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Original post by FHollyT
Ahahah yeah, woo🎉 Marine biology, you?



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St Salvators Quad, University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
Original post by Mystery.
This is a really stupid question but does the photo you provide on your accommodation form go on your student card??


Hey, it's not stupid! I'm not sure whether you've had an answer or whether you still care for one but yes it does.
Hi! I've been accepted onto the MLitt in Women, Writing and Gender- just wondering if there's any of you out there who have experience of this course or will be joining me this year?
Reply 9544
Hi, I just wanted to ask a couple of questions - I'm starting uni in September. So I've tried picking my modules (Chem degree) and most subjects that I want to take seem to clash with chemistry...what should I do? Is there any way around this? I'm quite worried as I don't want to end up doing a subject a won't enjoy.

Also, how many societies do students tend to join? Everyone I talk to keeps giving me conflicting advice!

Thanks!
Anybody from Scotland wanting to apply for next year?


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Original post by CN2
Hi, I just wanted to ask a couple of questions - I'm starting uni in September. So I've tried picking my modules (Chem degree) and most subjects that I want to take seem to clash with chemistry...what should I do? Is there any way around this? I'm quite worried as I don't want to end up doing a subject a won't enjoy.

Also, how many societies do students tend to join? Everyone I talk to keeps giving me conflicting advice!

Thanks!


Hiya!
Congrats for getting in.
I wouldn't worry too much about your modules right now as during fresher's week you meet with your advisor and they will talk you through all your options and answer any questions before you actually submit them. I would say to go in with a few in mind and then hopefully the discussion will clear things up. If you can't do the two you really want to it would suck but it is only for the first semester as you can change again at Christmas.
In regards to societies, everyone is different. I joined 2, a sports society and a volunteering one. One of my friends joined none and 3 of my friends joined about 3-5. It really depends how busy you want to be. During fresher's put your name down for any that you find interesting but once you start getting the emails through about commitments you'll probably be able to narrow it down.
Hope this helps! Feel free to fire any more questions if you them :smile:
Reply 9547
Original post by Marniandrews
Hiya!
Congrats for getting in.
I wouldn't worry too much about your modules right now as during fresher's week you meet with your advisor and they will talk you through all your options and answer any questions before you actually submit them. I would say to go in with a few in mind and then hopefully the discussion will clear things up. If you can't do the two you really want to it would suck but it is only for the first semester as you can change again at Christmas.
In regards to societies, everyone is different. I joined 2, a sports society and a volunteering one. One of my friends joined none and 3 of my friends joined about 3-5. It really depends how busy you want to be. During fresher's put your name down for any that you find interesting but once you start getting the emails through about commitments you'll probably be able to narrow it down.
Hope this helps! Feel free to fire any more questions if you them :smile:


Thank you! I have thought of a few modules I'd like to do, it's pretty confusing though! Waiting until advising does seem like the best idea...
Ahh okay, that helps, thanks! I like to be quite busy, so I'll probably join a few. Signing up then picking will help though 😊

Thanks!
Original post by CN2
Hi, I just wanted to ask a couple of questions - I'm starting uni in September. So I've tried picking my modules (Chem degree) and most subjects that I want to take seem to clash with chemistry...what should I do? Is there any way around this? I'm quite worried as I don't want to end up doing a subject a won't enjoy.

Also, how many societies do students tend to join? Everyone I talk to keeps giving me conflicting advice!

Thanks!


There's no getting around your mandatory courses. So whatever is required for first year chem, you must take. Lectures are at certain times - unlike other larger universities, the same lecture isn't given multiple times, and seminars or tutorials will also be at certain times.

Honestly you might take a course thinking you'll enjoy it, and end up hating it (that was me with classics); so keep an open mind, and if something doesn't fit into your timetable this year, you can always try to take it next year.

Societies are up to you; most people join too many then only end up going to one or two. Join the ones you are interested in, but don't overextend yourself. 1-2 seems to be the long-term manageable amount for most people.
What is the internet speed like in St Andrews? Also, do you know if you able to bring a PS4/Xbox and play online?
Original post by DanBing
What is the internet speed like in St Andrews? Also, do you know if you able to bring a PS4/Xbox and play online?


In Uni managed properties, it's decent. It can get a bit slow in the evenings in halls though.

If you're in halls, you won't have a tv in your room (aside from ABH I believe - possibly DRA too), so you wouldn't have anything to play xbox or anything on. Some halls have a communal tv (Uni hall definitely has one, and Macintosh too I believe) but other people will get a bit annoyed at you if you're using it too often, and the wardens may or may not let you hook up a game system. Best to check when you get your hall assignment.
Original post by ElizabethRG
In Uni managed properties, it's decent. It can get a bit slow in the evenings in halls though.

If you're in halls, you won't have a tv in your room (aside from ABH I believe - possibly DRA too), so you wouldn't have anything to play xbox or anything on. Some halls have a communal tv (Uni hall definitely has one, and Macintosh too I believe) but other people will get a bit annoyed at you if you're using it too often, and the wardens may or may not let you hook up a game system. Best to check when you get your hall assignment.


Thanks - I assume you can bring your own monitor for your room though?
Hi, ive got offer for theoretical physics AAA whats the chances of me getting in with AAB or ABB ?
Hi, is there anyone here who has studied English, Classical Studies and/or German at sub-honours level? I have firmed St Andrews for Classical Studies and English, and if I get in I'm hoping to study German from beginners level too. If you could give me your honest opinions about how useful/interesting you found both the modules and the teaching on any of these courses I would really appreciate it!
Original post by Mrlizard3
Hi, is there anyone here who has studied English, Classical Studies and/or German at sub-honours level? I have firmed St Andrews for Classical Studies and English, and if I get in I'm hoping to study German from beginners level too. If you could give me your honest opinions about how useful/interesting you found both the modules and the teaching on any of these courses I would really appreciate it!


Hi! I'm going into my 2nd year at St Andrews, I got in for English and Modern History but it has changed quite radically lol. (The extra subject I took 1st year is Comp Lit (dreadful) and I also ended up doing Art History (amazing!) 2nd sem instead of Modern but I digress haha.)

The first semester module for English is wonderful, go to all the lectures as they will all actually teach you something interesting and give you new perspectives on the texts and, of course, read as many of the books as you can because they're actually pretty fun and interesting books ((I managed to avoid the Victorian novels completely and - aside from one coursework essay on Victorian poetry - only wrote essays on modern/postmodern fiction in my other coursework piece and the exam.))

Second semester, however, made me realise that I do not want a degree in English Literature lol. The books in the first half of the module are dreadful ((Gulliver's Travels made me hate reading and is the most dense, dull and unfunny satirical novel in existence. Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland is as about as interesting as the title sounds and features more references to tress in 160 pages than I've spoken about trees in 18 years of existence.)) For me only the poetry was worth reading, but even when the texts are good the lecturers are absolutely soul destroyingly boring. Most of them treat it as a chance to do spoken word readings of the texts and give you little you don't already understand from just reading the books. There was one particular lecturer who just fumbled about the front of the room mumbling (he had no powerpoint and wouldn't use the microphone which is slightly irritating because English lectures take place in Buchanan ((the largest lecture hall.)) Combining this with the thought of doing a module on Old English and then a Drama module in 2nd year ((I took a drama module in comp lit and it was awful in all aspects)) I realised that doing all this just so I can take a class in 3rd year on Virginia Woolf may not be worth it hahaha.

To sum up, I guess it really depends on what kind of literature you enjoy, I'm sure some people were living for the old man mumbling about revolutionary poetry but I just don't see the appeal. Also just fyi cause I see you're gonna do another lit based subject as well as a language; you don't need to read all the books - you only actually need to read 5 in total to do well in the class. ((1 for your first essay, 1 for your 2nd essay, and 3 for the exam)) - I think I read less than 5 of the set texts for 2nd sem and attended like 10 lectures at the most and got a 15.2/20 so really don't stress yourself too much.

I can't say much for Classics and German, though I will say I think Classics looks awesome and I've been tempted to take it myself ((you only have a tutorial every other week which gives you two weeks to read each set text instead of English or Comp Lit where they just chuck Mary Barton or Anna Karenina at you and give you a week to read it)).
Original post by DanBing
Thanks - I assume you can bring your own monitor for your room though?


you can bring your own TVs etc, however when it comes to PS4 and Xbox you can't connect to the university's wifi which is super annoying lol. I'm not sure if the tech team has a way of doing this but the connection just wouldn't work for me because of the way Eduroam functions.
Original post by DanBing
Thanks - I assume you can bring your own monitor for your room though?


Technically yes - but depending on the size of your room and if you have a roommate, again it may not be practical.
Original post by Mrlizard3
Hi, is there anyone here who has studied English, Classical Studies and/or German at sub-honours level? I have firmed St Andrews for Classical Studies and English, and if I get in I'm hoping to study German from beginners level too. If you could give me your honest opinions about how useful/interesting you found both the modules and the teaching on any of these courses I would really appreciate it!


I did classics for 2 years, and my best friend's degree is English. She says for English, it depends on your professor. Some are great, some are awful, and the course experience follows from that. Marks also apparently vary wildly depending on professor/tutor.

Subhonours classics is a hot mess. Disinterested tutors, poorly organized lectures and tutorials, and a LOT of work and reading in comparison to the amount of effort tutors put in (I had one tutor who didn't read papers, and gave everyone the same mark. She also complained bitterly about having to teach in English rather than Latin, and blatantly refused to teach one of the required books). However, that said, another friend studies classics at honours and loves it, though it's a lot of work. If you really want to do classics, you sort of have to consider the first two years a write-off.
Original post by JM_1998
Hi! I'm going into my 2nd year at St Andrews, I got in for English and Modern History but it has changed quite radically lol. (The extra subject I took 1st year is Comp Lit (dreadful) and I also ended up doing Art History (amazing!) 2nd sem instead of Modern but I digress haha.)

The first semester module for English is wonderful, go to all the lectures as they will all actually teach you something interesting and give you new perspectives on the texts and, of course, read as many of the books as you can because they're actually pretty fun and interesting books ((I managed to avoid the Victorian novels completely and - aside from one coursework essay on Victorian poetry - only wrote essays on modern/postmodern fiction in my other coursework piece and the exam.))

Second semester, however, made me realise that I do not want a degree in English Literature lol. The books in the first half of the module are dreadful ((Gulliver's Travels made me hate reading and is the most dense, dull and unfunny satirical novel in existence. Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland is as about as interesting as the title sounds and features more references to tress in 160 pages than I've spoken about trees in 18 years of existence.)) For me only the poetry was worth reading, but even when the texts are good the lecturers are absolutely soul destroyingly boring. Most of them treat it as a chance to do spoken word readings of the texts and give you little you don't already understand from just reading the books. There was one particular lecturer who just fumbled about the front of the room mumbling (he had no powerpoint and wouldn't use the microphone which is slightly irritating because English lectures take place in Buchanan ((the largest lecture hall.)) Combining this with the thought of doing a module on Old English and then a Drama module in 2nd year ((I took a drama module in comp lit and it was awful in all aspects)) I realised that doing all this just so I can take a class in 3rd year on Virginia Woolf may not be worth it hahaha.

To sum up, I guess it really depends on what kind of literature you enjoy, I'm sure some people were living for the old man mumbling about revolutionary poetry but I just don't see the appeal. Also just fyi cause I see you're gonna do another lit based subject as well as a language; you don't need to read all the books - you only actually need to read 5 in total to do well in the class. ((1 for your first essay, 1 for your 2nd essay, and 3 for the exam)) - I think I read less than 5 of the set texts for 2nd sem and attended like 10 lectures at the most and got a 15.2/20 so really don't stress yourself too much.

I can't say much for Classics and German, though I will say I think Classics looks awesome and I've been tempted to take it myself ((you only have a tutorial every other week which gives you two weeks to read each set text instead of English or Comp Lit where they just chuck Mary Barton or Anna Karenina at you and give you a week to read it)).


Hi, thanks for your reply!

From what you've said I think I'll really love the first module, I like Victorian texts as well as modern and postmodern so I'm looking forward to that. I'm quite happy with the reading list from what I've seen. Since you got to choose which texts you wrote your essays on do you also get to choose your own essay title/question? And for the exam can you choose which texts you answer on?

The second module seems like a bit of a nightmare haha. If you all had a chance to give feedback on it I hope they've taken it on board for this year! I must say I don't know much about the reading list for that semester but what you've said doesn't seem particularly appealing..

That said I've enjoyed studying drama and earlier works in the past, what was it about the drama module in comparative literature that you didn't like? I suppose I'd say that I'm not really a massive reader and tend to like a range of texts, it's the critical analysis of texts and their contexts that I particularly like. Though I'm going to try it's quite refreshing to hear that you don't necessarily need to read all the texts!

Also, If you don't mind another quick question, since you've changed what you're studying quite a bit I don't suppose you know whether you're able to change one of the subjects that your offer is in early on? I've been considering not doing Classical Studies and changing at the start of the year but I don't know whether that's an option?

It's a shame that literature at St Andrews wasn't for you, but are you enjoying what you're doing now?
Original post by ElizabethRG
I did classics for 2 years, and my best friend's degree is English. She says for English, it depends on your professor. Some are great, some are awful, and the course experience follows from that. Marks also apparently vary wildly depending on professor/tutor.

Subhonours classics is a hot mess. Disinterested tutors, poorly organized lectures and tutorials, and a LOT of work and reading in comparison to the amount of effort tutors put in (I had one tutor who didn't read papers, and gave everyone the same mark. She also complained bitterly about having to teach in English rather than Latin, and blatantly refused to teach one of the required books). However, that said, another friend studies classics at honours and loves it, though it's a lot of work. If you really want to do classics, you sort of have to consider the first two years a write-off.


Thank you for your reply! Was it Classics or Classical Studies that you did? For a while I'd been considering trying to change from Classical Studies to history, I did Classical Civilisation at A Level and was a little concerned that it might feel repetitive..I studied the Odyssey and a great deal about its context last year and I've been told that that's a big part of the first module?
Also, what do you study now and what's your experience of that like in comparison? 🙂

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