Hi all! I’m Jimmie, and I’m a student representative in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. You may have seen one of my many articles on The Hoot before, or maybe seen me at an SU event, or the Welcome Fair, or maybe you were one of the 120 brand new students I was lucky enough to give a talk in front of a few weeks ago. It was this talk for new Social Science students that gave me the idea to write this article, so here it is, the questions I was asked to elaborate on to help guide others. I hope this helps people. Good luck in your studies, and remember, you got this!
How did you feel before commencing level one studies, versus how you feel now towards the end of your modules?
I was nervous. I was unsure if it would work for me, and whether I’d made the correct choice to study again. Especially as I signed up in July and so had months before starting to stress about every detail: from my course, to my books arriving, to getting early access to my module, and being in a WhatsApp group with some people saying how they had wrote TMA01 already even though it was still September (we had an early open date beta for the module). But as soon as the course started properly I felt comfortable, I took it in my stride and I take it week by week, and so I’m happy I’m not stressed – I’m enjoying the ride.
Any elements of your level one modules that were more challenging, and why? If you did find elements challenging, how did you overcome that?
I found some of the TMAs quite scary, and sometimes asking for direct help from tutors about TMA questions can create more confusion, as they’ll guide you, but they can’t tell you straight, as they want you to work on the answer yourself – and if you get it wrong it’s ok. You’re learning as you go, and as long as you get 40% for the year, you’ll pass, and it won’t affect your final classification, so it’s about learning from your mistakes, finding your own path and reflecting on how far you’ve come. Many people will share information about what to do, either on the forums or on Facebook etc, that they feel is the correct way of doing things (I’m guilty of doing this on the module forums) but if you’re not comfortable with something (for example, referencing) then it’s best to work it out for yourself and not be given the simple answer, as later in your studies, when you need the knowledge to do it yourself, you will be lacking. But do remember the best advice is always from your tutors, as you’re writing for them, so if you’re unsure what to do, send them an email.
Do you have any top tips for prospective students studying at level one (things you wish you’d known in advance)?
I do have some top tips, in fact, a few others, and I on DD102 wrote an article for The Hoot giving some of our best tips. I think something that I would say that isn’t in the article is to look at the tutorials, get them and your TMA/EMA dates into your diaries, and try and make time for them. The lovely tutors put a lot of effort into them, and they can really help get what you’ve read about in the books into your brain and help with any little issues you have with the TMAs, but if you can’t make one, don’t worry – one of the main tutorials (get ready for TMA, etc) will always be recorded and uploaded. Also, always read the ASSIGNMENT BOOKLET. This will be your guide; it tells you everything you need to know, from how to set up your TMAs to what your learning outcomes are, so you can make sure you’re doing what’s asked of you and not doing the wrong thing.
What additional skills or knowledge do you feel you have gained from studying? (Is there anything that you do differently now as a result?)
I’ve learnt lots this past year, I know how to reference properly thanks to DD102 and the library’s session on referencing. I know how to manage my time better (which is a lot for me as a 42-year-old who only found out he had ADHD and Autism this last year and was never able to manage my time). I’ve learnt now not to use personal pronouns in my TMAs, along with how to write academically. I’ve also learnt to take it easy on myself. There is no harm in having a day off from study and looking after yourself. If you’re struggling, tell your tutor and remember that other students are going through the same things, so don’t be afraid to ask anything, as there are no stupid questions.
Has studying changed how you see the world?
It has. Studying social science really opened my eyes to the day-to-day running of society. All the injustices and inequalities people face, which come about due to how society is set up to help some people and not others, and how these lines between injustice and inequality can constantly change over time and from place to place. It’s really interesting to think about the links that tie everyday items like a fresh cup of coffee or your mobile phone, and how getting those items to us affects lives on the other side of the world for good and bad. There are a few triggering issues in these modules, but studying them has helped me calm my strong emotional response and think hard about the people who face these injustices, and by having them in mind, think about how society can change for the better so these types of things no longer happen to them.
I hope this helped in some way, and remember, if you want to chat to other students outside of your module, then do check out the events page on the Student Union website, and maybe check out the awesome Welcome Week events and maybe even win a prize!
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