I really hate it at cambridge but I feel like I can't leave..help! :(

So something like Education Studies (Route 1) with Modern Languages would suit you then for a part II.

In any case you just need to make sure you get everyone in the welfare chain involved as you can. Contact your college unions academic officer (if you have one, we had one back when I was at Homerton), then the main CUSU education officer and make sure that you have your Director of Studies and personal tutor on board. If you get the grades for the part 1 and you have these behind you then it is more than likely that the Senior Tutor will have to shift position. At the end of the day the college will not want to look bad on an academic level by not allowing free movement between tripos (which at the end of the day is a key feature of the Cambridge Degree, hence why we all get the same degree come graduation).

Reply 21

Astronomical

14

I don't get why you'd leave two thirds through the course? Just stay for the final year, work as hard as you can and get a 2:1 or a first. I also think if you left now, in a few years you'd regret it.Just having a good degree from Cambridge will make you more employable... Surely the benefits are worth another few months?

Reply 22

hennessybubbles

OP

Original post by Craghyrax

You need to go to CUSU and get them to mediate with your college on your behalf. It is a very unfair aspect about Cambridge that what welfare people get varies according to which college they're in and who the Senior Tutor is. But that is how it is. The only thing you can do is get the student union to put pressure on your college for you. If the new department is willing to take you, then there should be no problem. You just need to persevere and make a very loud noise about it so that they eventually give in to your demand.

You should also remember - as your MML friends may have told you - that most MML students find the first two years difficult and unpleasant, because they are forced to balance grammar with literature and very few people are good at both sides and enjoy both. Conversely the final year allows you to specialise in the aspect of MML that suits you best. So if it turns out that you can't change subject after all of this, then put things into perspective. You are over the worst now that you've done two years. It is highly likely that your third year will be MUCH better than the first two because you'll be able to specialise. That is what virtually every other MML student I've met has said. Also you're about to have a big break through going abroad, aren't you? If you've managed to get onto Erasmus or something similar you can get a bit of a change by studying different things for a year.

I found the workload too much as well, but you're two thirds of the way there and you're bound to do better in your final year.

yeah true true- but the issue still stands- I wasted my entire undergraduate degree and 30,000+ pounds on a course I made clear I was no longer interested in from the start

and if anything the year abroad makes it worse- there is no-where I can go with my 2 languages I would be happy to live for 8 months- if I was doing spanish it would be totally different- but I firmly believe that you either like a culture or you don't- plus it will cost me thousands of pounds extra... :frown:

and thanks so much for your advice- I will try that! it really is unfair how it works out! thank you :redface:

Reply 23

hummingbird28

8

When you applied to uni 2years back, what did you want to study language or english??????if language, then you definately must have had a reason for liking it,then.and now maybe because of course load you want to switch.even if you choose english you might find it difficult and then decide to change the course again.i think you shoul take a break for atleast a day or two.be alone and think over the reasons you chose to study language.i'm sure you'll find many...

Reply 24

bluemax

16

Original post by hennessybubbles

Idk- I feel like surely one person can't have the absolute power to veto this kind of decision...? but my experience of cambridge is that things are arranged in such a way that it works out like that.. I've tried to ask if there is any alternative to going through he senior tutor and the answer seems to be pretty much no :frown:

and isn't the dean more like a figurehead than someone who is actually involved with the day to day running of student life? that's the impression I get..

You really are in a difficult position. About the dean, i get your point about his role but you can try writing to him about your situation or get an appointment and talk to him about it?

Is switching colleges an option at cambridge? if that is then you'll hopefully get a different tutor.

Im assuming you still have 2 months before your 3rd year starts, so hopefully you'll be able to figure out to get round to this.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 25

laura94

13

Go and ask to switch again and don't take no for an answer!!!

Reply 26

Alexandra's Box

17

I'm sorry to hear about your trouble. There must be someone you can get advice from at the University.
GOOD LUCK !!!!! :biggrin:

Btw, I wonder what ISA would make of this... :colone:

Reply 27

vedderfan94

16

Just waiting for ISA to shoot you down OP.

Reply 28

hennessybubbles

OP

Original post by Craghyrax

You need to go to CUSU and get them to mediate with your college on your behalf. It is a very unfair aspect about Cambridge that what welfare people get varies according to which college they're in and who the Senior Tutor is. But that is how it is. The only thing you can do is get the student union to put pressure on your college for you. If the new department is willing to take you, then there should be no problem. You just need to persevere and make a very loud noise about it so that they eventually give in to your demand.

just wanted to add that I really appreciate this post- It means a lot to me for someone else to say they think its unfair that the system is like this- one of the hardest things for me at cambridge is that there are all these rules and regulations that seem totally pointless and outdated and everyone either just puts up and shuts up or seems to think they are fair or just accepts it because 'you know its cambridge' :rolleyes:

so thank you- you made me feel a lot better

Reply 29

Zhen Lin

12

Original post by hennessybubbles

yeah true true- but the issue still stands- I wasted my entire undergraduate degree and 30,000+ pounds on a course I made clear I was no longer interested in from the start

Hold on, you're an international student?

Reply 30

Craghyrax

17

Original post by hennessybubbles

just wanted to add that I really appreciate this post- It means a lot to me for someone else to say they think its unfair that the system is like this- one of the hardest things for me at cambridge is that there are all these rules and regulations that seem totally pointless and outdated and everyone either just puts up and shuts up or seems to think they are fair or just accepts it because 'you know its cambridge' :rolleyes:

so thank you- you made me feel a lot better

No problem. Do try CUSU - they're not guaranteed to get anywhere, but they have helped people in such situations before.

Reply 31

hennessybubbles

OP

Original post by Zhen Lin

Hold on, you're an international student?

no im uk- I was including the living costs in that :wink:

Reply 32

hennessybubbles

OP

Original post by hummingbird28

When you applied to uni 2years back, what did you want to study language or english??????if language, then you definately must have had a reason for liking it,then.and now maybe because of course load you want to switch.even if you choose english you might find it difficult and then decide to change the course again.i think you shoul take a break for atleast a day or two.be alone and think over the reasons you chose to study language.i'm sure you'll find many...

yeah so this is the problem- I do love languages, and I do love english, but the courses at cambridge just kill both for me

they were right not to let me do english- as they pointed out, I'm not a strong student- but honestly, as much as I love literature, I do wonder why I even got accepted- I'm just not good at (or even interested in being good at) analysing literature they way they want me to

and basically I took both languages post-alevel so I have been studying both since I was 13 and spent about 8-10months in both countries already and I'm pretty much fluent- and I haven't got any better since I came to cambridge, if anything I've got worse...and I'm just not interested in going on and on taking pointless ineffective classes in 2 european languages (or 1 of them) which I basically already speak when the language classes don't test fluency or demand a grasp of the language... languages which are so similar to english just don't push me anyway- I find learning mandarin much more interesting...

Reply 33

Buongiorno

1

OP, what languages are you doing?

Reply 34

hennessybubbles

OP

Original post by vedderfan94

Just waiting for ISA to shoot you down OP.

what's ISA?

Reply 35

vedderfan94

16

Original post by hennessybubbles

what's ISA?

The member 'I'm so academic'. She's obsessed with Oxbridge so she'd look down on you wanting to leave.

Reply 36

hummingbird28

8

so you are saying that you would like to learn mandarin instead of the other 2 European languages that you are currently studying.which is perfectly fine,infact.i mean if they allow you to switch languages which i believe is very much possible(at least hope so) then you are better of.you'll have best of both worlds.Cambridge+your course.

now is there a problem even in exchanging languages????if there is,then there is another idea.if you could spare a few mins daily to learn mandarin through online courses or self help books.you could continue with the 2 European languages at Cambridge+in leisure hours just try to learn mandarin.that would not make you feel guilty of learning a language that you are not interested in as well as give you a sense of self satisfaction in learning the language of your own choice.you might as well get your interest back in uni course.

moreover languages can be learned anywhere.but,your degree from"Cambridge" is a special one.a lifetime tag.there are many Chinese institutes which will take you after you graduate from Cambridge,hands down.you could learn mandarin as a hobby after you graduate.but if you drop out,it will reflect very badly on your cv and you might not even be admitted for a mandarin course at tom-dick-harry university.

Reply 37

Super_Alex_Song

Which college are you at?

This does seem to be something which can happen and when it does it isn't very nice and tbh from what you said there isn't anything you can be blamed for.

Reply 38

hennessybubbles

OP

Original post by Buongiorno

OP, what languages are you doing?

I'd rather not say- just because from all im saying already... cambridge itsn't that big and I'd just rather people didn't come across me and know who I am on principle

I don't think it would change anything if I were doing other languages- lets just say I'm not doing spanish and If I were I would definitely not have a problem taking a year abroad..