Since first year my study habits have changed in terms of location, organisation and how I use resources. As I live off campus I rarely go to the university library apart from studying between lectures or to pick up a book that is not accessible online. I studied for my three exams this year at home due to having all the resources available through the library catalogue as well as borrowing several books off students who had taken my modules last term. I read more specifically for my course this year and always kept up with weekly readings set by tutors. In this way when it came to revision time I did not need to learn the content again and instead could use the resources and quotes in a smart way to fit into mock exam questions. I tended to use fewer resources this year as the readings set by tutors were longer (up to 30-40 pages) therefore there was less time for extra reading. One of my tutors this year advised that we did not need to do extra reading outside of what she had set to get a 2:1 grade.

Second year makes up 40% of our final university grade therefore I have taken my studies more seriously this year and have definitely spent more time revising and recapping on notes and lectures. I have also found second year modules more interesting as I was lucky enough to travel to Dubai with the course and write a learning diary after the trip on tourism and Emirati identity.

The assessments of the majority of my modules this year (and from first year) continue to baffle me. How can you judge how well someone has understood a 12 week course in a 2 hour exam?! It puts unnecessary stress on students and focusses on recall of quotations and basic ideas which cannot be developed well enough in the exam hall. Over the summer I will be starting my dissertation project which will enable me to read widely on my chosen subject and fully develop ideas as well as carrying out my own fieldwork. For this reason I am very much looking forward to the freedom of third year!