The Student Room Group

Behind on work and losing myself to uni - help

Crosspost from uni life forum in case there is anyone here in the same boat...

I'm a first year studying Chemistry at Durham and the workload is killing me and also most of the people I know onthe course. I'm always forever exhausted from contact hours and barely keep up with the compulsory assignments,nevermind lecture consolidation or the reading.

I have 26 contact hours (consisting of a 9-6 on Tuesday without a break), only 2 of which weekly are tutorials. I taketwo electives in mathematics, for which there is a tutorial every other week and weekly assignments each takingmultiple hours. To feel relatively 'on top of everything' we're expected to devote ~1hr to each contact hour - and itgenuinely feels like there is no time in the week to even attempt to keep on top of lectures.

I've missed a few lectures and they are impossible to catch up on; empty slides and muted recordings etc. We'reexpected to read or consolidate a significant chunk of content for each lecture but yet have very little time to fit thisin. The lecturers whizz through content as if it's a medicine degree (often telling us to self-study chunks) and there'svery little opportunity to practise or understand what is taught; it just feels like content overload.

The support system is pretty much non-existent; lecturers and tutors being impossible to contact, or told to 'notcontact [them]'. Collegiate support is impossible to get or you're just patronised.

I'm working 9-5 days and just hanging on by doing the bare minimum, and I feel like I'm losing myself to this courseand this uni. I'm crying over not being able to see a way out of the pile of work and am staying up until the early hours for assignments/tutorial work/pre-labs/post-labs and I never get a chance to pre-read or consolidate anythingI've learned nor do any reading whatsoever.

I breezed through A-levels at A*A*A* with a significant amount of self-study; I have the skills to be able to do the work - it's just the sheer workload and expectations they're throwing upon everyone that is drowning me.

What am I doing wrong? What are they doing wrong?

Help
Reply 1
Original post by Anonymous
Crosspost from uni life forum in case there is anyone here in the same boat...
I'm a first year studying Chemistry at Durham and the workload is killing me and also most of the people I know onthe course. I'm always forever exhausted from contact hours and barely keep up with the compulsory assignments,nevermind lecture consolidation or the reading.
I have 26 contact hours (consisting of a 9-6 on Tuesday without a break), only 2 of which weekly are tutorials. I taketwo electives in mathematics, for which there is a tutorial every other week and weekly assignments each takingmultiple hours. To feel relatively 'on top of everything' we're expected to devote ~1hr to each contact hour - and itgenuinely feels like there is no time in the week to even attempt to keep on top of lectures.
I've missed a few lectures and they are impossible to catch up on; empty slides and muted recordings etc. We'reexpected to read or consolidate a significant chunk of content for each lecture but yet have very little time to fit thisin. The lecturers whizz through content as if it's a medicine degree (often telling us to self-study chunks) and there'svery little opportunity to practise or understand what is taught; it just feels like content overload.
The support system is pretty much non-existent; lecturers and tutors being impossible to contact, or told to 'notcontact [them]'. Collegiate support is impossible to get or you're just patronised.
I'm working 9-5 days and just hanging on by doing the bare minimum, and I feel like I'm losing myself to this courseand this uni. I'm crying over not being able to see a way out of the pile of work and am staying up until the early hours for assignments/tutorial work/pre-labs/post-labs and I never get a chance to pre-read or consolidate anythingI've learned nor do any reading whatsoever.
I breezed through A-levels at A*A*A* with a significant amount of self-study; I have the skills to be able to do the work - it's just the sheer workload and expectations they're throwing upon everyone that is drowning me.
What am I doing wrong? What are they doing wrong?
Help
You have been doing very great, and will be. Be confident in yourself.

When you look back years later, you will find your first year, or first term the most difficult time. The materials covered is more than all that you learned in the previous 13 years. Hang on and don't skip any class - you succeeded in keeping with the pace. Try grapping basic ideas of the topics and consolidate during the Christmas break.

You are not alone, your classmates are stiving around.

Keep On.
Original post by Anonymous
Crosspost from uni life forum in case there is anyone here in the same boat...
I'm a first year studying Chemistry at Durham and the workload is killing me and also most of the people I know onthe course. I'm always forever exhausted from contact hours and barely keep up with the compulsory assignments,nevermind lecture consolidation or the reading.
I have 26 contact hours (consisting of a 9-6 on Tuesday without a break), only 2 of which weekly are tutorials. I taketwo electives in mathematics, for which there is a tutorial every other week and weekly assignments each takingmultiple hours. To feel relatively 'on top of everything' we're expected to devote ~1hr to each contact hour - and itgenuinely feels like there is no time in the week to even attempt to keep on top of lectures.
I've missed a few lectures and they are impossible to catch up on; empty slides and muted recordings etc. We'reexpected to read or consolidate a significant chunk of content for each lecture but yet have very little time to fit thisin. The lecturers whizz through content as if it's a medicine degree (often telling us to self-study chunks) and there'svery little opportunity to practise or understand what is taught; it just feels like content overload.
The support system is pretty much non-existent; lecturers and tutors being impossible to contact, or told to 'notcontact [them]'. Collegiate support is impossible to get or you're just patronised.
I'm working 9-5 days and just hanging on by doing the bare minimum, and I feel like I'm losing myself to this courseand this uni. I'm crying over not being able to see a way out of the pile of work and am staying up until the early hours for assignments/tutorial work/pre-labs/post-labs and I never get a chance to pre-read or consolidate anythingI've learned nor do any reading whatsoever.
I breezed through A-levels at A*A*A* with a significant amount of self-study; I have the skills to be able to do the work - it's just the sheer workload and expectations they're throwing upon everyone that is drowning me.
What am I doing wrong? What are they doing wrong?
Help

Hiya,

I'm so sorry to hear you've been struggling and juggling so many different things, I know it probably feels like you're on your own but please know that so many people are on the same boat and have made it to the other side, and you will too! The transition from A levels to Uni is something a lot of people don't talk about enough and unfortunately is inevitable regardless of your degree/degree level; you are not doing anything wrong, it sounds like you're doing your absolute best to keep on top of things which is all you can really do. It is important to remember that you really can't always be on top of things (the workload is just too much) and all you can do is try your best and hope for the best, I know its not exactly what you hoped to hear. Uni is 80% independent studying and you figuring out a way to balance everything at once and what works for other people won't necessarily work for you and vice versa. All nighters are unavoidable and are unfortunately the norm, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. First year is basically a trial run and a year were you can test what methods work for you and hone them so that in second year, you're not drowning and unsure of what to do. Basically, by second year, you will have a much better grasp at things and how to navigate academics and balancing it all. Also, in terms of support, your academic advisor is definitely one to go to if you need to speak to someone/need support, they're there to help and support you as well as signpost you to resources that you could turn to so please don't hesitate to reach out to them!


I really do hope this can help 🙂

-Ghala
(Official DU TSR Rep)
Original post by Anonymous
Crosspost from uni life forum in case there is anyone here in the same boat...
I'm a first year studying Chemistry at Durham and the workload is killing me and also most of the people I know onthe course. I'm always forever exhausted from contact hours and barely keep up with the compulsory assignments,nevermind lecture consolidation or the reading.
I have 26 contact hours (consisting of a 9-6 on Tuesday without a break), only 2 of which weekly are tutorials. I taketwo electives in mathematics, for which there is a tutorial every other week and weekly assignments each takingmultiple hours. To feel relatively 'on top of everything' we're expected to devote ~1hr to each contact hour - and itgenuinely feels like there is no time in the week to even attempt to keep on top of lectures.
I've missed a few lectures and they are impossible to catch up on; empty slides and muted recordings etc. We'reexpected to read or consolidate a significant chunk of content for each lecture but yet have very little time to fit thisin. The lecturers whizz through content as if it's a medicine degree (often telling us to self-study chunks) and there'svery little opportunity to practise or understand what is taught; it just feels like content overload.
The support system is pretty much non-existent; lecturers and tutors being impossible to contact, or told to 'notcontact [them]'. Collegiate support is impossible to get or you're just patronised.
I'm working 9-5 days and just hanging on by doing the bare minimum, and I feel like I'm losing myself to this courseand this uni. I'm crying over not being able to see a way out of the pile of work and am staying up until the early hours for assignments/tutorial work/pre-labs/post-labs and I never get a chance to pre-read or consolidate anythingI've learned nor do any reading whatsoever.
I breezed through A-levels at A*A*A* with a significant amount of self-study; I have the skills to be able to do the work - it's just the sheer workload and expectations they're throwing upon everyone that is drowning me.
What am I doing wrong? What are they doing wrong?
Help
Which A-Level subjects did you achieve A*A*A* in if I may ask? 🙂

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