Today marks 23 days remaining until my first summer exam occurs, meaning that the next three weeks will be crucial in terms of study. Ideally I’d be studying thoughout the entirety of the academic term but given the workload I really don’t think that’s possible without risking complete burnout. That is to say that the majority of the study will take place in the form of revision.

The exams are, in chronological order: Classical Mechanics, Integration, Abstract Algebra, Electricty & Magnetism, Multivariable calculus, and Oscillations & waves. I wish I could say I’ve seen the papers for each of these subjects but as it stands I’m only familiar with the papers for multicalc and integration (not coincidentally, the easiest duo of the sextet). As such I’m not sure how to dedicate my time. Last term I found that I performed better in the harder exams than I did in the easier ones because I dedicated such a disproportionate amount of time to them.

I don’t need any specific results this term in order to continue with my studies (as opposed to last year, where I need to achieve 90% average in physics). So in that sense there are two main factors in chosing what I want to best in: Prizes & future application.

Prizes:

Insofar as I can tell, the following prizes are obtainable to me this academic year:

The Huxley prize for Euclidean Geometry:

Prize given out for the best overall result for the exam MT251P “Foundations of Euclidean Geometry”. This exam already happened in January so any thoughts on this prize are gonna be epimethean; that being said I feel like I could’ve performed far better in this exam than I did. Rereading the exam I feel like I should’ve been able to get 100% if I hadn’t neglected studying it. I think it’s possible but not probable that I win this.

The Spelman Prize:

Best performance in either 1st year TP&PM or 2nd year TP&PM. I think I would have a really good shot at this provided that I qualify. On the books I’m not officially doing the TP&PM degree, insomuch as I am studing TP&PM and will graduate with a dual major in “theoretical physics” and “pure maths”, as opposed to a single major in “theoretical physics & pure maths”. I can only hope.

The Delort Prize:

Best performance in Pure maths in the first year of examinations. Again I don’t know that I qualify? This is most assuredly my second year here but I am studying first year so who’s to say? somebody sympathetic I hope.

Physics?:

Although I contend that the physics department is the very best when it comes to student communication, I can’t seem to find a list anywhere of the prizes for the department :(

Future application:

Of everything that I currently study I have to say that waves & oscillations is the biggest contender for “most useful” for future years, followed very closely by abstract algebra (99% of which is linear algbebra, which itself composes 99% of physics). This subject also seems somewhat bottomless, in that I am continuously coming across new ideas and techniques therein. Lagrangians are phenomenally useful but (spoken cautiously) I feel like I understand them to a point where further study at this level isn’t going to be as insightful as further study in wavemech.

Conclusion:

Idk I’ll probably just dedicate two days to all 6 and see after that >:)