Tips for final year? And working

Dave!

Hey folks,

I'm going into my final year in September... My grades are pretty average really, I'm a high 2.2 at the moment. I want to do well next year so I can get up to a 2.1 and have the option of a masters.

I'm not very studious at the best of times. If I'm interested in something then I'll usually research it a bit in my spare time (reading a cognitive science paper at the mo, and I don't study it!), but in an academic environment for some reason I just don't get motivated Anyone the same?

I do pay attention in most of the lectures I attend, and take pretty good notes. But I'm usually kind of reluctant to read books (I'm a slow reader also) until it's coming up to exam time. Then the cramming begins...

I usually go into the next term with the best intentions, plan on getting organised, studying little bits regularly, and so on, but the plans never manifest themselves really.

I'm not much of a party animal really. I'd certainly go out once or twice a week, but I'm not getting locked in the student bar all the time, etc. It's really just lack of motivation and laziness, rather than distraction, that hinders me.

Does this sound like anyone else? How did you manage to get the act together for the final year? Maybe I'll go talk to a student advisor some time.

Also, whilst I'm still living at home, I do have to support myself financially, so that means I'll have to keep working! I should be able to reduce my hours to 1 or 2 shifts a week, but just thought I'd ask -- any ideas for how to make a bit of cash without having to "work"? Selling drugs is a no-no I'm afraid. I'm also not eligible for a grant. Cheers

_JOE_

A good timetable is worth its weight in gold Dave...and it's quite possible to work part time and study at the same time, once you have factored in all your study...if you're still driving that will be a bonus to cut out the travel time...

Stepherunie

You'd be a amazed how many nixer type jobs crop up in UCD throughout the year which pay well - okay it's not regular work, but things like the elections and open days - the pay is generally around 12 - 14e an hour and it's never more than a day or two to do.

I did a fair few of them this year when I was a final year and it never really impinged on my study time.


I know this sounds really dumb but I really found that having a very set schedule worked really well. We used get a weekly timetable (if you have a set timetable it's handier). I just had it in excel and had slots from 8am to 8pm on it. You'd be amazed how easy it is to put in a bit of work time when you know exactly what you're doing with your week.

Okay, it's not exciting, you sound a bit naff, but in terms of keeping me very focussed on my work it worked. I had a dissertation to write and just keeping myself in check with a timetable like that meant that I never really had to pull any late nights on my thesis.

Économiste Monétaire

Dave! wrote: »

Hey folks,

I'm going into my final year in September... My grades are pretty average really, I'm a high 2.2 at the moment. I want to do well next year so I can get up to a 2.1 and have the option of a masters.

I'm not very studious at the best of times. If I'm interested in something then I'll usually research it a bit in my spare time (reading a cognitive science paper at the mo, and I don't study it!), but in an academic environment for some reason I just don't get motivated Anyone the same?

There are few people who actually enjoy studying. See it as a means to an end, the end being a high 2.1. When you do an essay or are preparing for an exam don't aim for a 2.1, aim for 100% because there's no reason why anyone cannot do very well with some effort. Also, something that you've probably heard a hundred times, do not wait until 2 weeks before exams to start revising. As someone once told me, 'failing to plan is equivalent to planning to fail'. God that sounds so nerdy

I do pay attention in most of the lectures I attend, and take pretty good notes. But I'm usually kind of reluctant to read books (I'm a slow reader also) until it's coming up to exam time. Then the cramming begins...

Slow reading is something you can work on. Do you speak the words when you read? A lot of people do that, they sub vocalise, or pronounce the words to themselves. You shouldn't do it, you're not reading to practice communicating the material verbally. There are different resources on the internet about speed reading that you can look up.

I usually go into the next term with the best intentions, plan on getting organised, studying little bits regularly, and so on, but the plans never manifest themselves really.

Routine helps people study. Settle into study by reading a magazine or a novel you're interested in. Then after about half an hour move on and study whatever it is that you do . Set aside specific time everyday and stick to it. Even spending an hour a day from week one can help.

pretty*monster

I never had much time for routine and timetables and the like, if it works for you, go for it, but I take more of a scattergun approach to my studies which, against all folk-wisdom, has served me well.

Off the top of my head, the things I did in final year that brought be from 2.2s to high 2.1 and 1 territory were:
going to the library when there's a big(ish) gap in my timetable rather than leaving it to the end of the day, most people only concentrate well for 40-60 mins at a time so it all adds up;
getting started on essays as soon as the titles came out instead of leaving it to the week(ish) before they were due;
being really really smart about exam preparation, depending on your course should have reasonable idea of what will come up on the exam, where was the emphasis in the course, what does the course outline look like, are there patterns in past papers, can you get hints from people who've taken this course, or a similar course taught by the same lecturer (there's a bit of a fashion for course titles to change more these days, but most lecturers have a stock of things they teach and a particular stlye of assesing students which changes far less);
did the lecturer give hints (I actually had a lecturer who told us every year what the questions would be and it wasn't until finals that it occured to be to actually prepare, write and memorise really good answers to be realed off in the exam hall.)

Basically it's just about working a little bit harder and a lot smarter.

FledNanders

pretty*monster wrote: »

being really really smart about exam preparation

This is the key. I almost always left CA work until day/night before and did grand in that, but if you use your study time before exams well and know what to study you can get away with cramming for a week or two before exams.

I always planned the old 'spread your study out over the module' approach before each semester but it never worked out and the above served me very well luckily enough!

Waltons

You still doing comp sci, Dave? If so, the most, most, most important thing is to keep up with the continuous assessments for it throughout the term. If you do this, it really takes the pressure off around exam time - some of my exams were worth less than 40% this year. On the flip-side of that, if you don't manage to keep up with the practicals, it doesn't give you much to work with if you come to exams and aren't faring great.
Because of this, the continuous stuff is absolutely key. It also helps, I find anyway, improve your interest in the comp subjects if you take time to really get to grips with what's being taught - this also helps with the exams.

Of course, all of this is near irrelevant if you're not still doing comp sci :P

Complete off-the-wall comment, but it helped me through my final year! During November or so An Post look for 'Christmas Postmen' which involves working for about a week and a half up to Christmas Eve. The pay is excellent, and if you're off college it would be worth considering.

If things get very tight you should remember the Student Assistance Fund which is there to help students facing hardship in college.

Dave!

Cheers lads

Myth if you don't mind me asking, what criteria must you meet to get the assistance fund? I presume it'll be based on the parents' income

ps. yeah still doing comp sci cillian! :pac:

rainbow kirby

Lol Dave, I'm gonna be in your class in September...

Dave!

Disaster :pac:

Stepherunie

http://ucdsu.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49&Itemid=82


Link to info on the welfare funds available in UCD.