on the heay side but the up side is you will be more confident in exams and it has a good academic rep. Besides, when I first arrived I was spending a few days on essays and now I can write one in a day (or night :-) or less. You will get into the swing of things really quickly, promise! & Catherine (our DOS) is great (even if she scared you at interview!)

Feel free to PM with any questions

Hey!
Thanks! Catherine (Dr Hills?) was lovely! I really enjoyed her interview! I fear I may have made a bit of a fool of myself though; a few daft answers! It made a nice change to have someone to talk to about archaeology, my friends & family are more than fed up of it, they just don't understand my enthusiasm for it! She was really encouraging, more like a discussion than the interregation I was expecting!

[more general questions for anyone!]

How do they set the essays? Is it one per supervision or are they given out at the start of term or in lectures? How long do they tend to be?

Reply 72

Haz

Hi HildaB - pity me, I had 4 essays in the same week once this term. Usually it's about 2 a week which is still bad. Think 'Cambridge/Oxford companion to...', strong coffee and chocolate orange :-)

OMG Haz are you serious? What have I let myself in for?????????

EDIT: btw Haz how are you?....I guessed u must have been working hard cos u haven't posted in quite some time :biggrin:

Reply 73

Haz

Hi,
yep, I'm a Newnhamite Archnanth, don't worry, the 4 essay thing was just bad supervision timings. Usually I can sort it so I don't have so many in one week. It is a lot of work but It's also enjoyable which makes up for it. Newnham work loads are on the heay side but the up side is you will be more confident in exams and it has a good academic rep. Besides, when I first arrived I was spending a few days on essays and now I can write one in a day (or night :-) or less. You will get into the swing of things really quickly, promise! & Catherine (our DOS) is great (even if she scared you at interview!)

Feel free to PM with any questions

I have a question (not just directed to Haz, although a response from Haz would be very acceptable :smile:

):
It is true that we all do the same degree and sit the same exams irrespective of college. However, it seems to me that each colleges teaching differs substantially, and the workload varies from college to college. Does this mean that some people will be better prepared for the exams than others (assuming they do only the minimum required by the college)? I was led to beleive that essays/workload are generally set by the faculty and not college. How wrong am I?

I am beginning to get a little concerned now, because I am very lazy and need to be forced to work hard......and my college is a graduate college so I would imagine that the atmosphere is relatively relaxed.......I think I would just fall apart if I had to do four essays in one week without bullied by tutors.

Reply 74

I don't know how Arts subjects do it, though I assume it's the same, but in Medicine essays are set by college supervisors. The faculty is in charge of lectures and practicals, but you will do most of your work out-of-lectures for your supervisors. Workloads do vary depending on which supervisor you get, and some colleges do get more essays than others (Caius always get 3/4 a week, whereas we get 1-3).

Reply 75

Helenia

I don't know how Arts subjects do it, though I assume it's the same, but in Medicine essays are set by college supervisors. The faculty is in charge of lectures and practicals, but you will do most of your work out-of-lectures for your supervisors. Workloads do vary depending on which supervisor you get, and some colleges do get more essays than others (Caius always get 3/4 a week, whereas we get 1-3).

Those silly dons at Cambridge tricked me :frown:

Bastards.

Reply 76

KHL

(Caius always get 3/4 a week, whereas we get 1-3).

well... on average, it's true to a certain extent.

it usually works out that we get 2 to 3 essays a week :rolleyes:

, until the stars are in alignment, and the supervisors are in agreement, and then we're royally screwed and get 6 or 7 to make up for... something or other :frown:

. (even within Caius supervision workload does differ somewhat - i think i've got one of the most "heavy" combinations of supervisors though... :rolleyes:

)

i am sooo tempted to bin the renal lecture today...

Reply 77

KHL

well... on average, it's true to a certain extent.

it usually works out that we get 2 to 3 essays a week :rolleyes:

, until the stars are in alignment, and the supervisors are in agreement, and then we're royally screwed and get 6 or 7 to make up for... something or other :frown:

. (even within Caius supervision workload does differ somewhat - i think i've got one of the most "heavy" combinations of supervisors though... :rolleyes:

)

i am sooo tempted to bin the renal lecture today...

So where does a Caius member find time to row in the first boat, Caius, I believe, have some of the strongest boats on the cam dont they?

PS What is a good time for rowing 2k? On a concept II (I beleive Cambridge terminology is 'erg') I currently manage 5 minutes 43 seconds on lever 6 - on a good day, and under 7mins on a bad. How do you think I will fare in the trials?

How do the Wolfson boats look this year?

Reply 78