The Cambridge Chat Thread

michaelyus

Three essays to do for PoO :work:

But I can't be bothered tonight; I got (college) engaged today, in my own crazy way (as was universally agreed by everyone on my floor / the chaplain / my friends) :crazy:

There seems to have been mass panic for college engagements all week. And there have even been two examples of proper drama... :rolleyes:

We have far more than two :cool:

(although I believe those two are the most regular posters on TSR).

Ah Mike! Who are you engaged to? And what was the crazy way? :P

Reply 7661

OP

Today we had an insane turn out at hall between 6 and 6:15. It was like some sort of rational-choice theory accident :lolwut:

When me and a friend went in at 6:15 we had to ask people to squish up just so there was somewhere to sit, and we arranged our trays vertically rather than horizontally on the tables. Further more there was no food! They'd run out of everything! I expect people who came later had to make do with stuff from the freezer frantically thrown into fryers...

I had an unfortunate shopping experience at Sainsburys tonight. I somehow chose the queue with two sets of students/teenagers who all managed to be buying loads of alcohol. The first crowd got into an argument about how much something cost, or a promotion or some such so that it took about 15mins with managers coming over, for them to sort stuff out. Then there were two girls behind them. The one buying had ID but the one next to her didn't so the cashier wouldn't sell it to them. Then there was a huge argument. They had to sign something. Meanwhile the cashier was one of these nervous apologetic women who took twice the time doing anything because she was nervous and chattering. The girls walked off with her pen and she got into a fluster and called a manager asking if she could have a break and complaining to him about how they took her personalised pen with her name written on it :sigh:

So finally it was my turn. I had a massive queue behind me. First thing she does is asks for my ID because I bought a slab of Baileys chocolate!!! :eyeball:

I could just about here everybody behind me taking in their breath waiting for me not to have ID. Fortunately my drivers license is always in my wallet. Ye gads was that annoying though!

Catsmeat

Mine were bad when they looked like this, which was mountain-biking damage (this was taken after I was annihilated by Coed-y Brenin), but they are now so bad that a bit is hanging off them, while the sides have torn away such that my socks seem to constitute half of each shoe. I'm betting they'll last another week, tops.

I love how you live on a street with several shoe stores :biggrin:

ukebert

And of course the Catuke uncertainty principle means that I can't come :mad:

Tom

I heard this idiot on radio 4 today. The entirety of his argument (delivered so slowly you could almost hear the interviewer praying for him to get on with it) was: 1) We don't know where Jesus might have gone in his early life (so why not Britain! :awesome:

) and 2) There have been legends about it for "hundreds of years" (woo, so someone in the C19th invented this not you, that makes it truer how?).

ukebert

The funniest thing was that he was talking about how he founded a church in Britain. Which contradicts a huge amount of Christian theology, as he isn't supposed to have been preaching before he was baptised and the spirit came down on him and so on.

Really I find this priceless :rofl:

Tom

Also, Craggy, do more giant multiquote replies pls pls. They're a really good way to keep semi-track of this thread without scrolling through 5 pages....all condensed into one handy post :biggrin:

Catsmeat

I'll be sure to exist next week and make it this time.

Really?

I thought you couldn't make the 5th..

brimstone

I slept for about the same amount of time after lunch and woke up feeling exhausted and a bit sick. Then I ate lots of chocolate, which didn't help. :frown:

Aw that sucks! Kind of know how you feel having been sick from sleep deprivation all day...

ukdragon37

Must be a postgrad thing

Alumni thing.

Last week I had to write two essays in quick succession when I had supervisions on a Wednesday and Friday (later rescheduled). I ended up finishing the second essay a day later than the supervisor wanted it, and I was convinced it was crap because I frantically typed it up in 3 and a half hours (a personal record) managing to produce over 3000 words! :eek:

Transpired that the essay was really good! I had the supervision this morning (very senior academic) and she was complementing the structure and balance of the argument and everything. (it wasn't perfect, but lots of the criticisms she raised were more about our distinct views about the theorist) So hooray for nice surprises :biggrin:

Reply 7662

Craghyrax

I love how you live on a street with several shoe stores :biggrin:

I just enjoy a light peppering of dishabille :biggrin:

.

Craghyrax

Really?

I thought you couldn't make the 5th...

I let TSR take precedence, to make amends.

Reply 7663

OP

Catsmeat

I let TSR take precedence, to make amends.

A man of conscience :teeth:

Peterhouse has got an Advent Carol Service on Sunday evening with mulled wine and mince pies :coma:

And I should be done with my essay by then too :king1:

Reply 7664

Craghyrax

A man of conscience :teeth:

Peterhouse has got an Advent Carol Service on Sunday evening with mulled wine and mince pies :coma:

And I should be done with my essay by then too :king1:

Only a rare glimpse of conscience, I assure you.

Good luck with what I think you said was your last essay ... ?

Reply 7665

OP

Catsmeat

Only a rare glimpse of conscience, I assure you.

Good luck with what I think you said was your last essay ... ?

Thanks. I think it should be quite fun. Question: why do girls outperform boys at school? Or something similar. Should also be alot less effort in comparison to my other essays this term. Education is viewed by SPSers as a doss :o:

After that I suddenly have to stop ignoring the fact that I have a dissertation. Or am meant to... :erm:

Reply 7666

smilepea

Craghyrax

Education is viewed by SPSers as a doss :o:

Well isn't that nice :rolleyes:

Reply 7667

Craghyrax

Thanks. I think it should be quite fun. Question: why do girls outperform boys at school? Or something similar. Should also be alot less effort in comparison to my other essays this term. Education is viewed by SPSers as a doss :o:

After that I suddenly have to stop ignoring the fact that I have a dissertation. Or am meant to... :erm:

Interesting ... I'm going to assume that this pattern is somewhat influenced by reporting, and actually the reality is much more complex than that simple breakdown. Alternatively, I'm destined to be comparatively inadequate.

Disser ... diss ... tation?

Reply 7668

Y__

Craghyrax

Thanks. I think it should be quite fun. Question: why do girls outperform boys at school? Or something similar. Should also be alot less effort in comparison to my other essays this term. Education is viewed by SPSers as a doss :o:

After that I suddenly have to stop ignoring the fact that I have a dissertation. Or am meant to... :erm:

Is that the same SPSers that moan about being labeled as doing a doss subject by Historians :p:

?

[edit:] j/k, don't take it too seriously :smile:

.

Reply 7669

OP

Catsmeat

Interesting ... I'm going to assume that this pattern is somewhat influenced by reporting, and actually the reality is much more complex than that simple breakdown. Alternatively, I'm destined to be comparatively inadequate.

Are you referring to whether or not Education is a doss? If so then yeh, probably. I assume that any degree is pressurising and hard if you actually care about doing well on it.

Athena

I made mince pies and I feel rather pleased with myself, and very Christmassy :biggrin:

You have access to an oven? How long are you around? :ninja:

I'd really appreciate having somewhere to make up loads of mince pies. Its been tradition for about a decade now, and I use it for presents and stuff.

Y__

Is that the same SPSers that moan about being labeled as doing a doss subject by Historians :p:

?

No. I'm the SPSer that complains about historians labelling SPS a doss. Other SPSers are the ones describing Education as a doss. And I don't know what their exact reasons are for saying so. The Education paper only asks us to write four supervision essays over the year in contrast to six in SPS papers. And they seem to react negatively to any attempts on our part to analyse or theorise anything. Regurgitation of government legislation seems to be what's asked for. But we shall see. Hopefully I won't get slapped on the wrist by trying to use a theorist in my upcoming essay :sigh:

Reply 7670

fumblewomble

Craghyrax

Transpired that the essay was really good!

Reply 7671

Craghyrax

Are you referring to whether or not Education is a doss? If so then yeh, probably. I assume that any degree is pressurising and hard if you actually care about doing well on it.

I mean the perception that girls perform better academically than boys. Has this been demonstrated by a wide enough cohort to be confirmed? Of what I have read, which is admittedly limited, the trends are quite complex.

As concerns the validity of a field of study, anything goes. Dedication, resources and applicability all seem more important than reputation.

I've now found a good technique for audio warfare against the kitchen-abuser; namely, RobotSonics and KC Blitz remixes of Bring me the Horizons' later mathcore album, combining two of the loudest, and potentially most annoying, music genres.

Reply 7672

OP

Catsmeat

I mean the perception that girls perform better academically than boys. Has this been demonstrated by a wide enough cohort to be confirmed? Of what I have read, which is admittedly limited, the trends are quite complex.

Don't know yet :frown:

I should be reading but I'm not :hubba:

Catsmeat

As concerns the validity of a field of study, anything goes. Dedication, resources and applicability all seem more important than reputation.

Totally agree. Most popular biases are really retarded too.

Catsmeat

I've now found a good technique for audio warfare against the kitchen-abuser; namely, RobotSonics and KC Blitz remixes of Bring me the Horizons' later mathcore album, combining two of the loudest, and potentially most annoying, music genres.

burn me a disc? :teeth:

fumblewomble

Thanks! Although is this another bid for multiquote inclusion? :p:

smilepea

Well isn't that nice :rolleyes:

Apparently we're snobs too :frown:

I'm reserving judgement :yes:

In fairness, from what I've experienced so far, it looks like the actual subject as an academic focus is really interesting and worthwhile. And there's alot of opportunity for good research (ie my MPhil proposal is focusing on applications to Oxbridge) and for theorising issues. Its just the diabolical teaching that puts me off so far. I nearly walked out on Monday; he was going so slowly, trying to build momentum leading up to really obvious points as though he were addressing a group of 14 yr olds :banghead:

I clearly just got a bad lecturer. There are two on the course, and the other is ok.

Reply 7673

smilepea

Craghyrax

Apparently we're snobs too :frown:

I'm reserving judgement :yes:

In fairness, from what I've experienced so far, it looks like the actual subject as an academic focus is really interesting and worthwhile. And there's alot of opportunity for good research (ie my MPhil proposal is focusing on applications to Oxbridge) and for theorising issues. Its just the diabolical teaching that puts me off so far. I nearly walked out on Monday; he was going so slowly, trying to build momentum leading up to really obvious points as though he were addressing a group of 14 yr olds :banghead:

I clearly just got a bad lecturer. There are two on the course, and the other is ok.

TBH, you get out of your degree what you put into it, so it's only going to be a doss if you make it so.

oooh that sounds interesting, that's probably what my dissertation is going to be on :yep:

Reply 7674

Stratocaster

I'm feeling really Christmasey (sp?) for some reason. I suddenly want a warm fireplace, a mince pie and bad TV. Currently learning an awesome fingerpicked version of Silent Night.

Reply 7675

TheUnbeliever

16

I appear to have ended up on someone's international students mailing list. :confused:

Reply 7676

fumblewomble

Craghyrax

Thanks! Although is this another bid for multiquote inclusion? :p:

How could you say such a thing! It was a genuine outpouring of fumblcitement!

Reply 7677

sonofdot

8

Stratocaster

I'm feeling really Christmasey (sp?) for some reason. I suddenly want a warm fireplace, a mince pie and bad TV. Currently learning an awesome fingerpicked version of Silent Night.

I think the free mulled wine I had earlier helped...

Reply 7678

OP

smilepea

TBH, you get out of your degree what you put into it, so it's only going to be a doss if you make it so.Absolutely

smilepea

oooh that sounds interesting, that's probably what my dissertation is going to be on :yep:

Are you now in Education second or first year? I might be doing my research at the same time as you are, which means we can compare notes :five:

By the way, if you have time after your NewMuseumSite lecture you're welcome to pop by for tea or coffee (I live opposite to our hall)

Reply 7679