Reflecting on First Year

Term 3 is a bittersweet thought for most of us as it is simultaneously a time of celebration for the year passed, but is also a send-off for the third-year students with some of the best events of the student calendar. But before all this, it is however a time of stress for all students with their impending exams drawing ever closer. For many, it is this point in the year where academic success is perceived as defining your time at university, over the friends you’ve made and societies you’ve spent the last six months thriving in. Regardless of your year of study and course requirements, the exam season strikes the fear of failure into all students alike, perhaps the only experience the diverse student body shares throughout the year.

The crushing pressure of competing with peers and considering the consequences these exams could pose on your future…

As a first-year student, additional stress is created by the perception that this time of year is as stress- free as the rest of our Fresher’s experience, a preconception which is untrue for most students. Despite most departments only requiring a pass level as a minimum in first year, the crushing pressure of competing with peers and considering the consequences these exams could pose on your future, is incredibly daunting.

We are told time and time again by academic tutors that the key to dealing with anxiety surrounding exams is preparation. It seems unrealistic to expect students to give up their newfound freedom at university to confine themselves to the library all year round, but taking the time to prepare your revision materials before the final term kicks off ensures peace of mind throughout the stressful period, to prevent the last-minute panic many students allow themselves to fall into.

It is essential to make time to celebrate the aspects of university that have made your experience what it is, beyond the grades we’re all hoping to achieve…

Undoubtedly the examinations we are all about to embark on are an important and prioritizable part of university, however it is important for all students to remember that the grades we receive in the summer do not define our time at Warwick entirely. In this light, the best method of handling the stressful time approaching is to keep in the back of our minds that what we learn from our university experience extends past how we perform in an exam hall; therefore, whether it’s sport, societies or the weekly stress reliver of POP! at the SU that you’ve lived for this year, it is essential to make time to celebrate the aspects of university that have made your experience what it is, beyond the grades we’re all hoping to achieve.