First to Second year

Before I begin this blog, I just wanted to say congratulations to all second year students now for passing your first year.  Although the first year of the course does not count towards your final degree mark/ class, it is still a good indication for you to see how hard you have worked to achieve the result you have received for your first year.  Also, if you were not so happy with your first year marks and the result wasn't as you expected, you have an inclination as to what you need to do to improve your performance to achieve a better and more deserved grade for your second year and even your final year.  As your overall first year result does not go towards your overall degree class, there is no pressure if you did not do as well as you had hoped.  There is still hope so please don’t feel disheartened or worried that you are not going to do well overall in your degree.  Time is still at hand for you to turn the outcome around.  You need to look at the key areas in which you didn't do so well in and work on them.  That’s the first thing.  The second thing is to know what modules you will be doing in your second year.  Get an understanding of what it entails.  It is best to know what modules you will be most comfortable with (if any).  If you found first year hard then that’s a shame.  I guess you need to focus more.  Second year will not be as easy as first year.  The work begins there.  Spend time on your work to go far.

Comparison of First year to Second year

First year was the basic foundation of your course.  It shows you the weakness and strengths you hold to continue on the course.  It is vital that you grasp the first year to progress quite confidently onto your second year.  For me, I loved my first year so much. It felt more relaxed compared to just doing my A-levels.  In my mind before I entered university, I believed it required more work from me especially at the start of the course but it didn't.  Clearly wasn't as I expected.  I enjoyed it immensely.  I just hope that the first year students do too.

If you’re in your first year, treasure those moments thoroughly as you won’t get them back.  After your vacation in first year where you are breezing through, be prepared for a whirlwind in second and third year.  The calamity of work and pressure that will come over you might be quite overwhelming.  Sorry if this seems to scare you but it is the absolute truth.  Sometimes the truth is harsh to bare.

Second year was quite overpowering and a drastic shock from first year to second year.  The work load got more intense and deadlines got closer.  Although there was good support and guidance from the lecturers, I believe there was too much to do in such little time. 

If I had one wish to go back to the easy first year again and pass my degree with this ease I would take it 100%.  Miss those nice and stress-free days but I guess it’s the fact of life to face some difficult days but to try and strive through them.