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Best way to 'coast' in college??

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    #62
    Jester252
    Registered Users Posts: 5,533 ✭✭✭Jester252


    Cause is Right wrote: »
    No it's not. You don't even need half a brain to get into college(maybe a 3rd)! You'd know that if you had half a brain.

    Re-read this


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    #63
    Cause is Right
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 37 ✭Cause is Right


    I'm coasting anyway. It's actually quite easy. The trick to just cram in the final two weeks!!! Come on lads, who's with me?? I think even have it in me to seduce Jester into being a coaster!!


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    #64
    Cause is Right
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 37 ✭Cause is Right


    barneystinson wrote: »
    What are you now, about 23, and still in college getting up on 6 years there?
    Jester's been in college 6 years???


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    #65
    Chickentown
    Registered Users Posts: 252 ✭✭Chickentown


    Cause is Right wrote: »
    I have been quite inefficient over the years. I'd like to try and beat the system and save myself some stress for a change. I always have this idea that end of term is far away, and therefore to motivate myself to study, I try and immerse myself in a particular topic. Anything will become somewhat interesting once you get into it, but this method takes time. This reason combined with the fact that I don't study enough anyway, explains why there is often many topics uncovered nearing exams. Because the lecturers rarely refer to the exam papers, I get this idea in my head that I should try and learn, understand and memorise each lecture's material. But of course, it would be better to take an attitude of looking at the exam paper relatively soon, and choosing your answer from the information giving, as opposed to memorising the information given.

    I also think it's really important to know how the marks are distributed within each module. For example, if you're getting really mixed with the results you've taken during a practical for a write-up, and if it's only worth 2%, then you can fudge, knowing that if you're disciplined later on in the year, you'll be just fine. But of course the interesting thing is that people who coast, usually aren't disciplined about matters anyway, so often end up showing up to class for the unimportant lectures, and missing the vital classes.

    If you're studying a new topic, it may often be the case that once you've grasped the main concepts, you may not need to read any further. Although that may be the point when you're properly broken in, and may find it easy to motivate yourself to read more... because most of the procrastination is over starting a new topic. But, none the less, if you know that it's not important in the greater scheme of things, or if it's taking up you're time from other important things, or even if it's just causing you stress, then it's not important

    I'm not sure whether I'm looking for advice from nerds, or coasters!! But if you do have any wisdom that is somewhat unique, that I mightn't have thought of myself, please share.

    Get up early each morning, dress your bed, have a shower and brush your teeth. Then WORK ALL DAY whether your have lectures etc. that day or not.

    Remember just because you are sitting in the library staring at a book for hours, periodically checking Facebook, does not mean you are working.

    If you drive, leave college at 7pm, that way the traffic will have tinned somewhat and you won't waste valuable study time sitting in traffic, bare in mind you will encounter some traffic (just stay calm and visualize some of the concepts you have been working on), when you get home; work again, then head to bed at 2 maybe 3am. Sleep for a few hours and do it all over again. Do this for 12 weeks and you will see some results.

    By the way, when there is an assignment due, do it to the absolute best of your ability. Try to get every single percent you can before you sit your end of term exams.

    There is no secret formula, only hard work.

    Never mind the coasters, when have you ever seen a job vacancy for a coaster, employers are looking for workers not coasters.

    Coasters get caught out in the end.


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    #66
    Jester252
    Registered Users Posts: 5,533 ✭✭✭Jester252


    Cause is Right wrote: »
    Jester's been in college 6 years???

    Nope


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    #67
    Ave Sodalis
    Registered Users Posts: 7,547 ✭✭✭Ave Sodalis


    This thread is like watching a few toddlers bickering over using a crayon...


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    #68
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭893bet


    Coaster reporting with more letters after my name than in my name.


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    #69
    barneystinson
    Registered Users Posts: 4,683 ✭✭✭barneystinson


    Chickentown wrote: »
    Get up early each morning, dress your bed, have a shower and brush your teeth. Then WORK ALL DAY whether your have lectures etc. that day or not.

    Remember just because you are sitting in the library staring at a book for hours, periodically checking Facebook, does not mean you are working.

    If you drive, leave college at 7pm, that way the traffic will have tinned somewhat and you won't waste valuable study time sitting in traffic, bare in mind you will encounter some traffic (just stay calm and visualize some of the concepts you have been working on), when you get home; work again, then head to bed at 2 maybe 3am. Sleep for a few hours and do it all over again. Do this for 12 weeks and you will see some results.

    By the way, when there is an assignment due, do it to the absolute best of your ability. Try to get every single percent you can before you sit your end of term exams.

    There is no secret formula, only hard work.

    Never mind the coasters, when have you ever seen a job vacancy for a coaster, employers are looking for workers not coasters.

    Coasters get caught out in the end.

    This is mostly tripe, unless all of this additional academic effort is going to directly improve your employability or your ability to function in a job in your chosen field.

    It is hugely flawed logic to assume a person who is happy to coast academically is lazy generally and will try to coast in a workplace - some people prefer to "do", than to sit reading about how to do. Some of the best workers I know would have very little inclination to do more study than the bare minimum necessary. Some of the most studious people I know are incapable of functioning to a high level in a workplace.

    For example, as an undergrad I did a BBS, which included non-elective modules in HR, marketing and economics, all of which were of total irrelevance to me once I knew I'd be looking for a job as a trainee accountant. My time was much better spent working part-time in a relevant position, than fluting around studying academic HR / marketing theory that I'll never need to use, and I coasted to my honours degree having secured my training contract before starting 4th year by virtue of impressing in my part-time role.

    Means.

    To.

    An.

    End.


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    #70
    Cause is Right
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 37 ✭Cause is Right


    Chickentown wrote: »
    Get up early each morning, dress your bed, have a shower and brush your teeth. Then WORK ALL DAY whether your have lectures etc. that day or not.

    Remember just because you are sitting in the library staring at a book for hours, periodically checking Facebook, does not mean you are working.

    If you drive, leave college at 7pm, that way the traffic will have tinned somewhat and you won't waste valuable study time sitting in traffic, bare in mind you will encounter some traffic (just stay calm and visualize some of the concepts you have been working on), when you get home; work again, then head to bed at 2 maybe 3am. Sleep for a few hours and do it all over again. Do this for 12 weeks and you will see some results.

    By the way, when there is an assignment due, do it to the absolute best of your ability. Try to get every single percent you can before you sit your end of term exams.

    There is no secret formula, only hard work.

    Never mind the coasters, when have you ever seen a job vacancy for a coaster, employers are looking for workers not coasters.

    Coasters get caught out in the end.
    An unusual form of sarcasm!


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    #71
    Cause is Right
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 37 ✭Cause is Right


    Jester252 wrote: »
    Nope
    Ah go on Jessie, tell us how long?


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    #72
    Jester252
    Registered Users Posts: 5,533 ✭✭✭Jester252


    Cause is Right wrote: »
    Ah go on Jessie, tell us how long?

    4 ;)


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    #73
    Chris Martin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,277 ✭✭✭Chris Martin


    I think the most annoying thing about this thread was the overuse of the word kiddo. Thankfully it's died down again, back to arguing, which is much easier to read.

    On the topic, there's always going to be people coasting, there's always going to be people studying dawn til dusk and sometimes they obtain the same results.
    In college I set myself goals for certain modules. I'm not obsessed, but I study something when I can or if I don't understand something. I'm far from a role model student, A's are a scarcity when it comes to grades and I'm usually happy with any B, but it's all about how you choose to tackle your workload and what you want to achieve.
    Up until now I haven't done as much as I should have or could have which means after this year, I'll have to put a lot of work into 4th year, but it's doable. Ultimately I reach my goal, I couldn't give a sh!t what anyone else got. If I was bottom of the class, yes, I might be curious, but in the end, I got what I wanted to..
    Thats my view on other people coasting, I don't really care.

    Now to answer OPs original question:
    Maybe not coasting, in fact it's additional work towards the end of the year, but I found it's effective if you've slacked off earlier in the year. I print off all tutorials and worksheets, print off all my lecture slides. Read through lectures, then answer tutorials. Then before exam, I do the same thing again, this time it's proper cramming though as I tend to stay up the night before an exam.
    I don't think I've taken an exam I haven't crammed for.
    Also with some lecturers, they take their exams straight from past exams and tutorials so if you get yourself very familiar with those and you're only aiming for a pass, a lot of the time, this is enough.
    I know people who do exams where it's 60% for MCQ SQs and 40% for LQs and they learn off tutorials, answer SQs and don't even attempt LQs. Quite risky but they seem confident enough to do it...
    All I can offer I'm afraid and nothing comes with a guarantee... ;)


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    #74
    Chickentown
    Registered Users Posts: 252 ✭✭Chickentown


    Cause is Right wrote: »
    An unusual form of sarcasm!

    Yea but because it is for the right cause, be..Cause is Right.


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    #75
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,086 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    I did this partly for the first year or two.
    The answer to the OPs original question is to go to your lectures/tutorials and complete and assignments. Until co-op I would have done little extra study outside of that.


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