Can't handle my final year of university.
Entered the fourth and final year of my undergrad masters physics course. I've been hoping to try and average a 1st. With the first/second/third year, I've done great with coursework question assignments/coding etc (higher than a first), and not do so well with exams (ranging from 80% to 40%). I just don't do so well with exams due to anxieties and all. Sadly they are weighted higher than the assignments.
So far I'm averaging a 2:1 and if I want to average a 1st, I need to get about 80% or so this year. Difficult but possible, especially because i have no exams for fourth year.
Difficulty wise, I find the work reasonable, but my real problem are the deadlines. I have 3 short 6 week intensive modules, a regular semester long module, and a year long project to do.
I can't handle the deadlines. I've resorted to various ways to try and get more time: stopped going to the gym, minimalized hanging out with friends, locking myself in my room more and doing more all nighters. it still isn't enough. My health has deteriorated, and my friends have been worried about it for some time.
I've only have the time to hand in a first draft of the assignments which gets me in trouble. I usually get A's for my reports (my year long project report from third year was an A), but I got a C for the one this year and given comments that I even made mistakes first years/A level students would make (I handed this in the second I finished the first draft, I hadn't even checked/redrafted it).
With another assignment I got into trouble. This involves writing a white paper. When writing a paper, I usually research into a topic, collecting sites/other resources. Copy sections of interest into my paper, position them in an appropriate order and put all my references at the end. Now that all the information I want is self contained within the paper i then rewrite the entire paper into my own words. Everything is referenced twice, in the actual text, and at the end in the reference list. After this first draft, I would keep redrafting till I was happy with it. then submit it
With this assignment, again, I barely had time to finish this. I obviously know that if i don't write this in my own words then it will be plagiarizing but with deadlines so close, I was worried about finishing on time let alone whether everything was adequately in my own words. Sadly this led me to have a talk with the head of my course over plaguirising some paragraphs. Since I always keep all my references open and include all of them in the reference list at the end, I managed to show him that i didn't just steal information for myself. but since I didn't write "(johnson et al. 2003)" etc in some (not the whole paper) parts of the actual text that was why my work was flagged up. He said this wont turn into a bigger problem but i will lose marks. he advised me to make sure i rewrite those parts of the text into my own words to avoid this issue... i already knew this, it wouldn't have happened if the deadlines were not so short. sadly i didn't tell him that at the time, but i did send him an email afterwards which he never replied to. Ended up getting a C for what over wise would have been an "overall very detailed white paper"
I wanted to push myself this year, but I feel like everything is slowly being ruined due to the short deadlines and this year becoming more subjective than the previous years.It seems like I will barely average a 2:1. I was pretty much having a mental breakdown but it was nice to have the month long christmas holiday to not only calm down, but to get extra work done to try and get ahead before i go back to uni
I talked to my disability counselor about this but it took a long time to get an appointment because of my busy workload (so all of the above already happened before i met her). I told her my problems, and she helped me to order my workload and mention possibly use extenuating circumstance forms for extending deadlines because I'm eligible. but this doesn't help because I'm doing short intensive modules. extending one deadline will overlap with another so i wont have enough time for that either. while I appreciate her trying to help with ordering my workload, I don't have problems with ordering. my problem is with finishing work to a good standard before the deadline, and worries about my previous module assignments.
I forgot to mention my worries about the previous work, so I plan on making an appointment first thing when i come back, and make sure I write down EVERYTHING i'm worried about and bring that with me.
so far I've been stuck in my room for the holidays trying to relax/calm down before i start working again. my mum was nagging me to see my gran (lives 5 minutes away) who hasn't seen me in a while. I wanted to stay in my room but I went anyway. But I started tearing up for some reason and I went back home to calm down again. now I feel quite bad
So far I'm averaging a 2:1 and if I want to average a 1st, I need to get about 80% or so this year. Difficult but possible, especially because i have no exams for fourth year.
Difficulty wise, I find the work reasonable, but my real problem are the deadlines. I have 3 short 6 week intensive modules, a regular semester long module, and a year long project to do.
I can't handle the deadlines. I've resorted to various ways to try and get more time: stopped going to the gym, minimalized hanging out with friends, locking myself in my room more and doing more all nighters. it still isn't enough. My health has deteriorated, and my friends have been worried about it for some time.
I've only have the time to hand in a first draft of the assignments which gets me in trouble. I usually get A's for my reports (my year long project report from third year was an A), but I got a C for the one this year and given comments that I even made mistakes first years/A level students would make (I handed this in the second I finished the first draft, I hadn't even checked/redrafted it).
With another assignment I got into trouble. This involves writing a white paper. When writing a paper, I usually research into a topic, collecting sites/other resources. Copy sections of interest into my paper, position them in an appropriate order and put all my references at the end. Now that all the information I want is self contained within the paper i then rewrite the entire paper into my own words. Everything is referenced twice, in the actual text, and at the end in the reference list. After this first draft, I would keep redrafting till I was happy with it. then submit it
With this assignment, again, I barely had time to finish this. I obviously know that if i don't write this in my own words then it will be plagiarizing but with deadlines so close, I was worried about finishing on time let alone whether everything was adequately in my own words. Sadly this led me to have a talk with the head of my course over plaguirising some paragraphs. Since I always keep all my references open and include all of them in the reference list at the end, I managed to show him that i didn't just steal information for myself. but since I didn't write "(johnson et al. 2003)" etc in some (not the whole paper) parts of the actual text that was why my work was flagged up. He said this wont turn into a bigger problem but i will lose marks. he advised me to make sure i rewrite those parts of the text into my own words to avoid this issue... i already knew this, it wouldn't have happened if the deadlines were not so short. sadly i didn't tell him that at the time, but i did send him an email afterwards which he never replied to. Ended up getting a C for what over wise would have been an "overall very detailed white paper"
I wanted to push myself this year, but I feel like everything is slowly being ruined due to the short deadlines and this year becoming more subjective than the previous years.It seems like I will barely average a 2:1. I was pretty much having a mental breakdown but it was nice to have the month long christmas holiday to not only calm down, but to get extra work done to try and get ahead before i go back to uni
I talked to my disability counselor about this but it took a long time to get an appointment because of my busy workload (so all of the above already happened before i met her). I told her my problems, and she helped me to order my workload and mention possibly use extenuating circumstance forms for extending deadlines because I'm eligible. but this doesn't help because I'm doing short intensive modules. extending one deadline will overlap with another so i wont have enough time for that either. while I appreciate her trying to help with ordering my workload, I don't have problems with ordering. my problem is with finishing work to a good standard before the deadline, and worries about my previous module assignments.
I forgot to mention my worries about the previous work, so I plan on making an appointment first thing when i come back, and make sure I write down EVERYTHING i'm worried about and bring that with me.
so far I've been stuck in my room for the holidays trying to relax/calm down before i start working again. my mum was nagging me to see my gran (lives 5 minutes away) who hasn't seen me in a while. I wanted to stay in my room but I went anyway. But I started tearing up for some reason and I went back home to calm down again. now I feel quite bad
try and stop your single minded focus on that 1st, a 2.1 is a perfectly good grade and will see you happily into most grad scheme/jobs... unfortunately your final year will be hard, there is no way around that and as you've said extending deadlines later in uni just doesn't help as you will only have another essay to do
have you contacted your personal tutor to discuss your problems? and is there any department drop ins etc that you can get extra advice on your work? this may help you finish in advance of the deadlines with more ease
have you contacted your personal tutor to discuss your problems? and is there any department drop ins etc that you can get extra advice on your work? this may help you finish in advance of the deadlines with more ease
Original post by doodle_333
try and stop your single minded focus on that 1st, a 2.1 is a perfectly good grade and will see you happily into most grad scheme/jobs... unfortunately your final year will be hard, there is no way around that and as you've said extending deadlines later in uni just doesn't help as you will only have another essay to do
First of all, this ^
Secondly, a first class degree in masters physics is the dream for everyone I'm sure, but definately not worth jeopardising your health over. Your family, friends, tutors, classmates and everyone on TSR will be so pleased for you and so impressed to see you achieve a 2:1!!
By pulling all nighters you are ruining your sleep hygiene. When you don't sleep everything else goes down the pan as well. You have to take time out to see friends as well because you NEED the occasional break. Even with a huge workload and deadlines. Granted, you may need to do less of certain things to get your work done but you can't make your life all about uni work and the pursuit of perfect grades. Just having a masters at all is AMAZING!!!! By undertaking this course in the first place you are already, in my eyes, a very accomplished academic.
Just remember that the pursuit of perfection can ruin a person. What about when you achieve your 1st? Will it be good enough or will you want more? Will it realy make you happy?
I wish you all the luck in the world but please do not let this become any more of an obsession.
xxxx
A 4th year in a degree like yours is never going to be easy.
However, I fear you are in danger of working too hard and in doing so not 'working smart.' Eg. if you pull too many all-nighters your concentration and health will decline, meaning you become less efficient and take longer, perhaps perpetuating the cycle.
You need to see friends and perhaps go back into the gym. Granted, gone are the days you can go clubbing every night - once weekly for 2-3 hours may be all you can manage. And a 30 min workout as opposed to hours spent by the Smith machine! But your efficiency will improve in your work.
The fact that you have a disability counsellor - does this imply a learning difficulty? Whatever it is - do push for extenuating circumstances both for future, past and present modules.
One strategy I have used before is actually bring the deadline(s) forward in your own mind by a few days each. This will give you 'bonus time' to get your work from first draft stage to something more refined.
Lastly it's annoying if you end up with say 69% and a 2.1 (maybe UK unis need to start using GPA) but your health and a 2.1 (a decent grade) is better than you having a complete breakdown on chasing a Damien and ending up with a Desmond!
However, I fear you are in danger of working too hard and in doing so not 'working smart.' Eg. if you pull too many all-nighters your concentration and health will decline, meaning you become less efficient and take longer, perhaps perpetuating the cycle.
You need to see friends and perhaps go back into the gym. Granted, gone are the days you can go clubbing every night - once weekly for 2-3 hours may be all you can manage. And a 30 min workout as opposed to hours spent by the Smith machine! But your efficiency will improve in your work.
The fact that you have a disability counsellor - does this imply a learning difficulty? Whatever it is - do push for extenuating circumstances both for future, past and present modules.
One strategy I have used before is actually bring the deadline(s) forward in your own mind by a few days each. This will give you 'bonus time' to get your work from first draft stage to something more refined.
Lastly it's annoying if you end up with say 69% and a 2.1 (maybe UK unis need to start using GPA) but your health and a 2.1 (a decent grade) is better than you having a complete breakdown on chasing a Damien and ending up with a Desmond!
A 2.1 is more than fine, chill.
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Anonymous
x
I feel your pain OP, I need to make a average 73% this year for a first to offset my poor A levels, handed in a piece of coursework that was bad, but all still to play for with 80% exams.
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