School/Uni Help Thread

You should watch Breaking Bad... Chemistry could turn out to be quite useful

 

Blasphemy.

Sons of Anarchy. Now that was a let down of an ending.

 

My timetable is *. On Monday I'm in 12-5 with an hour break, today I was in for one hour for a lecture, 3-4. Tomorrow Im in 9-5 with two hour long breaks, thursday 11-12 and Friday I'm off. Lecture I had today was utter * so I can't see myself going to college on many tuesday's.

Suppose I have no excuse not to be getting a lot of reading done.

 

When I was at uni, some semesters i only had 9 hours a week of lectures/seminars, was quality!!

Feel for people who have any 9-5 days of studying.

 

I'm back three weeks now and I only feel like I'm getting going... No motivation whatsoever. Doesn't help that I decided to come home for a little bit and opted with * online classes. Gah!

 

Yeah last year (4th year psychology) I had two 2 hour lectures a week and that was it. Not a single tutorial or seminar throughout the year. :icon_mrgreen: And despite living on Bank Street (less than a 5 min walk to any lecture halls) I managed to go to a grand total of 2 in the entire year. :smiley-laughing002:

Pretty sure the only times I entered the psychology department in the 4 years was to hand in work or go for a * as the toilets were always spotless compared to the library. :icon_mrgreen:

 

This is long - so bare with me!

Anyone in 4th year doing their dissertation or having done it recently. Even anyone who has had to do a dissertation.

So, basically at Strathy and in my final year. Picked my topic but was slightly unsure. Its about the Independence referendum (topical obviously) but its about a specific aspect of it - age! There hasn't been that much written about age surprisingly, the debate has largely focused on finance and nationality among researchers.

I thought you had to be original when coming up with ideas, however having seen last years dissertations and heard a few folk this year - that is all bullshit. People pick almost the exact same every single year. My dissertation advisor, whilst believing its a great idea said it's a bit too original, which can paint me into a corner. It's the sort of thing that would work brilliant if the actual university was carrying out the research, not a 21 year university student. :smiley-laughing002: But he's told me ways to get round it.

However, I * despise him. His specialty is in politics and religion - not voting behaviour or Scottish/British politics. I don't know why I was assigned him. He's very harsh when marking and literally gives nothing away. I know this is 4th year, there is no easy ride and it should be all me, however having heard others' experiences - mine is dreadful. The other advisors are giving some helpful nudges in the right direction plus the advisor marks it themselves, so they want their students to look good because it helps their credentials and reputation. My guy straight up told all of us (he has 4 students he is advising) that he doesn't care if we pass or fail, its not his problem.

Our dissertations are due very early - January. I feel I can't change my dissertation topic but I think I want to change the advisor. Not for an easy ride or anything just someone who feels approachable and not a hard arsed *.

Anyone done this?

 

I had massive issues with my supervisor as well, to the point where I told the head of the department that I'd throw the * out the window if I had to have another meeting with him. :icon_mrgreen: Similar to your guy he just didn't give a * and went out of his way to be difficult. I didn't actually get a chance to meet him until Jan and that was only after I went to the head of department about it. Agreed stuff then after I spent days preparing the experiment he asks me to change stuff that would mean starting again, even though I set it up exactly like we agreed.

Also wanted me to run stats analyses on data that had zero relevance to what I was testing. When it came to the stats he specifically told me to run a G.E.E. and said if I run the one I wanted I wouldn't get a decent grade. Literally spent every day/night for 2 weeks trying to figure out how to run it with no help and must've asked 10-15 other lecturers/researchers and not a single one had a clue (only 1 had heard knew it existed :icon_mrgreen. Went to the head of dep again and she slaughtered him for not providing any training for it in an email when I was sitting there. Despite trying for week to meet him again with no luck he was suddenly for the rest of the afternoon after that. Thought finally I'll get it sorted, turn up and he couldn't open my data as he didn't use the stats program that we'd been taught to use since 1st year.

Ended up getting the dude that had heard of it to email someone he knew in France who stayed up on skype with him overnight and they ran the data for me. No joke. :icon_mrgreen: Anyway because I spent so long on the stats the rest of my dissertation was a complete mess, didn't even get a chance to read over it and the references were non-existent.

Think the things that saved me from getting a * grade (ended up with a B1) was the fact I made sure the head of dep knew all the problems I had with him so I'd defo go to your head and let them know the problems your having with yours. With any luck you'll be able to change since it's still early although you'd probably have to hope another supervisor has free-ish semester or that someone has dropped out. We also got an evaluation sheet that the supervisor read so I made it clear on that if he penalized me for not included * that had no relevance I'd be appealling. :icon_mrgreen: Dunno if it's the same at strathy but we also filled in a difficulties form for the 2nd marker so just stick everything down on there as well so they're more likely to be lenient. If I remember right 15-20% of our mark was our ability to work independently so if its the same at your end you should be getting pretty much full marks for that segment if he's an unhelpful *.

Other thing I would say is that pretty much everyone I spoke to was * it thinking they'd done badly but nearly everyone got decent grade so if they're anything like my department apparently was then they should be really lenient grade wise for the dissertation.

With any luck you'll be able to change supervisors though since its still early cause it's a * nightmare to put up with when they go out there way to be a *. Probably more words than my last 100 posts combined ffs :icon_mrgreen:

 

Just spent about an hour writing down all my CA dates and deadlines and working out a plan for the reading/study I'll need to do for them all and all I can say is * my life.

 

What year you in ?

I like having a lot of CAs but in my course you can get away with little study before them.

I need to get started on a project, have to make an android app this year

 

Bunch of Whiny *, I've done two dissertations in my time with zero help and currently doing a CA. If your topic isn't going to work then change it, I changed my undergrad title literally 2 weeks before it was due, it's never too late to change.

 

3rd year, you? Last two years I did literally the bare minimum just to pass the years but I need to do well this year so want to actually work hard.

I'm the opposite, I would much rather just have modules that were 100% exam because I can cram fairly well and usually get a decent mark. Find essays are a lot harder to cram for and do well in. I plan to work the whole way through this year though so maybe I'll think differently about it then.

What's your course? Anything to do with computers Id be * at, don't have the head for it:smiley-laughing002:

 

Education is free in Scotland if you are Scottish , if not take a student loan 1% intrest paid back when you make a certain amount

 

What's a CA? Mind has went blank

 

3rd year too, I'm studying computing so yeah I'd say my CA experience is different (Mine are usually one or two hours long and done on computers with one or two elapsed per semester) I've gone into every exam for a 50% ca module having already got a good enough grade to pass so it works for me

Loving this year so far, no maths module for the first time

Continous Assessment, an assignment during the semester that counts towards your final grade.

 

Anybody ever attended a graduate/any assessment centre? Got a place at one in February or March. * it