Hi guys! So basically, I got in. Thank you soooooo much for this blog and for all the advice and help. You've helped me in times of CRISIS!!! I have one more question for you guys. Can you make a master post of how to get a first in first year? I really want to prove myself in Cam but I'm so so scared and nervous. Specifically to HSPS would be amazing!! I'm mostly scared of exams tbh like what is expected of us? Thank you thank you ❤️❤️❤️❤️
CONGRATULATIONS! Honestly, don’t panic about proving yourself -- first year is really a learning experience, particularly in first term. I think stressing about getting a first at this stage can actually be detrimental -- it is, of course, good to have that as a goal in mind, but at the same time, there are going to be a lot of things that you need to improve on, and it’s best to really take things one step at a time. Your supervisors will give you lots of guidance on how to best tackle exam questions, and they’ll help you understand what’s expected of you -- it’s something that may not be clear immediately, but will become increasingly apparent as you continue on throughout the year.
I’m going to link you to two posts that I’ve written on how to get firsts, but I’d suggest reading over them properly after you’ve settled down a little bit -- they’ll make a lot more sense once you’ve learned how to approach a Cam essay and once you’ve written a few essays, so you know what you’re already doing, and what you need to include/improve on. Trying to cram all of the stuff I’ve mentioned into your first essay may actually be detrimental because you’ll be so focused on being original etc. that you might not write like you usually do/it may feel forced. It honestly does not matter if your first essay is really bad: supervisors don’t expect something amazing, and it’s actually better if they’ve got lots of things that they can work with you on because it helps you get a better overall understanding of what’s expected.
Anyway, all that being said, HERE is a post on how to write a strong essay in a humanities subject and HERE are some tips I have on studying to get a first! Good luck, but seriously -- don’t panic!














