NUIG problems

SarahL95

Okay so basically I'm starting to stress out a lot about everything to do with going to college next year! I'm 18 and live just outside Dublin so about 2 hours away from Galway. I want to study general science next year but I'm afraid that it will be too difficult for me. In school I'm quite average. I do Biology and I love it and find it quite easy! Chemistry is another story though. I'm in honors maths and think it's relatively okay, most of the time. Does anyone know if the science course is very difficult?

Another major worry I have is accommodation! I booked a normal single room in Corrib Village but now I've heard that it's not a great place to stay. I've heard it can be very dirty and cold. I do love going out but I don't want to pay that much for a place to stay if the conditions are that bad! Is there any student residences that you pay for weekly?
Any advice on either of these would be really really appreciated!!!

shruikan2553

I wouldnt worry too much about it being too difficult for you. First year is trying to get everyone up to speed after the leaving cert so most of the content in each subject will mostly be like the LC course.

I lived in corrib back in first year, its not too bad. Over priced for what you get and the staff randomly enter the house but its a good place for first years until you get to know galway and meet a few people. All the other student places are further out from the college and all the ones I know of are the same payment scheme as corrib.

If you want to do science in Galway go for it, if you have a room booked in corrib you might as well stay there. Its not great but you dont have to worry about bills.

SarahL95

Thanks for replying! Is there any where else that is good fun to stay in? Corrib Village is so dear! I have my name on the waiting list for Gort na Coiribe but doubt that I'll get it at this stage.

mockshelp

I've finished 2nd year of undenominated science. Do not worry. 1st year is not hard. I had only done biology for the leaving cert. I did biology, chemistry, physics and maths in my 1st year.
For physics they split you up into 2 groups - one lecture theatre for people who've done LC physics and another hall for people who haven't. So that was no problem for me as the group I was in started from the very beginning.
For chemistry there is only 1 group. But they start from the basics. It's very easy... Read the lecture notes, go to lectures and some tutorials, practice past exam questions...that is enough to do well. Do not buy books...they will gather dust! There is the library if you need to get out or lookup a book. But for physics and chemistry the lecturers provided an online copy of the relevant textbook (it was included with the homework system package) So there is no need. The labs and online homework can be difficult if you have no background in the subjects but don't fret about the online homework (it's only 10% of final module grade) and 20 labs in the year worth 20% so 1% for each lab write-up (which your lab assistant corrects each week) Written exams semester I and II worth 30% each. (So that makes up 100% for CH101 module)
Format similar for physics, the weekly online homework can be tricky at first if you have no background in the subject but again all the weekly homework you do for the whoooole year is only 10% of final module grade so again don't fret over it! Do not get bogged down in it trying to get every question right! It's not worth it - if you get 80% of the homework right for the year you get 8% mark. 100% right = 10%. 1-2% difference not much...
For biology - you do biochemistry and botany in sem I and zoology and microbiology in sem II. It's grand...

There is a lot of continuous assessment e.g. labs and weekly online homework contribute up to 30-40% of final module mark (depending on subject). So that takes pressure of exams. I actually got all A's and B grades (60-69% is a B grade in university, an A is 70%+) in 1st year. Continuous assessment helped. Tutorials are provided where they go through similar problems to the homework questions. So if your having problems with the homework, try going to the tutorials. Tutorials are very useful for maths.
This will all make sense to you once your on the course in NUIG!

I've stayed in Gort both years (1st and 2nd). It's one of the best student accommodations (quality wise). Corrib is very basic accommodation but I know some who lived there in 1st year and loved it (social wise). So don't be put of Corrib! I haven't lived there so can't say anything more about it. Gort is mainly 2nd years but some 1st years. I got placed with other 1st years in my 1st year so it was grand.

If you have any other specific questions/concerns feel free to PM me

SarahL95

That completely calmed me down! I think I just have an image of college being impossible! If that is how it is then I'll be fine.. Thank you for replying

mockshelp

Yes, there's no need to worry. There is a lot more continuous assessment in college and there is loads of academic help services if and when you need them (tutorials, the SUMS centre for maths (stands for "support for undergraduate maths students I think)) plus you don't have as many subjects as you did for the leaving cert. The lecturers don't want everyone failing. They know a lot of people are new to the subjects. We actually just had an MCQ (Multiple choice questions) exam for chemistry in Semester 1 and a written exam in semester 2. As I said continuous assessment counts for 30-40% of most modules - so if you go to all your lab classes and do the online homework every week your nearly at a pass mark before even sitting a written exam! It'd be hard to fail unless you had complete lack of engagement with the course. There's really nothing to worry about.

Celestial12

As long as you keep on top of things first year isn't too bad at all. I was lost with Chemistry from the beginning and found it very difficult... but a few weeks in it became one of my favourite subjects in first year and I got an A in the end. It's easy to get overwhelmed if you overthink things but as long as you put in some work you'll be fine. Continuous assessment is worth 40% in first year, so it's really only the people who don't engage with the course that fail. In my opinion the worst aspect of first year is that you have very little choice in the subjects you do. There's no way of getting around maths. Most people go for group C, followed by group D. Group C is your best option and will leave you with numerous choices going forward into second year. I chose group D as I wanted to study Earth and Ocean Science over Physics and I have no regrets. My subject choices were more limited as a result but I wanted microbiology and I have that so I'm happy.

Best of luck with your studies.