h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

KCL, Philosophy and French

Sorry to hear about your degree.

Ahh, La Francias Fraid I'm not too good on forign languages, wish I were My lodger has been learning Spanish recently, and he's fluent in French, knows most of his greek and latan Well good luck with it I wish I had a clear idea what I want to do, but I'm still pretty unsure

I know people like that. You say to them how good they are at languages, and they say things like "What? It took me two whole weeks to learn Hungarian!"

Don't worry about it. In the words of Baz Luhrman: The most interesting 21yo's I knew didn't know what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interseting 40yo's still dont know what to do with their lives.

True enough, lodger is now something over 40, and though he's a pretty well paid job, he doesn't relaly want to be doing it, but isn't sure what he should go off and do next I've been trying to help advise my brother on what he should do at Uni, he's just started his second year of A levels, but hasn't a very clear idea he Emailed me about one degree he was looking at up in Leeds, but I didn't think much of it Difficult though, I don't want to put him off something he'd really like to do, just cause I'm somewhat predjuiced by what I've studied Tried to balance this out and talked to lodger about it, who works in HE at a uni, he kind of agreed with me on it right, time for the pub

I chose my A- levels on what I liked, may give up one that it is turning out that I don't like so much, and am going on to study at uni the two I love best. That's how I chose, and I chose unis by looking at which ones did that course, and what I'd heard from tutors, people who'd been there.

Sounds a good plan I'm not sure if my brother did drop the fourth AS when he started the A2 year Haven't managed to speak to him ina while, what with his running/training, and part time job and studying...

Yeah, 6th formers have no spare time. Actually that's a lie, but we don't have enough, what with strenuous relaxation and that.

True, very true, I remember it being the same when I was one... not too* many years ago

I can't wait not to be one, in fairness.

University can either be more, or less stressful than being a sixthformer; some people find it easier, as you are concentrating on a pretty-specific area, useually one you will have chosen cause you are good at it and enjoy it; I found my first year at Uni easier than teh last year of A levels; But I was under the old system, not AS and A2 just 'A' levels, and I don't know quite what difference that would make; plus I didn't have all* the money worries at university that some seem to get now; I didn't have tutition fees, but I did have student loans, though I did get some* grant money Uni is good fun though I'd luv to go back and do another BSc/BA

Apparently there's not much of a leap from GCSE to AS, but a huge leap from AS to A2. Not sure whether A2 is harder than the old A- levels though.

I think it's just mefiance with the normal that leaves me wanting to get out of here. And a dread of the exams. And dislike of uniform and draconian rules. And being single. Not convinced the latter will change for a while though.

So hows it all going?

Not bad, I'm a bit tired though. Got essays due in that teachers weren't asking for a few weeks ago. Seems slackness doesn't pay in the end.

Yourself?

Not too bad I guess, looking for work still, though I've spotted a PhD I will try to get on to, looks pretty good So you are on A2 now? got all the University applications ready?

Yeah, I'm on A2. Dropped Biology, it was becoming less and less interesting, and the workload was just increasing and increasing.

I'm gonna have a gap year, and grow a beard and long hair. No idea what else, probably go to France. But I'm sick of being educated, and I figure that as I'm the last year that will be able to take a gap year without having to pay extra, I may as well.

You are the same year as my brother, so he'l be lucky to escape those rediculus £3K fees per year Dropped biology? Well, it is my favourate subject, seeing as how I did a BSc and MSc in it, and am contemplating a PhD

I got moved up a year; if I had stayed in my year, taking a gap year would mean more money to pay.

I still read New Scientist and everything, it's just the way it was taught, and the homework that got me down. And KCL'll take me on 3 B's, i'm predicted 2 A's and a B so that should sort me out nicely.

Better grades than I got I think I got an A, a C and a D at A level, though I did better and got a first with hons for my BSc A levels are a lot of work, I don't know if its less at Uni or not, its different, but I think it depends on what you are studying. There is less 'homework' to just make you learn something; you are expected to go off and just learn stuff you need to, but there is, on some courses, course work counting towards the final mark, and they tend to be longer essay type things which I like actually

That's good to hear, I think I work best when I'm allowed to go off and just learn something, rather than in the scrict and rigid confines of a lesson or homework or whatever.

I think half the time teachers at school/sixth form, just set homework cause they 'have to', and don't always work out a bit of homework that will actually help you or make* you learn something 'good' or that you need to know,