From working at a university (and having studied and graduated at a different one previously, though in a subject much easier than physics) I would advise against cheating, The odds of being caught may be slim where you are from but if you do get caught you will be in a VERY bad way. Check out the consequences before making any such decision. Here if you are caught seriously cheating you are generally blocked from any future university study nationwide.  You could always take another course should you fail this one, just change your major, it beats being barred from entry.  Otherwise I would advise what Mchaza has already said.

Plus a lot of people feel like you do but then fly through the exams with amazing grades come the time, I used to do law before I realised it was dull and pointless (as I dont need the money and the practise of law is generally only about the money, plus the profession in this part of the world is way too regulated and restrictive) and I felt like you do now all the time before exams in that biut ended up getting almost straight A's ( I got one B in land law because it was too dull to take in arrgghh). You may surprise yourself...

You're in high school, right? The risks and consequences of cheating are inconsequential. In university, you run the risk of being withdrawn from the school and a note in your transcript.

You have 5 weeks, plenty of time to learn a course from beginning to end (assuming it's the only one you're afraid of failing). Some things that should help:

-Study in a group. White board, marker, the whole thing. It get easier to comprehend how to do a problem when you see how your peers are going about it.

-Utilize office hours. Your professors should have some period of time when they're available to help you.

-For the most part, become a hermit, both in real life and on the internet. No facebook, dates, VGC, texting, instant messaging, bowling, whatever. Plenty of time to do all that after finals.

-Manage your time wisely. Make a daily study plan...ie. Cover chapter 1 on Thursday, chapter 1 questions on Friday, saturday chapter 2 and so on.

-Don't worry about it. Wasting time worrying about it is an ineffcient usage of time and energy.

Cambridge. I regret coming.

@izaaz101

Thanks.

- I would study in a group but I literally don't know anyone. That's part of the reason I feel so bad.
- Yes, I should talk to my supervisors more.
- ...I know you're right.
- Yes.

@2000cc

At UK universities, you choose your major on application. I'm stuck with Physics.

I would never cheat.

Do you mean fail, as in fail, or fail, as in... not getting a Firsts or 2:1?

If you're finding the first year too hard, I'd focus my energys on getting 40% and then looking at transferring to another University, as each year only gets harder. Most Universities will easily offer you a place for a first year pass (40%) at Cambridge. You may even get into some very respectible Universities, like Warwick, or Bath.

EDIT: I'm at Kent, and have my first exam next Thursday. It's also my least favourite topic, and the one I need to do best in (aiming for a Firsts for the whole year... for my year in industry). I hate it so much, that I just can't get myself to revise for it. Even if I sit there, dedicated to it, I'll just end up staring into space. I hope it gets better from Sunday, when I get back to Uni, as I'll have the library, and be able to study with other people on the course... but, I'm hating myself, right now.

Knowing someone isn't the end of the world.

Our school had an online chat/messageboard for each course. If you have a similar sort of system, then you could post there asking if anyone would be up for a study group. I've never participated in such a thing (usually I had ast least 2 friends/people I knew in every class) but I've seen other people successfully start a study group with strangers. In some ways, it's probably better, in that you have no prior relationship with anyone, so you cannot be distracted as easily and focus.

It's also not too late to make friends. I usually sat around the same people everyday, and chatted them up....maybe try that?

Instead of studying more, think and work out how you can study more efficiently for you.  Also, pretty much everything Izaaz said.

I mean actually fail, yeah sub-40%.

I've never heard of anyone transferring universities like that. If it's possible I need to look into that.

Good luck with your exam.

I've got a friend who's transferring from my University (Kent), to one closer to home (Birmingham)... they're asking for 65%, if she gets it, she transfers. Of course, you being at Cambridge, the offer will be much lower. Still worth looking into.

But, I've heard about the work load. I've got a mate doing CS at Cambridge, and he was literally studying for 4 or 5 hours everyday during the easter break... mad props to people doing that kind of work, I know that I don't have that kind of motivation.

I assume by the not knowing anyone, it's a confidence thing? I don't think you should be too worried about socializing with people on your course... it's physics at Cambridge, I doubt there'll be too many jocks around.

In fact, I'd be willing to bet that there are a fair few people on your course who are feeling the exact same way, about not knowing anybody.

I should know - I'm doing Computer Science, I know the kinds of people you get on those courses, lots of shy people, hate leaving their rooms. Computer Science students actually started networking through Facebook - set up a group, people posting questions and answers, organizing socials, posting links that they think others might be interested in (like techy videos)... it basically provided a means for the shy people to communicate, make friends, form groups, and now some study together, etc, etc... find out if there is a similar group for your course, if not... make one.

Read my mind.

My advice: Do as many example problems as you can.  If your proffesor did an example in class, chances are you will see something like it on the exam.