Language applicants for 2012 entry

I feel so ignorant but what is the linguist? Is it a newspaper/ magazine or a website?

I'm desperately trying to pick what topics I want to write down as being my primary interests (my college have actually specifically requested that I pick three.. it's a nightmare!!). I can't decide if I want to put in poetry or not and I'm obsessing over having a Spanish/ French balance. What's going to happen is I'm going to overprepare specifically for those topics and then they're going to ask me something simple like "Why languages?" and I'm going to crumble haha. THE PRESSURE!!

Those really open questions are always the hardest because they're never ones I've prepared for. Obviously I have lots of good reasons for studying languages, but when you get such a basic question fired at you, it's difficult to put it into words.

Just got an Oxford interview!!

Just got an Oxford interview!!

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I just realized that you're a MML French & German applicant for King's as well! so am I!!

when's your interview?!

you're the second French & German applicant for King's I've met so far... there seems to be quite a few of us this year

Eek! Well first of all congratulations on your interview!

It's the 6th of December.. what about you?

Ahah who's the other? I've been speaking to errrrm I think 'Jakaroo' or something, he's one!

Well the Cambridge website indicates they usually have about 30 MML King's applicants.. it's tough at the top!

How're you feeling about it? Have you prepared much?

yes that would be Jakaroo!

& mine is on the 6th of December as well!

I'm super excited (since I'll be flying to Cambridge from Canada and I've never been before!) but I also have no idea how to prepare. I'll be rereading my PS books this weekend, but aside from that, I'm not sure what else to do...

how about you?

Wooooooooow! That will be quite incredible for you I'm sure...

Do you have the MML test at 9am?

I'm unsure of how to prepare.. I'm rereading my PS books and personal statement and SAQ. Having a few mock interviews with teachers to start developing rough answers to 'Why Cambridge?' and then I'm having a meeting with my English teacher about analysing texts.. Other than that there isn't really much you can do.. It's all so ambiguous

Yes I have the MML test at 9 a.m. & Then my French interview right after (10 a.m.) followed by my German pre-interview reading at 11:30 a.m. They arranged it so I have no breaks

You seem much more prepared than I am! Mock interviews as well as analysing texts! We have never studied literature in our French course, so I'm kind of doing everything on my own!

Do you know what sorts of general questions they tend to ask, aside from the obvious "Why Cambridge" or "Why MML?"

Oh that's rubbish! I have MML test at 9, French reading at 11am and German reading at 2pm... I've signed up for lunch there but I don't think I'll be very hungry somehow!

If you just read through all the information on both the Cambridge and the King's website that's really useful..

I'm really not that prepared and I have no idea what I'm going to say about my PS books but hopefully I can get some notes written..

Errrrm, they might ask why King's, why have you specifically chosen German and French, what interests you about the culture.. Honestly I don't really know that much myself except that when analysing a text they might keep pushing you about your point of view on how something is until you have nothing more to say and it can leave you feeling like you totally messed up when actually you did okay!

that's true. I'm glad I'll have everything done by lunch otherwise I too would be too nervous to eat lunch!

haha I'm not really sure what I'll say about my PS books as well! I kind of hope they'll ask me about my written work; I sent in an essay about Weimar Germany, which I don't think I'd mind discussing...

thanks for all the info! slightly reassuring to know it's expected that we'll be pushed to the point where we becoming a mess of speechlessness.

so are you staying in King's or somewhere else? I've never visited the college before but I went to the university for the Languages open day!

oooh yay, I love German history My German essay was a film review about Goodbye Lenin! and the reunification after the fall of the Berlin wall.. and my French one was about the impact of television on our lives..

Which part of Canada are you from?

I know.. I get the feeling I might just reduce to a bumbling mess!

yes I'll be staying in King's for a night! so excited! how about you?

German history is just... but I've only studied Weimar and Nazi Germany in my history class... I've watched Goodbye Lenin as well; such a good movie! Have you seen Das Leben der Anderen? Loved that movie as well!

my French essay was about absurdism in Camus' L'étranger and Beckett's En attendant Godot... not nearly as interesting as German history!

I'm from Toronto, Ontario

I was actually quite nervous when I found out who the French and German interviewers are, because I don't seem to have anything in common with them!

My mum wanted to come with me for moral support so we booked into a hotel instead - I think I'll need her there for the nerves! My stomach is going to be going craaaaazy.

Yep I've seen Das Leben der Anderen. Omgosh loved it I loved German film so much more than French cinema! French cinema is just all weird and abstract and.. French! :') Eek the topic of your essay sounds a lot more.. academic than mine! I just sent them an essay I wrote last year like they asked for...

So do you speak much French in Toronto or is it mostly an anglophone place?

Hah, someone told me that the French professor enjoys mediaeval writing and I'm just thinking, please please please don't do that to me :|

awwwhh <3

I'm hoping that won't happen to either of us! don't worry, just think happy thoughts

I haven't seen many German films; actually I've only seen Goodbye Lenin and das Leben der Anderen...German films are hard to come by here in Canada! I haven't seen much French films either, although if they're anything like Quebecois film, they would be crazy and impossible to understand!

Toronto is an anglophone place - most of Canada is anglophone except for one province, Quebec.

yes, that's right. I've looked up both of the professors, and the French one is into medieval French and Occitan literature... and some of the books he's written seem rather risqué wouldn't that make for an interesting interview?

Haha I guess they are! What made you want to study German?

Ah right, excuse my ignorance!

eeeeyep I saw that on the King's website - would be quite funny if he threw it in to see how we'd react... I think I'd just start laughing and leave there and then knowing I'm too immature for Cambridge :')

I'm going to bed now - don't know the time in Canada but it's 2.30am here! So I'll talk to you soon! <3