Exam season has arrived and with it the following mantra can be hear across campus accommodations: “First Year Doesn’t Count”. While it is true that your first year grades do not count to your overall degree qualifications, many take this way too lightly. For many, university appears like an exciting new adventure, far away from home and thus free to do whatever your heart desires. First year is seemed as the time to go crazy, filling out your social calendar to the brim during the day and going out every night (and maybe drinking a bit too much).
While it is true that your first year grades do not count to your overall degree qualifications, many take this way too lightly.
As a result, studying can be pushed to the sidelines because “you only live once, right?” and, besides, “first year doesn’t count”. So after a crazy night out attending your morning lectures can be easily pushed as side as “there are recorded, I’ll just watched them later”. The lectures pile up and then it feels as natural to just skip them and other classes in favour of more fun times.
But then comes deadline season and all hell breaks loose. The seemingly infinite amount of coursework becomes impossible to complete when you have not taken any notes or watched a third of the lectures, or have to write a thousand word essay on a book that you did not get past the first chapter of. You feel nervous about the mountains of work you need to do and start to regret not having put more effort before. However, you remind yourself it’s okay: “first year doesn’t count”. But is this common saying really true?
First year grades do not count because this year to allow for everyone to build a strong foundation of the core skills and knowledge required later in your degree. The University of Exeter places a strong importance in ensuring all their students have the same opportunities to succeed in and after university. This is demonstrated by “Exeter being hailed University of the Year for its outstanding support of social mobility”, so it is not surprising they use this approach.
First year grades do not count because this year to allow for everyone to build a strong foundation of the core skills and knowledge required later in your degree.
But, regardless of if you are of a widening participation background or not, everyone benefits from treating their first year as an opportunity to build strong study habits. University is really different to school and involves less contact hours, with a strong focus on independent work. Thus, first year is the best time to figure out what studying schedules or ways to revise are the best for you. Are mind maps or active-recalling the best choice for you? Or is it something else entirely? How can you best organise your week to maximise your productivity? You can trial and error as many study methods as you want. You have a whole year to decide!
Thus, first year is the best time to figure out what studying schedules or ways to revise are the best for you.
Similarly, you might have already made the most of Exeter’s societies (if you haven’t, here’s a helpful guide to them!), but what about other resources. From employability workshops to asking clarifying questions on feedback during opening hours, there are plenty opportunities to grow career- or academic-wise. The way assignments and assessments are carried out and graded will likely to be very different to how it was in school. Thus, first year is the perfect opportunity to gain a good understanding on how to produce great work. Maybe shoot for that first class for your second year?
First year offers a variety of new opportunities: to meet new people, explore different paths and experiences, and further develop yourself. I won’t deny that first year can be the best time to go all out – you will never have as much time as then during your university journey. However, do not disregard your studies and instead build strong foundations. First year does count, so make the most of it.
