Managing workload
I’m in year three, in semester one I have had two 2,000 word essays and one 4,000 word essays.
In semester two I have found out it’s the same, with all the essays due in the same 3 weeks as my 8,000 word dissertation. As well as a 2,000 word essay on the same day as the 4,000 word essay.
How on earth do I manage this workload alongside a job and a family? They’re reluctant on giving extensions this semester as I graduate in September and it delays everything as I’m going to be doing a post grad degree too. I cannot work alongside my post grad degree so was planning to work overtime in the summer to gather some savings. Meaning I cannot quit my job, yet.
How on earth do I cope?
In semester two I have found out it’s the same, with all the essays due in the same 3 weeks as my 8,000 word dissertation. As well as a 2,000 word essay on the same day as the 4,000 word essay.
How on earth do I manage this workload alongside a job and a family? They’re reluctant on giving extensions this semester as I graduate in September and it delays everything as I’m going to be doing a post grad degree too. I cannot work alongside my post grad degree so was planning to work overtime in the summer to gather some savings. Meaning I cannot quit my job, yet.
How on earth do I cope?
(edited 1 year ago)
Reply 1
Original post by TheArcher
I’m in year three, in semester one I have had two 2,000 word essays and one 4,000 word essays.
In semester two I have found out it’s the same, with all the essays due in the same 3 weeks as my 8,000 word dissertation. As well as a 2,000 word essay on the same day as the 4,000 word essay.
How on earth do I manage this workload alongside a job and a family? They’re reluctant on giving extensions this semester as I graduate in September and it delays everything as I’m going to be doing a post grad degree too. I cannot work alongside my post grad degree so was planning to work overtime in the summer to gather some savings. Meaning I cannot quit my job, yet.
How on earth do I cope?
In semester two I have found out it’s the same, with all the essays due in the same 3 weeks as my 8,000 word dissertation. As well as a 2,000 word essay on the same day as the 4,000 word essay.
How on earth do I manage this workload alongside a job and a family? They’re reluctant on giving extensions this semester as I graduate in September and it delays everything as I’m going to be doing a post grad degree too. I cannot work alongside my post grad degree so was planning to work overtime in the summer to gather some savings. Meaning I cannot quit my job, yet.
How on earth do I cope?
Sorry to hear about your circumstances.
It sounds like you're doing a humanities subject.
The following have helped me with tight deadlines, if you haven't done them already:
•
Learn to touch type - if your typing speed isn't at least 30wpm. It takes 10 hours (which can be done over the weekend) and it's a skill for life.
•
Learn to speed read - something that you can pick up relatively easy but can take months to master
•
Be very selective in your reading - if the article or passage is not relevant, you can skim through it and go for the relevant sections
•
Use your unit outline to maxmimum effect e.g. there are usually a long list of recommended sources for your units and they tend to be the key papers that would give you the highest grades
•
Look at references of your references to cut down on research time
•
Look at references on Wikipedia for the specific topics that you're researching on, as opposed to using the article itself
I have also been recently looking into using AI to help me schedule my workload. Notion AI (from the Notion app) is apprently pretty good for this if you give a good enough prompt, but it seems that ChatGPT should do the same job. I haven't found an AI app or website that would allow you to schedule everything for free just yet.
Reply 2
Get a giant laminated wallchart calendar and enter in all the deadlines.
Block out all the times you can't do uni work due to family and other commitments.
Do some number crunching - work out the available slots left over and divide them up according to the number of assessments.
Regarding the assessments, break them down into mini-tasks (e.g. reading, first draft, revision, referencing) and allocate a number of slots for each plus deadlines for when they would ideally be completed. .
The other thing to do is look at the weightings of each individual assessment component. Chase the money - i.e. put more effort into the components worth the most while at the same time making sure that you pass everything that needs to be passed.
It can be done if you are meticulous in your planning and, importantly, stick to it.
For example, if you believe you have done enough to pass an assessment component, and have used up your allocated slots, stop and move on. Get used to the idea of "good enough".
Finally, make sure that you read all assessment instructions REALLY CAREFULLY so that you don't make any stupid avoidable mistakes that cost you marks.
Block out all the times you can't do uni work due to family and other commitments.
Do some number crunching - work out the available slots left over and divide them up according to the number of assessments.
Regarding the assessments, break them down into mini-tasks (e.g. reading, first draft, revision, referencing) and allocate a number of slots for each plus deadlines for when they would ideally be completed. .
The other thing to do is look at the weightings of each individual assessment component. Chase the money - i.e. put more effort into the components worth the most while at the same time making sure that you pass everything that needs to be passed.
It can be done if you are meticulous in your planning and, importantly, stick to it.
For example, if you believe you have done enough to pass an assessment component, and have used up your allocated slots, stop and move on. Get used to the idea of "good enough".
Finally, make sure that you read all assessment instructions REALLY CAREFULLY so that you don't make any stupid avoidable mistakes that cost you marks.
Original post by cheadle
Get a giant laminated wallchart calendar and enter in all the deadlines.
Block out all the times you can't do uni work due to family and other commitments.
Do some number crunching - work out the available slots left over and divide them up according to the number of assessments.
Regarding the assessments, break them down into mini-tasks (e.g. reading, first draft, revision, referencing) and allocate a number of slots for each plus deadlines for when they would ideally be completed. .
The other thing to do is look at the weightings of each individual assessment component. Chase the money - i.e. put more effort into the components worth the most while at the same time making sure that you pass everything that needs to be passed.
It can be done if you are meticulous in your planning and, importantly, stick to it.
For example, if you believe you have done enough to pass an assessment component, and have used up your allocated slots, stop and move on. Get used to the idea of "good enough".
Finally, make sure that you read all assessment instructions REALLY CAREFULLY so that you don't make any stupid avoidable mistakes that cost you marks.
Block out all the times you can't do uni work due to family and other commitments.
Do some number crunching - work out the available slots left over and divide them up according to the number of assessments.
Regarding the assessments, break them down into mini-tasks (e.g. reading, first draft, revision, referencing) and allocate a number of slots for each plus deadlines for when they would ideally be completed. .
The other thing to do is look at the weightings of each individual assessment component. Chase the money - i.e. put more effort into the components worth the most while at the same time making sure that you pass everything that needs to be passed.
It can be done if you are meticulous in your planning and, importantly, stick to it.
For example, if you believe you have done enough to pass an assessment component, and have used up your allocated slots, stop and move on. Get used to the idea of "good enough".
Finally, make sure that you read all assessment instructions REALLY CAREFULLY so that you don't make any stupid avoidable mistakes that cost you marks.
PRSOM!
Oluwatosin – 3rd year student – University of Huddersfield
Original post by TheArcher
I’m in year three, in semester one I have had two 2,000 word essays and one 4,000 word essays.
In semester two I have found out it’s the same, with all the essays due in the same 3 weeks as my 8,000 word dissertation. As well as a 2,000 word essay on the same day as the 4,000 word essay.
How on earth do I manage this workload alongside a job and a family? They’re reluctant on giving extensions this semester as I graduate in September and it delays everything as I’m going to be doing a post grad degree too. I cannot work alongside my post grad degree so was planning to work overtime in the summer to gather some savings. Meaning I cannot quit my job, yet.
How on earth do I cope?
In semester two I have found out it’s the same, with all the essays due in the same 3 weeks as my 8,000 word dissertation. As well as a 2,000 word essay on the same day as the 4,000 word essay.
How on earth do I manage this workload alongside a job and a family? They’re reluctant on giving extensions this semester as I graduate in September and it delays everything as I’m going to be doing a post grad degree too. I cannot work alongside my post grad degree so was planning to work overtime in the summer to gather some savings. Meaning I cannot quit my job, yet.
How on earth do I cope?
I mean, I (Sophomore) just smashed out 3,000 words in 2 hours... personally, I think it's a skill issue...
(edited 1 year ago)
Reply 5
Original post by TheArcher
I’m in year three, in semester one I have had two 2,000 word essays and one 4,000 word essays.
In semester two I have found out it’s the same, with all the essays due in the same 3 weeks as my 8,000 word dissertation. As well as a 2,000 word essay on the same day as the 4,000 word essay.
How on earth do I manage this workload alongside a job and a family? They’re reluctant on giving extensions this semester as I graduate in September and it delays everything as I’m going to be doing a post grad degree too. I cannot work alongside my post grad degree so was planning to work overtime in the summer to gather some savings. Meaning I cannot quit my job, yet.
How on earth do I cope?
In semester two I have found out it’s the same, with all the essays due in the same 3 weeks as my 8,000 word dissertation. As well as a 2,000 word essay on the same day as the 4,000 word essay.
How on earth do I manage this workload alongside a job and a family? They’re reluctant on giving extensions this semester as I graduate in September and it delays everything as I’m going to be doing a post grad degree too. I cannot work alongside my post grad degree so was planning to work overtime in the summer to gather some savings. Meaning I cannot quit my job, yet.
How on earth do I cope?
Hi there,
This can be tricky when you have lots of deadlines near each other and it feels like you can't keep up with everything. These are my best tips to try and keep on top of this:
1- Make a schedule. When you get all of your deadlines, mark them all in a big calendar/spreadsheet and also put in other commitments you have- e.g. work, lectures, other plans with friends or family. This should allow you to see which days you are free and when you can spend time working so you know exactly how much time you have to complete the assignment.
2- Read selectively. See what it is you need to read and read around this rather than reading whole chunks of text which are not going to be useful to you.
3- Read as you go along. Try and complete the right reading each week as you go along the semester as this will save you time when you need to be writing your assignment as you should have good notes about each topic you want to write about.
4- Write the assignments as you go along. Try and write a bit of each each week as this spreads it out a lot and makes sure you are not as stressed as it gets closer to the deadlines.
5- Speak to your tutors or personal tutor if you need to. If you are really struggling it is better to talk to them sooner rather than later and see if there is anything they can do to help you.
I hope some of this helps,
Lucy -SHU student ambassador.
Reply 6
To update: I managed the workload through writing every day except weekends when I worked. It was very difficult but I managed it, I’ve achieved two firsts in my modules and awaiting on my dissertation grade.
I decided to post this update in case anyone sees this and is struggling. Its hard-work, but doable if you just put your energy into it.
I decided to post this update in case anyone sees this and is struggling. Its hard-work, but doable if you just put your energy into it.
Reply 7
Original post by TheArcher
I’m in year three, in semester one I have had two 2,000 word essays and one 4,000 word essays.
In semester two I have found out it’s the same, with all the essays due in the same 3 weeks as my 8,000 word dissertation. As well as a 2,000 word essay on the same day as the 4,000 word essay.
How on earth do I manage this workload alongside a job and a family? They’re reluctant on giving extensions this semester as I graduate in September and it delays everything as I’m going to be doing a post grad degree too. I cannot work alongside my post grad degree so was planning to work overtime in the summer to gather some savings. Meaning I cannot quit my job, yet.
How on earth do I cope?
In semester two I have found out it’s the same, with all the essays due in the same 3 weeks as my 8,000 word dissertation. As well as a 2,000 word essay on the same day as the 4,000 word essay.
How on earth do I manage this workload alongside a job and a family? They’re reluctant on giving extensions this semester as I graduate in September and it delays everything as I’m going to be doing a post grad degree too. I cannot work alongside my post grad degree so was planning to work overtime in the summer to gather some savings. Meaning I cannot quit my job, yet.
How on earth do I cope?
Hiya,
I am currently in a similar position. I’m a third year student in my final semester and I have an 8000 word dissertation, a 2000 word essay and a poster to complete before August. While I don’t have kids, I am a mature student and so I have to work alongside my studies.
You’re right, it is very overwhelming and I was worried about how I was going to manage. Firstly, I think as you’re so close to the end try and prioritise your uni work and then fit work in around that. Like a bit of a balancing act. For example, this week I’ve worked 4 days and so next week I won’t accept any work so I can catch up on the missed days.
I’ve found that even if I have one hour free to do something small then it’s helpful. Even if it’s finding a few sources, then the next day taking notes on them sources or sorting out your reference list.
You’ve come this far and clearly managed the heavy workload along with work and your family life, so you can absolutely do the same this year! I find thinking about all of it together is overwhelming, so just focus on what you can do on each day.
Just try to be as organised as possible in terms of managing you time and setting days for specific tasks from each assignment. I do this using a diary and writing a loads of lists 😅
Don’t doubt yourself, you’ve totally got this!
Good luck!
Sophie (ARU)
Original post by Anonymous
To update: I managed the workload through writing every day except weekends when I worked. It was very difficult but I managed it, I’ve achieved two firsts in my modules and awaiting on my dissertation grade.
I decided to post this update in case anyone sees this and is struggling. Its hard-work, but doable if you just put your energy into it.
I decided to post this update in case anyone sees this and is struggling. Its hard-work, but doable if you just put your energy into it.
Congrats😀!
All the best,
Oluwatosin – 3rd year student – University of Huddersfield
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