Advice

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Laur2525
New member - welcome them!
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Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 11:18 am

Advice

Post by Laur2525 »

Hi I am looking for advice.
I am doing a masters and from the start of the year to the end so many things have gone wrong. Neck pain has got really bad and two friends have been diagnosed with cancer but I changed to part time but it still didnt work. I was meant to do my exams in May wrote notes out for one of the two of them but didnt have time to learn them and I cant cram. So I deferred them until August I worked a good bit over the summer writing essays for these exams but I did not give myself time to learn them. I just can't seem to pace myself and make so many daily and weekly plans that I don't stick to. I had my first exam yesterdaY i felt okay about it beforehand and really hoped I had enough covered (I had done 9 essays) but I wasn't and I had to leave the exam:( I am less prepared for the other two I have decided not to do the one on thursday and I'm really not sure about doing the one next mon (I have seven essays to learn and I just can't cram) Although in the short term that would be the easiest thing to do but I'm not sure if thats the best decision. I'm really worried because now my family think I'm not able for the masters as it looked like I was studying alot but I was just writing notes and my course coordinators will think that too they don't have alot of time for me now. I really believe I could get the exams if I had paced myself and had a few weeks to go over my notes. Any ideas in what I should do and could do to help me in this area or has anyone been in a similiar situation. Thanks :)
Tom fod
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Re: Advice

Post by Tom fod »

Hi and welcome Laur2525

I'm sorry I can't offer a specific reply as I haven't been to university, hopefully there's someone else here who might be able to offer some more specific advice, based on their more relevant experience.

In the meantime, it sounds like you've had a personally difficult and worrying time and this has no doubt impacted on your ability to concentrate on your degree studies. Can I ask what subject your reading, and aside from study what else is taking up your time: work; supporting family/friends; Medical investigation/treatment for your neck?

Are your daily weekly plans realistic/attainable? Is there anyone you can speak to from your university about your concerns? Is there a set time limit? Is anyone in your family able to offer any moral support or even study tips or are you blazing a trail and is a Masters something they can't easily comprehend/care about personally? Are the expectations of academic progress solely your own?

Sorry my response is just more questions but I hope that you're personal reflection of them might help you to formulate an action plan that will help you move forward.
Tom
Moderator/Administrator

With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
Laur2525
New member - welcome them!
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 11:18 am

Re: Advice

Post by Laur2525 »

Thanks for your reply. I did the exam today it wasn't great but hopefully I'll pass. I'm studying psychology! Like I babysit a good bit and then I suppose seeing my friends who are sick. No I'm so bad at sticking to plans I make things always take me much longer than I think. I also leave things to the last minute which just doesn't work for exams. I'm not sure if the disability support offer anything in regards to time management but I defo will check it out! I don't know my family could help me. My mum would be supportive but she doesn't seem to have specific tips. I think it has made me realise I have to look into this further. Anyway what do you do? Are u working?
Tom fod
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Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 9:05 pm
Location: SW UK

Re: Advice

Post by Tom fod »

Hi again

I'm also quite inclined to procrastinating and leaving things for too long. Everyones' lives are to a greater or lesser degree chaotic especially where the unpredictability of other people and things are involved. To my mind being dyspraxic means we have a greater need to feel we that we have some degree of control of things, but alas.

Try to have a strategy to stop and take a break when things are out of control and you're feeling panicky. Sometimes you need to allow the 'dust to settle' so you can identify just what it is that you can/need to do.

It's worth remembering that any tips/strategies need to be things that work for you personally. You may need/want to adapt others' strategies so they will work for you. Worth looking back through posts in Studying and other topic areas on here to look for ideas you might want to borrow and adapt for yourself.

I find I'm not good at blocking out time generally doesn't work well for me as I'll spend an inordinate amount on creating a timetable of things and then adjusting the timetable to try to make it realistic, when I feel I really should be doing the things rather than thinking about how and when I'm going to do them. That said it can be useful to spend some time planning and thinking how you will approach tasks before launching into them. Its a tricky balance, and I'm sure you know that too.

I work as an admin/information officer, which to many no doubt sounds quite an untypical choice, but then who or what is typical?
Tom
Moderator/Administrator

With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
Tomtom
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Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2015 9:30 pm

Re: Advice

Post by Tomtom »

Hey, fellow student here! Scientifically, the best way to learn is teaching (having not really done it my self, I'm being somewhat hypocritical however). Talk to family members/ friends, and try to teach them some of the more complicated stuff that you have trouble with. I don't do many essays however, so it may require different skills. Sometimes it's best to allocate more time to revision that you would think you'd need, I tend to procrastinate, and I know that once I pass 3 or so hours of studying per day, that my productivity nosedives, so I need to give myself extra time.
Also, make sure you have hobbies outside of studying to reduce stress, I would recommend sports (healthy body healthy mind etc)
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