Hi everyone. first post here 
just wanted a space to rant…
i am a student doing a (life) sciences FYP now.
planning the project is supposed to be an easy thing – just need to plan it once, plan it well. but nowadays im so tired when i reach home, my thinking ability is clearly hindered. i dont even feel like planning when i reach home. i dont even know what i should be planning for…
next, experimental data. why wont my data make sense??? WHY JUST WHY
now… the cream on top of the cake - the project timeline. time isnt on my side and the stress is real. “overtime-ing” is not an option. lab technicians are strict. only option left is to come in earlier and start early end early. another option is to skip lunch but we all know we need food for energy.
im just a tired student la
Hi @user3266 FYP’s are definitely not easy and I’m so sorry that things don’t seem to be going smoothly for you right now and it does sound like it’s affecting your well-being :’ I know it might be difficult to do considering how pressed for time you are but please do take breaks and remember to eat okays! Like you said you are doing everything right but sadly things don’t always turn out well but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t competent in what you do! And hopefully with a little more attempts I hope you’ll get the results you wish for!! Good luck you got this okays!!
hello, it sounds really stressful and your feelings are valid, perhaps you can also take some breaks to recollect your thoughts, and I hope that with a few other tries you are able to get the ideal lab results, rooting for you OP 
Hey @user3266 Final year projects can get quite intense. Although planning does appear easy, it requires us to think through, to come up with a workable plan which takes up a lot of our energy which is quite common.
Hence, you might be feeling somewhat depleted. During those times it might become very hard to think. When it starts to feel like a lot, you might want to consider taking a short walk/anything that you find relaxing which would help boost thinking abilities by clearing our mind. Sometimes, slowing down on thinking and planning would also help move things faster. Compromising on food and sleep might further hinder our thinking abilities.
You are doing everything right, all the best to you.
Hey @user3266. Thank you for sharing this. It sounds incredibly exhausting and overwhelming, and I just want to say that your frustration is completely valid.
You’re not alone in feeling this way. The fact that you’re pushing through despite the exhaustion, trying to make sense of your data, thinking of time-efficient strategies like coming in earlier… those are signs of someone deeply committed and responsible, even if it doesn’t feel like it.
Maybe instead of pushing through when you’re mentally drained, you could experiment with pockets of planning time when your brain feels slightly more alert… like after breakfast or during a short break, anytime that works for you. Sometimes planning in micro-steps can feel less overwhelming.
Struggling doesn’t mean you’re not capable. It just means you’re human, and that this process is difficult.
I just want to let you know that you’re still here. Still trying. Still thinking. And that’s amazing, even if you don’t feel it.
One step at a time, okay? We’re rooting for you! 
Hey OP,
I’m sorry that you’re struggling with FYP right now. I sort of chuckled at your title because it really does feel more like the latter all the time. My FYP period was also one of the worst times I’ve been through, and I also wanted it to end quicker.
I’m not even sure how I managed to survive it all, but I took it one day at a time. And know that FYPs have a deadline, meaning that there will be a date which your FYP will be done. As long as you can manage to get through another day, slowly working through your FYP to completion, you’re doing great 
All the best for your FYP!
I recently also finished an FYP in life sciences although I probably did a very different type of FYP (more focused on ecology). I was also stressed about data & whether it was usable or if there were flaws in my methods that made them unusable, & also how to write about my results especially if there’s not much literature related to it.
If you’re unsure of your project direction it’s probably best to ask your supervisor even if sometimes they can be scary or unhelpful. Another thing that helped me is reading past research papers from students from the same lab who did similar stuff & taking inspo from them. If you’re in your first semester of FYP, also consider doing as few mods as possible next sem.
In the end my batchmates & I got through it even though there were many times we were tired & scared we couldn’t meet the deadline. I believe in you <3
hi @user3266 ,
Thank you for sharing! FYP is truly stressful. I assume you already have a plan for your FYP, since you mentioned about experimental data. If not, I would encourage you to consult your teacher in-charge, and brainstorm with AI!
Regarding experimental data, I would suggest repeating your experiment (if you have the time to do so). If you are consistently getting “wrong” or unsatisfactory data, go through each and every step in the experiment and see where you are doing wrong. You can consult your peers and teachers to help figure things out.
If all else fail and you are running out of time, know that it is totally valid to focus on explaining why the data might look “wrong.” Maybe there was contamination, or some side reactions that were not accounted for. These kinds of observations are important in science (good scientists don’t hide unexpected results but instead explore and explain them). I am sure your teacher will appreciate this approach.
Most importantly, take care of yourself. Skipping meals or pushing yourself too hard isn’t sustainable. Try to find small ways to rest and recharge, even during busy days. You’re doing your best, and that’s what counts.