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not enjoying oxbridge?

Galatea

I can't help but think if I'd gone to another university I could be looking at a 2.1, maybe even a first - I used to be a really good student, gaining the highest A level mark out of my college year group of 700 - and now I just feel stupid all the time, because everyone else seems to understand the set texts and I just can't. I've always been driven by academic ambition - I've now lost that completely and I'm just hoping I pass this year - I'll be thrilled with a 2.2. Any interest I had in my subject has long since died.

Those bits in bold are basically me, so I empathise! :hugs:

Reply 21

FathomThis

Galatea

I can't help but think if I'd gone to another university I could be looking at a 2.1, maybe even a first - I used to be a really good student, gaining the highest A level mark out of my college year group of 700 - and now I just feel stupid all the time, because everyone else seems to understand the set texts and I just can't. I've always been driven by academic ambition - I've now lost that completely and I'm just hoping I pass this year - I'll be thrilled with a 2.2. Any interest I had in my subject has long since died.

Are you me?!?!

Reply 22

Luxun3

6

Craghyrax

I like the work but not the deadlines. But then you can't have your cake and eat it. I don't think I'd like other similar courses elsewhere as much because they don't have the same options/combinations/breadth - but having to do it all so fast is perpetually frustrating.
Also I'm sure there's something in what people say about the deadlines making them do the work. I might in theory like the idea of all the reading and immersing myself in topics, but without the pressure who's to say if I actually would be disciplined enough to cover it all..

With essays I kind of feel the same. Up to now I always found my essay topics really interesting.However in the end you are just getting so stressed with all the other work you have to do and you end up just finishing the essay as soon as possible. It does not really allow you to read around the essay topic for example as the reading assigned for the essay is a lot already and you just have a few days to do an essay of 2000-3000 words. You just often feel as if you would have loved to spend more time investigating the topic but were so busy that you had to do the assigned reading as fast as possible in order to hand in the essay before the deadline.

Reply 23

Craghyrax

17

Ghassan

With essays I kind of feel the same. Up to now I always found my essay topics really interesting.However in the end you are just getting so stressed with all the other work you have to do and you end up just finishing the essay as soon as possible. It does not really allow you to read around the essay topic for example as the reading assigned for the essay is a lot already and you just have a few days to do an essay of 2000-3000 words. You just often feel as if you would have loved to spend more time investigating the topic but were so busy that you had to do the assigned reading as fast as possible in order to hand in the essay before the deadline.

I would prefer if it you only had one or two important deadlines in a term (that count for marks), and in lieu of supervision essays, they would set you the reading, and then give you a loose test of your understanding and knowledge in the supervision and have a discussion. That way regular supervisions would still be forcing you to have done the reading, but you wouldn't waste time with work that doesn't really have much bearing on your exams - exam writing is a completely different thing to supervision essay writing, and you only use a fraction of the topics you wrote essays on.

Reply 24

iceandfire

Craghyrax

I would prefer if it you only had one or two important deadlines in a term (that count for marks), and in lieu of supervision essays, they would set you the reading, and then give you a loose test of your understanding and knowledge in the supervision and have a discussion. That way regular supervisions would still be forcing you to have done the reading, but you wouldn't waste time with work that doesn't really have much bearing on your exams - exam writing is a completely different thing to supervision essay writing, and you only use a fraction of the topics you wrote essays on.

I totally agree with this! It would take the pressure off if you got credit as you went along and really make the work seem less pointless.

Reply 25

The West Wing

18

Ghassan

With essays I kind of feel the same. Up to now I always found my essay topics really interesting.However in the end you are just getting so stressed with all the other work you have to do and you end up just finishing the essay as soon as possible. It does not really allow you to read around the essay topic for example as the reading assigned for the essay is a lot already and you just have a few days to do an essay of 2000-3000 words. You just often feel as if you would have loved to spend more time investigating the topic but were so busy that you had to do the assigned reading as fast as possible in order to hand in the essay before the deadline.

Exactly how I feel! I worked my arse off in Mich for my essays and they were totally crap becuase I was just exhausting myself every week doing so much work, and I'm doing much less work now and taking lots of shortcuts and it's resulting in much better feedback and less stress.

Reply 26

FranzFan

1

I absolutely love the place, the amount of opportunities you have here and the ease with which you can take them up still amazes me and I'm nearing the end of my second year. I think the reason I love it so much is partly because I came in with the attitude of not giving the course my all until the 3rd year and just doing loads of extra-curriculars in the first 2 years, and also because my course (geog) is one of the least work-intensive and I enjoy it. Amongst other things I've learned how to dance, write journalistically, sail, make films, run events and it's been brilliant for me.

But I do know of people that don't enjoy it so much due to the amount of work. I think this applies much more to scientists than arts students.

What I'd say is that you should take advantage of what's on offer here outside of academia and don't get caught up in your work too much. Remember 1st year doesn't count. But this does depend to a large extent on your college and course.

Reply 27

Craghyrax

17

FranzFan

But I do know of people that don't enjoy it so much due to the amount of work. I think this applies much more to scientists than arts students.

No... it depends on the individual and how work efficient they are. I know many science students who have more free time than I do, and I'm an arts students.
With an art, the work never ends... your hours aren't fixed which means they're potentially endless. An essay can take ages for someone vaguely perfectionistic, and you can never stop halfway, but you can hand in an incomplete problem sheet if you find it too hard.

Reply 28

FranzFan

1

yeah true enough I guess. But in my experience, the chemists, physicists, materials scientists and biologists I know do a lot more work than those studying english, history or geog. That said, classics is in a different league so I agree it's variable and yes some arts students can do huge amounts of work if they so wish to, but I'd say few people read entire reading lists.

Reply 29

Mook

9

FranzFan

I'd say few people read entire reading lists.

Good god no :shock:

Why on earth would you do that? Our reading lists are sometimes two sides of A4. Ten-twelve in five days is more than enough, thank you very much. :yes:

Reply 30

Craghyrax

17

FranzFan

...I'd say few people read entire reading lists.

That's not for want of trying; its impossible! (for my subject anyhow)

Reply 31

The_Lonely_Goatherd

20

Craghyrax

That's not for want of trying; its impossible! (for my subject anyhow)

I have a Facebook countdown to keep me motivated and to get me reading quicker, but I still won't have read all the books before Finals :no:

Reply 32

Craghyrax

17

The_Lonely_Goatherd

I have a Facebook countdown to keep me motivated and to get me reading quicker, but I still won't have read all the books before Finals :no:

Reply 33

The_Lonely_Goatherd

20

Craghyrax

If I can get the list down to under 60 by the time my exams come round, I'll consider myself vaguely successful :yep:

That said, said Facebook countdown doesn't include reading for lectures, supplementary reading given in lectures or my dissertation books :cry:

Reply 34

Craghyrax

17

The_Lonely_Goatherd

If I can get the list down to under 60 by the time my exams come round, I'll consider myself vaguely successful :yep:

That said, said Facebook countdown doesn't include reading for lectures, supplementary reading given in lectures or my dissertation books :cry:

You're scaring me. I'm not even in a position to start reading because of my research project :hmpf:

Reply 35

The_Lonely_Goatherd

20

Craghyrax

You're scaring me. I'm not even in a position to start reading because of my research project :hmpf:

I'm a second year and they gave us the handbook with all the reading lists (for the exams at the end of the third year) in at the start of the year, so don't worry! It's really not as impressive/organised as it may sound :nah:

not enjoying oxbridge?

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