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After telling someone the degree you study, what is their response?

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Them: "Ohhhhh like Classical Music?" or "Ohhhhhhh like Shakespeare and all that stuff?"

Me: facepalm

Subject: Classics

Reply 181

S_123

I want to study English Literature.
Them: Ooh have you read (enter random book)/do you know (enter random author)?
Me: No.
Them: How are you going to study Literature if you haven't read these books?!

I haven't read every book in existence!

Also, 'oh God I hated English' which is probably the most common response I've had which is quite sad :frown:

Also, 'I haven't read a book in years' which is equally sad.

Reply 182

RobboKris

I'm starting a degree in Politics and International Relations later this month, when I tell people that I'm starting this degree soon, pretty much everyone looks at me in a really bored fashion and think: "wtf are you doing studying that". Also the "you should become next prime minister" is a common response.

Reply 183

The_Last_Melon

Original post by StrayBullet

Does anybody else get a 'typical' response?

I study psychology and almost laugh to myself before mentioning this, simply because I know full well that they will respond by saying something along the lines of; "Oooh, don't figure me out!", "better watch what I say around you then, eh!". Makes me feel like a right manipulative cow!

Anyone else have similar retorts? :biggrin:

"Ooooh that's difficult"

:angry:

Reply 184

mogambo

This has to be the worst one I got: (I studied chemistry btw)

"Wow! you must be so clever! .... You know I've always wanted to see atoms - they sound so cool!....Please tell me where can I find them?" :facepalm:

Reply 185

mmmpie

Not started mine yet, but if I mention the word meteorology everybody assumes I want to have a long conversation about the weather forecast, and if I mention mathematics they invite me to do their tax return for them.

Reply 186

vitamortis

From these responses, we can conclude one thing: the general public have sponges inside their skulls.

Reply 187

brushless-man

"Good luck with your Mcdonalds job application when your finished"

Reply 188

SwingOnTheSpiral88

Original post by Mismatched_dollie_pepper

just out of genuine curiosity, how so?
Do you not subscribe to the belief it is academically rigorous?
(which is what I assume the 'impressed' response insinuates?

x

What I meant is, to put it bluntly, I am not exceptionally intelligent in any sense, and I still managed to graduate my MPhys degree with a first. It does deal with some complicated things but I'm sure that most people could learn the subject to a high standard if they had the patience. The way you learn physics is not by having profound, giant leaps. It's done by taking baby steps, slowly developing your understanding. I think just about everyone is capable of it. It's not something that only a privileged few of abnormal intellect could comprehend, and if I pretended otherwise I would feel like a fraud.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 189

RobboKris

Original post by The_Last_Melon

"Ooooh that's difficult"

:angry:

Oh yeah I forgot this one, another common response when I tell people that I'm starting a degree in Politics and International Relations.

Reply 190

You Failed

Original post by Gauge/Gravity

Doesn't it make you feel slightly awkward that the other person thinks you're smarter than them?

I always find this really embarrassing and say "It's really not as hard as people think!"

I've occasionally said that people only assume it's difficult because it has a lot of maths, but that usually makes the problem worse.

Hmmm, I've never actually thought about that. I'm the kind of person who views myself as inferior to everyone, so I've never actually assumed that they must think I'm somehow better than they are. I think though, considering that all the time I'm thinking that everyone is better than me, it is kinda good to occassionally feel that they think I'm actually better at them than something, instead of always feeling like I'm being looked down on.

Reply 191

MarkHoppus

Original post by sir-lewis

"you don't look like a geek"
I study computer science and get this a lot.

Haha same here!

:biggrin:

Reply 192

jordanchase

Most say "That sounds interesting/difficult" and ask why I want to do it, or comment that it should be useful. So far only one person has said anything along the lines of "ching chang chong", thank God.

Reply 193

Stratos

Original post by mogambo

Under my bed. :cool:

Reply 194

Helpful_Charlie

Original post by street.lovin'

Wall Studies... XD

We need secure walls!

Reply 195

piya21

If they aren't related to me in any way: "French and ARABIC! Wow! That's so interesting! So are you going to work for the UN?"

If they are a member of my extended family/friends of parents/children of friends of parents: "So...are you going to be a teacher or an interpreter?"

I guess I deserve it for being Bengali but not going into medicine/law/accountancy/pharmacy. I don't have anything against these subjects, but apparently people have a problem with mine! :rolleyes:

Reply 196

Billy Bryant

Well when I tell people i'm going to study Chemistry, they say "Oh so you're going to make drugs? I know where to come in the future then" or assume im either going to be a teacher or work in work in a Chemists :/.

Reply 197

mogambo

Original post by Billy Bryant

Lol yup I get that a lot too! I did chemistry with drug discovery at bath, and as soon as you mention that the requests for all sorts of drugs are fired at you and the presumption that I should know the sodding structures of them all! Like seriously... Oh that and getting asked to explain how to petrol is made ! :confused: