About to fail 2nd year

I'm a second year chemistry student and I have my first exam in exactly one month and I'm definitely about to fail. I left basically everything until now and I feel like it will be impossible to cover everything or even most things properly before the exams. Also, I was lazy and cut corners and did quite badly on my labs, I think I'm averaging around 50% which isn't too great. I'm super behind on the three core modules and I basically haven't started on the optional module and probably won't until the couple of days before. It's completely my fault, like utterly my fault but idk what to do now other than feel bad. I know crying on here also achieves nothing...

Original post by daz23

I'm a second year chemistry student and I have my first exam in exactly one month and I'm definitely about to fail. I left basically everything until now and I feel like it will be impossible to cover everything or even most things properly before the exams. Also, I was lazy and cut corners and did quite badly on my labs, I think I'm averaging around 50% which isn't too great. I'm super behind on the three core modules and I basically haven't started on the optional module and probably won't until the couple of days before. It's completely my fault, like utterly my fault but idk what to do now other than feel bad. I know crying on here also achieves nothing...

HI there,

This sounds like a tough situation, you must be feeling stressed.

The first thing I would do is talk to your personal tutor if you have one or your academic advisor. They are there to help you in situations like this and you could ask them if they have time to schedule a meeting and you can tell them how you are feeling as they may be able to help you come up with a solution or offer you some advice on some areas that you are struggling with.

I'd also talk to your module tutors for the exams that you have and explain your worries to them as they may also have time to help you. Some will have more time to help than others but it's worth asking them to help you with the bits that you are struggling with!

It's also worth getting in touch with your university wellbeing team if you feel like there was a reason that you have fallen behind this year. They are also there to help and they help many students each year so you may as well! You should also keep in contact with them as you go into third year if you feel yourself nothing able to keep up with the work as in third year there will probably be more work to do so it's worth getting all the support you can.

I would also talk to your friends on your course who are also taking the exams and ask them how they are feeling about the exams. They may also help you clarify any specific topics you are struggling with if they know what they are doing with them and you could also ask if they want to study with you as you might all be more motivated if you go to the library and study together!

Another thing you could do is make a plan for the next few weeks and decide when you are going to revise which topics and this way you can get in as much as you can, without just focusing on a few topics and missing the others.

I hope some of this helps and good luck,

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.

Hi there，

I am very sorry to hear that you are so upset right now. I think I can give you some simple ideas now to try and make your life a little bit better as much as possible.

About your studies, I would suggest you organize your current body of knowledge and focus on the core parts that you can't understand, if you have no idea you can go to YouTube and check out some of the related explanatory videos, as well as emailing your teachers for their help. Detail your learning tasks, and divide your own learning goals into every day, so that your exam content is no longer a huge, empty concept, but some can be reached every day with small goals.

Regarding your current situation, I would suggest you have some communication with your university's mental health department and ask them for ways to get out of the emotional dilemma you are in at the moment.

Lastly, I hope that you will get better soon and that you will be able to pass this exam.

Yu
Wrexham University Student Rep – 3^rd Year Media Production student

Reply 3

University of Huddersfield

Official Rep

16

Original post by daz23

I'm a second year chemistry student and I have my first exam in exactly one month and I'm definitely about to fail. I left basically everything until now and I feel like it will be impossible to cover everything or even most things properly before the exams. Also, I was lazy and cut corners and did quite badly on my labs, I think I'm averaging around 50% which isn't too great. I'm super behind on the three core modules and I basically haven't started on the optional module and probably won't until the couple of days before. It's completely my fault, like utterly my fault but idk what to do now other than feel bad. I know crying on here also achieves nothing...

@daz23

At the moment, you say that you are averaging around 50%, that's still a pass! It might not be as high as you would like but it still a pass! You have not sat the exam yet, so you have not failed anything at the moment. You are still able to pass!

As Yu @WrexhamUniReps has said try to focus on making the best of the situation by using the time that you have to focus on the key things that are likely to come up and the areas that are more difficult but essential learning.
It's impossible to cover everything as much as you would like for exams, but remember not everything will come up! The main thing is to direct your time towards those things which will most probably come up in some form and to have enough general understanding to be able to apply your knowledge to the areas that you are unable to cover, or do not know so much about, so that you still pick up marks.

Don't waste time feeling bad (feel frustrated for a morning or an afternoon but then move on!). Wallowing just makes you feel worse : ( Apply your emotional energy to doing what you can to salvage the situation. You can't change the past but you may still be able to pass (if you can get in some good revision!). If though, you feel you need to apply for extenuating circumstances – do, and like Yu said if you need to seek out support services – do. Your health comes first!

All the best,

Oluwatosin – 3rd year student – University of Huddersfield

Original post by daz23

I'm a second year chemistry student and I have my first exam in exactly one month and I'm definitely about to fail. I left basically everything until now and I feel like it will be impossible to cover everything or even most things properly before the exams. Also, I was lazy and cut corners and did quite badly on my labs, I think I'm averaging around 50% which isn't too great. I'm super behind on the three core modules and I basically haven't started on the optional module and probably won't until the couple of days before. It's completely my fault, like utterly my fault but idk what to do now other than feel bad. I know crying on here also achieves nothing...

Hi there,

I'm sorry that you're in this situation! However, I think that you'd be surprised how common it is. The best thing that you can do is just decided to do your best, regardless of grades. You chose chemistry for a reason so I'm sure that you find it at least somewhat interesting. My advice would be to get your head down, do some past papers and talk to lecturers about parts that you struggle more with and just see how well you can so. Also, 50% is still a 2.2 - a decent grade - and I was getting around that too in my first year.

It'll work out but I think that you should just try out a few practice papers and see.

All the best,
Jaz - Cardiff student rep

About to fail 2nd year

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