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Tdlicrfthawk is your father (NOOOOO)

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 347 Location: Terminated
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:54 am Post subject: Sucks to be me... |
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Here goes,
The situation I am currently under is considered very bad. After finishing my A-Levels with mediocre results, I decided that further education would be the next best option. Everyone I know was going so, why shouldn't I? So I enrolled, choosing a Law course without thinking about any future prospects other than because I enjoyed the subject.
I then entered the university system, with nothing more on my mind than some work and procrastination. The days, weeks and months went past, the work I was doing for university was not sufficient enough and only a month ago was I cracking the whip with a move on.
Here I am today trying to cram 6 months of work into 6 weeks of revision.
Maybe I haven't chosen the right attitude and lacked self control as to the aim of university.
I was wondering whether I should take a year out and consider other options. |
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dPaladin is rapidly attaining fiery deathytude

Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 1706
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:04 am Post subject: |
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What other options? _________________ dude look at this signature |
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Tdlicrfthawk is your father (NOOOOO)

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 347 Location: Terminated
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:12 am Post subject: |
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| The other options would be to take time out to find a job. |
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Ricky is doing a barrel roll!

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 443
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 12:35 pm Post subject: |
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I have found that working a crappy job (Arby's) was very maturing. That being said, I worked it for nearly a year and it wasn't maturing enough. I still had the same problem of burning out after a month or so when in school. It may be beneficial for you, however.
I wasn't joking when I suggested joining the military. I don't know what the Forces offer you over there, but over here not only will they pay me far more than I could get anywhere else, they'll give me better training than I could get anywhere else, better health care than I could get anywhere else, and they'll give me a butt load of money for school. I would suggest you at least look into your armed forces. If they pay anything like the American military, I say you jump on it. _________________ Compassion is the radicalism of our time.
- The Dalai Lama |
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dPaladin is rapidly attaining fiery deathytude

Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 1706
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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Getting a job for a year won't help you with anything, unless you're completely out of money to pay for school. You'll get some crappy job for a year and at the end of the year you'll be asking this same question. You'll either:
1) Go back to school having wasted a year.
2) Keep working at your crappy job that probably has very little mobility.
You're much better off just doing your damn schoolwork. _________________ dude look at this signature |
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Lester Square is your father (NOOOOO)

Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 349 Location: Dr Fruitcake's trousers
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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Just clarify for me, I want to know if I've read you right (it's entirely possible I have not); you're in the first year of university, done fuck-all the whole year and now have a couple of weeks to essentially do the entire course?
If so, I love you.
If it's any encouragement, that's a pretty precise description of my third year. And I LIVE ON. _________________ ~Lester Square |
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Tdlicrfthawk is your father (NOOOOO)

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 347 Location: Terminated
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 3:49 pm Post subject: |
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| dPaladin wrote: | | Getting a job for a year won't help you with anything, unless you're completely out of money to pay for school. You'll get some crappy job for a year and at the end of the year you'll be asking this same question. |
I will probably return to education once I have matured a bit. In my opinion my personality has not changed over the last decade or so and so I'm taking the time out just to clear my head.
I know these days and with the onslaught of the recession, finding a job is not easy. There are thousands of intelligent people out of a job because of it and I know how hard it is.
The question is should I be investing my time in a degree which I know I will not get into the profession in.
| Lester Square wrote: | | Just clarify for me, I want to know if I've read you right (it's entirely possible I have not); you're in the first year of university, done fuck-all the whole year and now have a couple of weeks to essentially do the entire course? |
I have been doing work the last two months, though I think it is not enough. |
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Sam is in the billiard room with a revolver

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 1305
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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| One of your problems, and I know I've told you this time and time again, is having such a negative attitude. I know it's possible to be over-optimistic and I have seen the consequences of that, but it's also possible to be over-pessimistic... and again, I'm pretty sure I've seen the consequences of that as well. |
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Mike is a stale Arsecrumpet™

Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 179
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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Run away, very fast. _________________ ~Mike
Chaff City returns! http://bit.ly/Chaff  |
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Sam is in the billiard room with a revolver

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 1305
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Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:58 am Post subject: Re: Sucks to be me... |
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| Tdlicrfthawk wrote: | | cracking the whip with a move on. |
I feel the need to point out that this gives me a hilarious mental image of a cowboy doing a crazy dance. |
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Cheese Monkey Your Slacker-Fu is weak, son.

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: Blasting random bystanders at FCmidi... DOT NET!
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Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:33 am Post subject: |
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| Lester Square wrote: | Just clarify for me, I want to know if I've read you right (it's entirely possible I have not); you're in the first year of university, done fuck-all the whole year and now have a couple of weeks to essentially do the entire course?
If so, I love you.
If it's any encouragement, that's a pretty precise description of my third year. And I LIVE ON. |
I'm with Lester on this... procrastination is really not damning if you know how to do it right.
The tricks I always used in college were:
- Gauge how long a given assignment will take versus when it's due. Often you have more time than you think.
- Avoid classes which give you huge amounts of work in a single assigment due "at the end of the semester, at your own pace." We procrastinators are legendarily bad at such things. I remember a math class where we got a list of a couple hundred textbook problems to do over the course of the semester. About halfway into the semester, I realized I'd only done 10% of the work... and since I didn't understand the next 20% anyway, I dropped the course and took it again with a better prof.
- Don't be afraid to let your grade in the class take a hit if the alternative is day-and-night busywork. It's just an assignment; if it's going to cause you physical or mental stress, it's not worth doing. Lest we forget, you're there to learn and to pass. Busting your arse for an A is not absolutely necessary unless you have a scholarship that requires it. Some classes will be an "easier A" than others. With time, you'll figure out which courses are the nasty ones and plan accordingly.
- Get good profs. Ratemyprofessors is an awesome tool for this. In most cases, your fellow students are good judges, and if a guy has a lot of bad ratings and comments, pick another section of the class which has a different prof. In general, a good prof will give you interesting, segmented assignments that you actually want to do, instead of just sticking you with busywork and tests. It's worth mentioning that this isn't high school anymore; your profs are not gods and will very often make mistakes. You have the right, in most cases, to choose among several profs who are teaching the course. And if one of them doesn't turn out to be good, drop the course and take it again next semester with a different guy. There's no shame in that.
Sorry for the wall-o-text. I admit, this was more "me reminiscing" than anything else. _________________ This post has been brought to you by
Cheese Monkey - The Funky Cheddar Monkey
(This post made no sense! Tell the people!)
PSO crap (Bestows +1 geekiness)!
[quote="Xenofan"]You wouldn't be here without sex, the internet wouldn't be here without sex, and heck, the Gamecube wouldn't be here without sex.[/quote][quote="Yoshgunn"]At first, don't overthink things. It's OK to become a small African village and injure yourself.[/quote] |
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Sam is in the billiard room with a revolver

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 1305
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Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:56 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah as far as I'm aware university doesn't really work very much like that in the UK. Not mine, at least. |
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Mike is a stale Arsecrumpet™

Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 179
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Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 10:46 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, it pretty much doesn't.
But yeah, I guess I should explain my earlier comment. You don't sound like you really know what you are doing in uni. Don't let parents and friends pressure you into thinking that you 'need' further education. You don't. In hindsight, I wish I'd left school at A-level and started work. Then I wouldn't be £12k+ in debt and with a pointless degree that I didn't want anyway.
Do you actually want to be a lawyer? Can you pay for your tuition outright? The financial burden later in life is serious. I don't for one minute subscribe to the conventional view that everyone needs college/university to be successful; in fact, I think that unless you want to be something that outright requires a degree, like a doctor or a lawyer, or can pay for all your own tuition, it's simply not worth it.
I'm probably going to get roundly flamed out for my ker-azy views, but I don't care. If you're taking on something that will cost you upwards of ten thousand pounds you better be damn sure that you want it and can do it. You WILL have to pay it off. _________________ ~Mike
Chaff City returns! http://bit.ly/Chaff  |
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Cheese Monkey Your Slacker-Fu is weak, son.

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: Blasting random bystanders at FCmidi... DOT NET!
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Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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Ehh. I can't remember who all's a brit and who isn't, here. My bad... _________________ This post has been brought to you by
Cheese Monkey - The Funky Cheddar Monkey
(This post made no sense! Tell the people!)
PSO crap (Bestows +1 geekiness)!
[quote="Xenofan"]You wouldn't be here without sex, the internet wouldn't be here without sex, and heck, the Gamecube wouldn't be here without sex.[/quote][quote="Yoshgunn"]At first, don't overthink things. It's OK to become a small African village and injure yourself.[/quote] |
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Tdlicrfthawk is your father (NOOOOO)

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 347 Location: Terminated
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:38 am Post subject: |
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| Mike wrote: | Yeah, it pretty much doesn't.
But yeah, I guess I should explain my earlier comment. You don't sound like you really know what you are doing in uni. Don't let parents and friends pressure you into thinking that you 'need' further education. You don't. In hindsight, I wish I'd left school at A-level and started work. Then I wouldn't be £12k+ in debt and with a pointless degree that I didn't want anyway. |
It was my choice to go to Uni. I was not pressurised by my parents or friends.
| Mike wrote: | | Do you actually want to be a lawyer? Can you pay for your tuition outright? The financial burden later in life is serious. I don't for one minute subscribe to the conventional view that everyone needs college/university to be successful; in fact, I think that unless you want to be something that outright requires a degree, like a doctor or a lawyer, or can pay for all your own tuition, it's simply not worth it. |
My intention was not to become a lawyer or a barrister but someone who works for one. The payment of money is fine. |
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Mike is a stale Arsecrumpet™

Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 179
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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Oh, I wasn't suggesting that your nearest and dearest would actually be forcing you to go. I meant simply that a lot of people around you will insist that it's basically impossible to be successful and happy without further education, and that you shouldn't take any notice of them. It's not true.
But, sure. I'm not looking to rain on your parade. If you're sure, then, go for it good luck. _________________ ~Mike
Chaff City returns! http://bit.ly/Chaff  |
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Tdlicrfthawk is your father (NOOOOO)

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 347 Location: Terminated
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Cheese Monkey Your Slacker-Fu is weak, son.

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: Blasting random bystanders at FCmidi... DOT NET!
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Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:02 am Post subject: |
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Now what do you mean by that?
Here on the fourms? I hope we haven't done anything to worsen your situation...  _________________ This post has been brought to you by
Cheese Monkey - The Funky Cheddar Monkey
(This post made no sense! Tell the people!)
PSO crap (Bestows +1 geekiness)!
[quote="Xenofan"]You wouldn't be here without sex, the internet wouldn't be here without sex, and heck, the Gamecube wouldn't be here without sex.[/quote][quote="Yoshgunn"]At first, don't overthink things. It's OK to become a small African village and injure yourself.[/quote] |
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Tdlicrfthawk is your father (NOOOOO)

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 347 Location: Terminated
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Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Cheese Monkey wrote: | Now what do you mean by that?
Here on the fourms? I hope we haven't done anything to worsen your situation...  |
No, you guys have not done anything.
I've just spoken to some of my flatmates about what the my current situation is and got to the point of panicking. I'm trying not to give up but there is so much I can do.
I'm just venting my anger on myself more than anything. _________________ ???
http://tdlicrfthawke.wordpress.com/ |
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Cheese Monkey Your Slacker-Fu is weak, son.

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: Blasting random bystanders at FCmidi... DOT NET!
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Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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Well you came to the right place. Panic is not good, man. The first and most important thing to do is to talk to someone about what's bugging you. You gave us an overview here, but not a lot of detail.
Often with something like this, you don't feel like sharing the details with people you don't know very well. But you have to share the details with someone instead of just trying to deal with them all on your own. Trust me, that just leads to bigger problems.
I'd say get on AIM or Facebook chat or whatever, or in person, and find someone to vent to in great detail. It can be someone you don't know well... in fact, that can actually be helpful. Sometimes those kinds of people can offer you less bias and more novelty in their opinions and suggestions.  _________________ This post has been brought to you by
Cheese Monkey - The Funky Cheddar Monkey
(This post made no sense! Tell the people!)
PSO crap (Bestows +1 geekiness)!
[quote="Xenofan"]You wouldn't be here without sex, the internet wouldn't be here without sex, and heck, the Gamecube wouldn't be here without sex.[/quote][quote="Yoshgunn"]At first, don't overthink things. It's OK to become a small African village and injure yourself.[/quote] |
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Tdlicrfthawk is your father (NOOOOO)

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 347 Location: Terminated
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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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University is now officially the worst experience I have ever had in my life. _________________ ???
http://tdlicrfthawke.wordpress.com/ |
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dPaladin is rapidly attaining fiery deathytude

Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 1706
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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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I quite agree.
I switched schools to go to a much larger, more demanding school, and I've found that my education isn't any better, the expenses are horrific, and the teachers and everyone else working for the school don't give half a shit about anything but making money, with very few exceptions.
So I'm going back.
And you might try another school as well I guess is what I'm saying. _________________ dude look at this signature |
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Cheese Monkey Your Slacker-Fu is weak, son.

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: Blasting random bystanders at FCmidi... DOT NET!
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:51 am Post subject: |
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| Tdlicrfthawk wrote: | | University is now officially the worst experience I have ever had in my life. |
Okay, so maybe that's true... but we can't really understand where you're coming from if you don't give us the details.
It's up to you whether to tell us more details or not, but I'd recommend it. As I said in my last post... you gotta get this kind of thing off your chest somehow. _________________ This post has been brought to you by
Cheese Monkey - The Funky Cheddar Monkey
(This post made no sense! Tell the people!)
PSO crap (Bestows +1 geekiness)!
[quote="Xenofan"]You wouldn't be here without sex, the internet wouldn't be here without sex, and heck, the Gamecube wouldn't be here without sex.[/quote][quote="Yoshgunn"]At first, don't overthink things. It's OK to become a small African village and injure yourself.[/quote] |
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Damian Honorary Fruitcake Flunkie

Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 2424 Location: In the clouds.
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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That's interesting, dP. I feel like most of the profs I've met at USC really care. And this place is large and hella expensive.
Shrug. _________________ when the world is sick, can't no one be well? but i dreamt we was all beautiful and strong
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dPaladin is rapidly attaining fiery deathytude

Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 1706
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I'm no fan of the "large schools are always bad" spiel and I wasn't saying that. But the large school I went to was pretty bad. Maybe if it were a really selective large school with better financial aid I would be able to stomach it, but right now I feel like I'm doing all the teaching to myself. And I can teach myself stuff anywhere, so I just want someone to print a degree on a piece of paper for me. _________________ dude look at this signature |
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