Opinions on Semesterisation

Lisandro

Those of us who came to Trinity over the past few years came in the new days of two terms, where Trinity term is not really a term in the same sense as the other two. I learned halfway through first year that things used to be different; Freshers' Week/Michaelmas term started later, exams came at the end of Trinity term and the Scholarship examinations took place between Hilary and Trinity terms.

To those who were around back then, what did you think of the old way of organising the college year? Did it need to be changed? Was the transition noticeable?

Kwekubo

It was the wrong thing to do. It significantly changed the character of the entire academic year, squashing things into an overly short period after Christmas with negative effects on both study and extracurricular activities.

Denerick

The SU is to blame somehow.

Unregistered.

Denerick wrote: »

The SU is to blame somehow.

Pack of narrow-minded orseholes.

Mark200

I think its much better.

Jhax

I want it. Right now I have no motivation to study the material in my course because I'm just gonna forget it all by the time exams come around. Makes the year really bad and stressful.

Amirani

Kwekubo wrote: »

It was the wrong thing to do. It significantly changed the character of the entire academic year, squashing things into an overly short period after Christmas with negative effects on both study and extracurricular activities.

Couldn't agree more.

languagenerd

I'd much prefer if it was still the old way. In my course, we have three term essays to do each term but the second set are always impossible because we're still in classes when we have to do them! Half of the time we haven't even covered enough material to do them before they're due... and then we end up sitting in classes on topics we've already handed up our assignment on.
(Compare this to the first set of essays, which we have 4 weeks off to do over Christmas... We could do with a break in March to work on them!)

Plus I think it makes the year go too fast (even though we have the same amount of weeks in class, just seems quicker).

AND it would be so much nicer if Schols weren't at Christmas, it's a horrible time for studying!

/rant

kthnxbai

I much prefer the old system. Made the whole process of exams and final assignments much easier.

The first two years I was in college were 3 terms, and then my third and fourth were semesterised. The kinks may have been worked out by this stage, but I know as soon as it changed, some courses seemed to not have enough material to keep them going for 12 weeks instead of 9!

The idea of having two semesters, yet exams all at the end of the second one is ridiculous. In third year I had something like 10 exams. I hadn't studied 5 of those subjects in 5 months or so! It'd really improve matters if they just sorted out exams.

I know some courses now have Christmas exams (the masters I'm doing at the moment does, as do a few others) but they're squished into a time period that isn't long enough. I've got assignments to do over the break too, and trying to fit in them and study wasn't the best.

Another thing to note, is for anyone that gets the maintenance grant, the old system was much better. The payments lined up with the terms. But now, you have to make 2/3rds of the money stretch for the entire year, and then get a payment after exams. It's not exactly ideal.

Ahoyhoy

Denerick wrote: »

The SU is to blame somehow.

Utter b****cks as usual.

Anywho, I was there for both, having graduated last year. A fair whack of my friends in years below me reckon it's better, but it's only better for some courses. It completely screwed up my course but did a huge favour for some. It's probably better for people who have started straight into it and never knew the old system. Because there were a lot of problems with the whole reading week exams thing and the usual first year of a new system type of hiccups. And the snow totally screwed up schols.

In general though it seems to be a serious pain in the ass for all the professional degrees.

Ahoyhoy

Kwekubo wrote: »

It was the wrong thing to do. It significantly changed the character of the entire academic year

It also changed the character of the ball. Means it doesn't end just as dawn arrives. Made me feel like a total light weight the first year because I wanted to go to bed before it even started to get bright.

This is, of course, a very minor problem in comparison with the academic issues.

Jammyc

I can't speak for the previous system, but I think that it wasn't entirely thought through. For my JF and SF years, I had finished modules before the first reading week, so around Mid-November, never to touch on or hear about them again, and then sit a paper for that module in May. Also, sitting 10 papers in the May exams in just crazy! I wouldn't mind starting back the 2 weeks earlier as in UCD and other colleges, to accommodate for Christmas Exams.

andrew

It screwed exams up for BESS. BESS now have exams in the middle of each semester, which is only a few weeks in; so really, you're only getting examined on half the material for that semester. Also, since BESS insisted that there be exams during reading week, it means that you've got both exams and essays all piling up at the same time. I think before, they were more spread out.

Equium

As far as I know, each school has the ability to set Christmas exams if they want. Last year my department (engineering) petitioned us to whether or not we wanted at least a few of our exams in December. They said they would look into organising it for future years if the general consenseus was that it would be a positive move. It would really help, particularly in final year. I'd be happy to start a few weeks earlier if it meant I avoided ten exams in May.

Fo Real

For those of us who appreciate Trinity's history and traditions (and there is only about 2 or 3 of us on this forum), the introduction of semesterisation in 2009 was an abomination. Another decison made by college administrators intent on destroying the college's heritage and converting it into a bland UCD clone. Where were the SU back then? Semesteriation was deeply unpopular, yet instead of fighting the change our student representatives were too busy organsing a boycott of coca cola and handing out free condoms. Morons.

Doesn't matter now anyway. Trinity is in decline, not only in the table rankings, but in general. Front sqaure has been deformed with the ugly concrete path scarring the cobblestones. Distasteful "shag week" banners are hung above front arch, encouraging promiscuity. Historical buildings like house 6 and the GMB are wasted on accomodating childish societies (read: cliquish drinking clubs) that you and I are funding with our registration fee. I could go on but I'll just work myself up into a rage.

Extrasupervery

Semesterisation worked like a charm when I was in UCD and I'm very glad that my TCD course has it. It doesn't have anything to do with the heritage or the integrity of the college, as far as I can see. It's very simple and very sensible.

Unregistered.

Extrasupervery wrote: »

Semesterisation worked like a charm when I was in UCD and I'm very glad that my TCD course has it. It doesn't have anything to do with the heritage or the integrity of the college, as far as I can see. It's very simple and very sensible.

When classes, coursework and exams are not adjusted properly to suit the new term structure it becomes a big problem.

Ahoyhoy

Fo Real wrote: »

Front sqaure has been deformed with the ugly concrete path scarring the cobblestones.

You know you're right. That chick on the mobility scooter is always complaining about how ugly front square is now and how much longer her scooter tyres last. I'm sure she misses the days of feeling like the inside of a cocktail shaker any time she has to access the Front Square offices.

MileyByrne

They have such paving in Oxbridge colleges, so AFAIC there's no problem.

StrawberryJazz

Semesters has made the lecturers in my course more accountable in my opinion. Previously there was very much a grey area around submission dates, appropriate test times and class planning, usually ending up in a mess at the end of the year.

Although the adjustment year was a bitch, its so much better now and makes much more sense.