Worry - but dont panic - about your work counting in second year

Worry - but dont panic - about your work counting in second year Its coming up to crunch time in first semester. Essays due, exams after Christmas, further reading up to your eyeballs. If you werent feeling the heat before, you probably are now. Especially if, like me, you got away with slacking in first year because your marks didnt count. Second years another story. Im sure you know by now, but second year can count for anywhere between 12.5% and 40% depending on which uni you go to and what course you do. Whatever the case may be, youd be forgiving for worrying about what you come out with. However, the key to success is not to panic. Second year can be quite an important time, but you absolutely can handle it. Heres why:   It only makes it more difficult Listen, just chill for a second! Its true, some of us cant help but panic in situations like the ones second year will throw up at you. But if you cant breathe, you cant study. What were trying to say is look after your mental health youve got deadlines, sure, but its important to take time for yourself too. If youre covering something you find difficult, dont beat yourself up. Take a break and come back to it. Keep your family and friends in the loop too theyre the ones that are going to hold you up if you get into trouble.   Youve got a bit more academic freedom The horror of UCAS is a hazy speck in your rear view mirror at this point. But theres gotta be a reason you chose to do the course that you did. Were assuming it wasnt because of all those thrilling good university practice modules? Didnt think so. Liking what you do makes a huge difference to how well you do it. This year, now youve had a chance to pick up things that actually interest you, you should do even better than last year. Cant argue with that right there. Thats just logic.   Some of second year exists beyond your studies No kidding, theres a life outside of lectures beyond first year. Wouldnt you like to see it? Frequent Debut readers will know that we lurrrrve extra-curricular activities, and we think you should too. We even wrote a whole piece about why second year is the best time to dive into your hobbies. Basically, the worst thing you can do at uni these days is go there and just study. Prove to your future employers youve got leadership and organisational skills and have fun while youre at it.   If all else fails, youve got final year If you have an obsessive penchant for studying, dont worry. Youll be doing plenty of that in final year. Thats why its so important to reap the benefits of societies in second year because by final year, its pretty much much too late. The workload is a huge step up and theres much more independent study that needs to be done. HOWEVER, its worth more than second in terms of degree weighting. So heres the plan use second year to find your tempo. Experiment with things and plan the way you work best, ready to smash it next year.   Theres help there for you If all that doesnt convince you, just know AT THE VERY LEAST that you dont have to do this alone. Your lecturers arent scary monsters (even the ones that never smile). If you approach them, theyll definitely help you. Be up front about your struggles before they become issues and take their advice. Theyre the experts after all. Do that, and all this second year lark will be a breeze. Images by Giphy Feature image via 20th Century Fox Download the Debut app and  get Talent-Spotted by amazing graduate employers! Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter