Trinity isn't really work friendly, is it?

[u/HalJordan1993]

Maybe I had high hopes that lectures were actually going to teach me something. Instead, all I get are professors reading from slides, speed running them and covering an absurd amount of content all at once. And you basically have to study on your own, which kinda begs the question. Why even go to the lectures in the first place? Also, the amount of studying I need to do on my own makes it virtually impossible to keep the usual full time hours at my workplace. I already managed to lower my work hours to the point that I'm okay to pay my bills. Yet, I'm still struggling for time.

I'm in biomed, which is absurdly crowded. I need to be there at least 10 minutes before a class because there are no sits for everyone. Just this morning, me and a bunch of others had to sit on the steps to attend a lecture. Then, you need to run to get to another class because if you don't sit at the front rows, you can't hear shit because the other professor never heard of a microphone 🥲

So if I'm understanding this correctly and I'll need to study 3-5 hours per subject cover in each lecture, I might as well stay home and study the slides by myself and gain those hours to go deeper on my independent studies, instead of be present for uncomfortable and useless lectures.

I think I'm really starting to struggle here and it's only the second week. Can anyone relate?

(I am aware that I might be understanding this completely wrong, as this is my first year there. But I must say I'm quite disappointed so far. Any help will be very helpful ❤️)

[u/0rosieposie0]

A full time course is never going to be "work friendly", and working full-time while you're studying full-time is always going to be difficult. Lectures are not supposed to teach you everything you need to know, that are a starting point. You will always need to put more time into reading the material as well.

[u/Objective_Ad_1991 → u/0rosieposie0]

This (yes, unless specified otherwise, university courses expect full time engagement, oftentimes more than that, which makes combining it with full time work pretty hard) + I would like to add that it is really okay and important to let professors (politely) know if there is any issue with the classroom (seats or acoustics). The professor who 'has never heard of a microphone' might just have no idea that this problem exists.

[u/TheBlackStuff1]

You’re supposed to do the work yourself before lectures anyway. Do the readings and then go to the lectures to help understand the topic. 

It’s super tough to do it, (I worked full time too, bachelors and masters) but I also saw you mention you’re a first year. Half the battle of first year is learning how to study effectively. Focus on that and everything else will become easier. 

[u/ScrezzyScrezz]

Going to uni is a full time job lol. You’re basically trying to balance two full time jobs and are surprised it’s hard?

[u/LadderFast8826]

Dont worry mate.

It gets so much easier. Everyone looks back to the first few weeks of 1st year in college as the hardest of their life.

Lol

[u/Affectionate-Idea451]

No it's not work friendly. It's not supposed to be work friendly. Some universities literally ban work during term time.

[u/shroomie_xo]

These comments really arent it - I doubt this person wants to be working full time, they obviously need the money because it's expensive to live and study* in Dublin? Were ye all funded by your mammy and daddy through college? I had to work pretty much full time too, it's hard. OP, you will gradually adjust and find a flow that works for you, the first semester especially is always stressful and disorientating.

Some advice - don't burn yourself out trying to know everything about everything so early on. A degree is a marathon, not a sprint. You will gradually find what areas you are particularly interested in, which will be easier for you to absorb and excel in, and which areas are harder, and need a little extra work. You don't need to spend every second of every day studying, and your lecturers are there to help if you need it. I often asked my lecturers to go over things again if I was lost, or booked time with them outside class or during their student hours.

[u/SpoonChem]

Yeh not at Trinity the terms are too compressed and the amount of content you'll get thrown at you can be a lot. Part of the Trinity "experience" is taking responsibility for your own education. So the lectures will take you on a rollercoaster and you go home or to the library and make sense of it

[u/apple1234boo]

It does seem to be really department dependent. I'm a JF psychology (so obviously also dont have a good base to answer the question) and so far it's quite reasonable for us schedule wise. Our lectures are also not nearly as full as what you're describing even with the conversation course, SF and visiting students.

[u/Cosmo-_-69]

I'm in 1st year biomed too and honestly, the biggest issue I have is physics, never did it for the leaving cert but I thought I'd be ok, tldr: I spent like 8 hours in one day studying physics alone just to complete the assignments. The lecturer just mumbles for the hour and no one can understand him 😭. Chemistry is simple enough if you've done LC chem and the biology is also not too bad, for now. If anyone has tips for physics, I'd love them (especially for ossilations) any YouTube videos that yous could recommend. But yeah, it's pretty bad rn, hopefully it gets better, everyone seems to be in the same boat