struggling with uni
I just finished my second year of a STEM degree and am struggling. I got a low 2.2 this year due to poor grades in my exams. My lab modules I got firsts and 2.1 in, but my issue is remembering and being able to apply content in exams.
I’d really like to get a 2.1 when I graduate and wonders if anyone has any advise and tips for me? Final year I still have exams but it’s all 3 credit modules.
I’d really like to get a 2.1 when I graduate and wonders if anyone has any advise and tips for me? Final year I still have exams but it’s all 3 credit modules.
Original post by Anonymous
I just finished my second year of a STEM degree and am struggling. I got a low 2.2 this year due to poor grades in my exams. My lab modules I got firsts and 2.1 in, but my issue is remembering and being able to apply content in exams.
I’d really like to get a 2.1 when I graduate and wonders if anyone has any advise and tips for me? Final year I still have exams but it’s all 3 credit modules.
I’d really like to get a 2.1 when I graduate and wonders if anyone has any advise and tips for me? Final year I still have exams but it’s all 3 credit modules.
I’d also like to add I struggle with motivation and feel like i’m not made for uni and my degree
Hiya Anon,
I'm sorry to hear you've been finding things difficult. University isn't always easy, and please rest assured many students struggle with feelings that they aren't 'made for it.' But remember, you got into university on your own merits because you got good grades, wrote a stand-out personal statement, and are clearly more than capable of succeeding.
Its also really normal for people to fare better in some types of assessment than others - personally I was like you in that I found coursework and practical work a lot more straightforward than exams! Have you spoken to your personal tutor about your concerns? Perhaps they can give you some advice on where you can go for help with managing exams. Have you also thought about asking for a meeting with your lecturers on modules you found difficult? It could be worth going in armed with a couple of recent past exam questions and asking for their tips on approaching it.
It is VERY rare for people to get top grades in every type of assessment and every module, so please give yourself a break! Its just about doing the best you can and using what help is available to give yourself the best chance. Everyone wants you to succeed
I hope that helps - very best wishes for your next year
Holly
University of Bath
I'm sorry to hear you've been finding things difficult. University isn't always easy, and please rest assured many students struggle with feelings that they aren't 'made for it.' But remember, you got into university on your own merits because you got good grades, wrote a stand-out personal statement, and are clearly more than capable of succeeding.
Its also really normal for people to fare better in some types of assessment than others - personally I was like you in that I found coursework and practical work a lot more straightforward than exams! Have you spoken to your personal tutor about your concerns? Perhaps they can give you some advice on where you can go for help with managing exams. Have you also thought about asking for a meeting with your lecturers on modules you found difficult? It could be worth going in armed with a couple of recent past exam questions and asking for their tips on approaching it.
It is VERY rare for people to get top grades in every type of assessment and every module, so please give yourself a break! Its just about doing the best you can and using what help is available to give yourself the best chance. Everyone wants you to succeed
I hope that helps - very best wishes for your next year
Holly
University of Bath
Anon,
It is difficult to be motivated if you don't enjoy university or your degree.
You have made it this far so it's worth persevering for the final year, but hopefully you can make changes to make your university life or studies that make it more enjoyable. Are you involved in any societies? It's important to study but it's also important to have time to rest and to switch off so that you can approach your studies fresh and with energy. Meeting new people and socialising more might help you enjoy more of university life.
When it comes to remembering stuff, it's about finding the best way that works for you. I try to find some connection with the items I need to remember and try to come up with a phrase or a word association to help me. Writing things out again and again I also find helpful, as it helps me remember the order of things. I also sometimes try to remember items by creating a rhythm to the words.
Perhaps think back to your A' levels or your GCSEs and think about what revision strategies you used and what worked. You could also ask your course mates how they manage to remember stuff. They might use tables to organise content to help remember the similarities or contrasts, posters with key information that they are able to recall in exams, or make use of resources that break down content into a more manageable way.
You could also try boosting your memory skills by doing more memorising, more regularly e.g. learning a language. By practicing a few words or phrases or just going through the process of remembering, it might strengthen your ability to recall information. You could start today! There are lots of websites, apps, books etc that you could use.
Once you have found ways to recall information better, practising questions will help you apply what you have learnt. The more experience you have with the kind of questions they might ask in an exam and the different ways they can ask for the same information, you will feel more confident!
All the best,
Oluwatosin – 2nd year student – University of Huddersfield
It is difficult to be motivated if you don't enjoy university or your degree.
You have made it this far so it's worth persevering for the final year, but hopefully you can make changes to make your university life or studies that make it more enjoyable. Are you involved in any societies? It's important to study but it's also important to have time to rest and to switch off so that you can approach your studies fresh and with energy. Meeting new people and socialising more might help you enjoy more of university life.
When it comes to remembering stuff, it's about finding the best way that works for you. I try to find some connection with the items I need to remember and try to come up with a phrase or a word association to help me. Writing things out again and again I also find helpful, as it helps me remember the order of things. I also sometimes try to remember items by creating a rhythm to the words.
Perhaps think back to your A' levels or your GCSEs and think about what revision strategies you used and what worked. You could also ask your course mates how they manage to remember stuff. They might use tables to organise content to help remember the similarities or contrasts, posters with key information that they are able to recall in exams, or make use of resources that break down content into a more manageable way.
You could also try boosting your memory skills by doing more memorising, more regularly e.g. learning a language. By practicing a few words or phrases or just going through the process of remembering, it might strengthen your ability to recall information. You could start today! There are lots of websites, apps, books etc that you could use.
Once you have found ways to recall information better, practising questions will help you apply what you have learnt. The more experience you have with the kind of questions they might ask in an exam and the different ways they can ask for the same information, you will feel more confident!
All the best,
Oluwatosin – 2nd year student – University of Huddersfield
Original post by Anonymous
I just finished my second year of a STEM degree and am struggling. I got a low 2.2 this year due to poor grades in my exams. My lab modules I got firsts and 2.1 in, but my issue is remembering and being able to apply content in exams.
I’d really like to get a 2.1 when I graduate and wonders if anyone has any advise and tips for me? Final year I still have exams but it’s all 3 credit modules.
I’d really like to get a 2.1 when I graduate and wonders if anyone has any advise and tips for me? Final year I still have exams but it’s all 3 credit modules.
Hi there,
First of all, I'm really sorry to hear that you're struggling. Try to remind yourself that most people probably find University tricky at times, so you are not alone in how you're feeling. I'm hoping I can help you feel better and give you some tips going forward into your final year.
I thought I'd start by talking about the motivation aspect you mentioned in your second post. Sometimes when deadlines are coming up all the time and you have lecture content to cover, it's easy to lose motivation and feel burnt out. I personally struggled with motivation as well at one point, but by talking to someone about it, I learnt there was something I could implement to help - acknowledging successes and progression rather than just moving onto the next thing. I like to think of it like a form of positive reinforcement. What she did was when she got a result she treated herself to a nice coffee with friends. But it can be whatever you want it to be. For me it was allowing myself more time for hobbies (as well as a few sweet treats
). If I couldn't do those thing then even something as simple as ticking off an assignment on a piece of paper allows yourself to feel a sense of accomplishment, and that the effort you made was worth it. This then might help you feel more motivated to tick off more things, creating a positive motivational cycle.It's totally normal to feel disheartened when receiving a result you weren't hoping for, which can fuel feelings of not being meant for it. But do remember that you must have performed really well to get where you are now, and you should feel very proud of that! You got firsts and 2:1s in you labs - that's amazing!
Lots of people revise in different ways and you've already had a great response talking about different revision techniques. I thought I'd add mine encase you find it helpful. My general lecture notes are just black bullet points of information which I find really hard to absorb information from. But I use these detailed notes to make colourful handwritten posters that are way more condensed. You can even draw pictures rather than writing things out in words. I find these colourful posters a lot easier to use when testing my memory and sometimes in exams I'll think to myself "This was what I wrote in the blue box on my poster" and the information comes to me. This might not be a method that works for you but maybe over summer before you go into your final year, you could have a go at trying different techniques and see which you prefer. I've linked a useful page with a few ideas here to help you start.
It might be worth talking to a tutor/academic regarding your concerns as they might be able to offer some advice/support or forward you onto people who can help.
I hope this helps. I wish you the best of luck in your third year and hope you reach your goal of a 2:1!
Bethan
University of Exeter Student Ambassador
(edited 9 months ago)
Thank you all for the advise, I really appreciate. I will make sure to utilise these ideas in my final year.
Original post by Anonymous
I just finished my second year of a STEM degree and am struggling. I got a low 2.2 this year due to poor grades in my exams. My lab modules I got firsts and 2.1 in, but my issue is remembering and being able to apply content in exams.
I’d really like to get a 2.1 when I graduate and wonders if anyone has any advise and tips for me? Final year I still have exams but it’s all 3 credit modules.
I’d really like to get a 2.1 when I graduate and wonders if anyone has any advise and tips for me? Final year I still have exams but it’s all 3 credit modules.
Hello,
I would advise you to speak to your course/personal tutor about the best way you could plan your revision. There would be support services at your university as well who could help with revision tips and planning. They will be able to tailor advice based on your situation.
Kind regards,
Juzer
Coventry University Student Ambassador
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