Japanese at Sheffield

Raguna

I posted a topic on the facebook group asking one of the current first year students the difference between the number of people who started the course, and the number of people still remaining, but then I thought...

Screw it, and I deleted it.

Thinking about it, I've come to the conclusion that chatting about drop-out rates in any kind of depth is an exercise in frivolity. So what that X number of people dropped? Does it really matter? I am sure everyone who has a strong interest in the subject has put a fair degree of research, thought and discussion into the course (as evidenced by the recent milestone of #1000 posts), and thus have no illusions that learning Japanese would be some kind of cakewalk. My reasoning is that you live and die, pass or fail by your own merit and motivation. Everything else, like the number of other people who have dropped out in the past is irrelevant. So relax! If you truly want to succeed then you will.

Hm, OK, so this was kind of part self-therapy, but I also hope it can cool the nerves of other people should they have them.

I'm preaching to the converted here. The sad fact is some people do think this degree is easy - clearly hence why some people drop in the first few weeks. FFS - you are in Tokyo and are probably studying and getting more experience of Japan and Japanese than I did when I did this course. When I was in first year, the fear of the whole drop-out thing spurred me on, rather than being an obstacle.

I'm probably the most cynical person on my course though. Hence my love of the stats. Jaaaaa.... Don't Panikku deshou?

あのう、一年生の時より前に、皆がコースについてちょっと怖がったはずですよ。

でもさ、俺は。。。今から俺の日本語能力がずっと悪いと感じていますよ。 :o:

二年間の大学で勉強しているものを！

まあ、皆さんが苦にしたら、やっぱり、コースについてはたくさんの悩みや疑心がありますね？

リラックスして！

Okay, if people can understand that - then first year will be a piece of piss. Don't worry you will all pass and I'll see your confident mugs in Bar One in 2nd year when I look like death warmed up.

Jaa ne

Reply 1022

Aizen

OP

Hey guys, not posted here in a while but I wrote a small article about my first year in Sheffield which you can read here: http://tinyurl.com/mj3zog. It's not much and I haven't gone into huge detail but if you have specific questions either leave a comment on the page or send me a email via the contact page!

Reply 1023

Raguna

guy_incognito

I'm preaching to the converted here. The sad fact is some people do think this degree is easy - clearly hence why some people drop in the first few weeks. When I was in first year, the fear of the whole drop-out thing spurred me on, rather than being an obstacle.

Indeed, as I might have mentioned a long time ago, I had a great experience having a long talk with a just graduated student from the Japanese course at Leeds and she said that there are far more people than you would imagine who apply to do a Japanese course because the UCAS deadline draws near and:

- they haven't got an idea what they want to do, neither interested or excelling at any specific subject, but they think Japanese looks cool, quirky and unique.

- they are against doing a typical subject like English or History yet want to go to university to have the social experience and so opt for Japanese as it's so completely out of left field.

I just can't comprehend people who have these types of attitude, especially, but not just because the price of university is so high. I was thinking about the amount of hours I have spent online discussing and researching this degree and I am sure it is well into the double digits.

Reply 1024

thefaceless

guy_incognito

I'm probably the most cynical person on my course though.

A CHALLENGER APPROACHES.

Reply 1025

does anyone know a good site for learning katakana rather than revising it?
I'm very confident with hiragana but on my course we sorta ran out of time before really getting onto katakana haha, and the revision sites aren't great for learning it :smile:

ta

Reply 1026

username42053

7

Okay I'll be the one to drop out then.

One of us will for sure. Surely.

I don't know great sites for learning as I used books for learning, sorry.

Reply 1027

Don't drop out Franny :party:

Reply 1028

I think i'll just do it the old fashioned way with a pen and paper and hard work
the internet is overhyped :wink:

Reply 1029

Raguna

franpgb

Okay I'll be the one to drop out then.

One of us will for sure. Surely.

いやだ いやだ いやだ いやだ

Enough of this kind of talk. Optimism people!

Reply 1030

Raguna

いやだ いやだ いやだ いやだ

Enough of this kind of talk. Optimism people!

iyada iyada iyada iyada ?

well i can romanise it but i have no idea what it means haha
learnt alllll of katakana yesterday :smile:

woo

Reply 1031

hakone88

Sorry for intruding but a question for you guys at Sheffield as I'm going to be applying for 2010 entry.

Is there a high number of applicants per place for this degree and have any of you got an offer where your grades were below what the requirement was?

I ask because I'm 21 (considered a mature student now -_-) and my grades are BBC and the requirement is ABB. I have this year to raise my grades but I'm just wondering how strict they are for this course :p:

thanks, Mark

Reply 1032

You're resitting? Do you know the A level Sylabusses have changed right? I dunno if you can still resit :/

And no I'm predicted AAA so I can't help you on that front :colonhash:

I'm sure someone knows.

Reply 1033

hakone88

Yeah, I'm aware it has all changed and have sorted that out :p:

Hope you get your triple A ^_^

Reply 1034

I hope so too :moon:

Btw, I was pondering this, do many people get firsts? Is this "near impossible" or "acheivable" does anyone know?

Reply 1035

kimoso

I hope so too :moon:

Btw, I was pondering this, do many people get firsts? Is this "near impossible" or "acheivable" does anyone know?

You need to be either a) super intelligent or b) willing to sacrifice your social life. Couple of guys on my course have very high 2.1's at the moment, and I would say they mostly fall into either of those two categories.

Reply 1036

guy_incognito

You need to be either a) super intelligent or b) willing to sacrifice your social life. Couple of guys on my course have very high 2.1's at the moment, and I would say they mostly fall into either of those two categories.

I see!

I guess that's pretty out of reach then haha. What about getting a 2:1, how difficult is that?

Reply 1037

kimoso

I see!

I guess that's pretty out of reach then haha. What about getting a 2:1, how difficult is that?

Its pretty standard as long as you do your work. I mostly get low 2.1's and I'm not exactly the strict academic type. I'd probably be getting comfortable 2.1's if I wasn't so addicted to wasting time.

Reply 1038

I swear firsts and 2:1s etc are always given out on a percentage basis for the course?
like the top 10% will get a first or something

maybe i have been living a lie :frown:

what's the point in even having firsts available if they're next to impossible to get..

Reply 1039