Teens Writing for Teens, the 5th

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Thalia

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-doesn't know what a module is-

My main problem is that what I want to do doesn't line up with what I want to study.

I mean, don't get me wrong. I want to study what I want to do. But there's just so much more I want to learn! Maybe I'll just get a million degrees :tongue If only it were that simple...
 

lisalulu09

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A module is a class you study over the year.

What do you really want to study?
 

Thalia

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A looooooooooot.

Anthropology, Ancient History/World, more history, Economics, linguistics, social studies... I don't necessarily want a degree in them all, but I want to study them all. I can't get enough information about unis out of my school counselor to figure out if I could do this.

What I want to do is grow up and be Para. :tongue

No, but I want to be a literary agent or editor or something in the publishing business and a writer (unless, of course, I can live comfortably off my writing, in which case, awesome!)
 

Parametric

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By the way, Para, Lisa, could one of you help me understand how British universities work? I've tried the internet and I can't find much. I've heard that the British program has you focused on a more specific area of study from the start, but I don't know much more.

If you do an English Lit degree at a UK university, you're going to study English Lit. All the time. For three years. One degree, one subject. It will be broken down into different units and modules within that subject, but your subject options will be very limited.
 

Parametric

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-doesn't know what a module is-

My main problem is that what I want to do doesn't line up with what I want to study.

I mean, don't get me wrong. I want to study what I want to do. But there's just so much more I want to learn! Maybe I'll just get a million degrees :tongue If only it were that simple...

A looooooooooot.

Anthropology, Ancient History/World, more history, Economics, linguistics, social studies... I don't necessarily want a degree in them all, but I want to study them all. I can't get enough information about unis out of my school counselor to figure out if I could do this.

What I want to do is grow up and be Para. :tongue

No, but I want to be a literary agent or editor or something in the publishing business and a writer (unless, of course, I can live comfortably off my writing, in which case, awesome!)

Sadly, being me is not all that glamorous. :tongue

I don't know if a British university can provide the kind of broad-based education you want. I've always been frustrated by the very limited options available. I wanted to study languages, sciences, maths, history ... but you can only really choose one.
 

Parametric

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There are several scenarios here.

1) they give me an Interdisciplinary Science degree. What is that? It a fake degree that says you took a bunch of sciences but not enough to get a real degree. What can you do with it? Nothing. Entry level lab work forever if your lucky. Why do i not want this? Because i've worked WAY too hard to get a bullshit degree I can do nothing with after my mom and grandmom had to spend there whole life savings to keep me in college.

2) My grades fall so low that I'm not only not allowed to graduate but i'm kicked out of my college based on my low GPA. Considering this is my last year... what a slap in the face that would be! Did all that hard work to get kicked out of school because of this one prick. And if i'm kicked out of this university, my only option to get into another school is a community college... then it goes back to i just spent all that money going to this school just to get kicked out and forced into a community college.

See if i dont graduate with a Chemistry degree, there goes all my ideas with what i'm going to do with my life. My dreams of getting into the forensics program at my school have already been killed and buried by my teacher... but if i graduate with a chemistry degree, with alot of hard work on my part i can land a job in a forensic laboratory and work my way up till the company pays for grad school.

If that doesnt happen I'm LOST. Its been 9 years already with no writing results so God knows how long before that all works out for me if it even does... and I'm not going to spend another 4 years in college to get another degree.

Okay. I think when people are in a very stressful situation they tend to pile even more pressure on themselves by telling themselves they can't fail (for a given value of failure). I have to pass this class. I have to graduate. In fact, you don't have to do that at all. It would certainly be ideal to come out with the chemistry major you wanted, but if that doesn't work out, you'll survive. You might even find you're happier without the pressure.

The reason I'm saying this is that you said that:

There is only three things that are going to help me right now.

1) my teacher vanishes never to be seen again (I'm still keeping my fingers crossed)
2) A teacher (who has power over my grades) tells me to calm down because it will all be ok and i'll graduate.
3) By some amazing streak of luck i get published tomorrow and never have to worry about school again.

None of these are within your control. If your only option really was to hope for a miracle, that would be a really toxic situation. But you still have options, even if they're tough to see right now. You can still graduate with a degree - any degree would be better than none. You might be able to find another way into a chemistry program. I sincerely hope you make it into forensics, but if that doesn't work out, you can find something else.

If you can't meet your original expectations, you may need to rethink them. You may even have to give up on your dreams. I certainly have. But I survived.

I don't know if any of this makes sense. Just trying to explain how I survived crushing academic disappointment with my health and sanity intact.
 
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Parametric

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'kay, so my top choice is still Columbia.

Isn't that the awesome one? With the publishing course? In New York? I'd kill for that.

If you're serious about being an agent or editor, I would definitely prioritise colleges in and around New York. There are lots of opportunities to do internships for college credit. I'm glad you love cities, because you're going to have to live there. :tongue
 

Parametric

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I actually don't like cities - I'd rather stay out here in the wilds forever. But I'm willing to put up with London to work in publishing.
 

Zoombie

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I love cities, but so far I've only visited them while living in suburbs, so I might come to hate them if I live there.
 

Thalia

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I'm a city girl. I'm just dying on this island from lack of cityness. I don't fit in here. I don't belong.
 

lvae

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Hi guys! :)

I think a city is a great place to spend your teens/twenties, but I'm elderly, I would live in the country. Or at least a tight knit country town that isn't too cut off from everywhere.

Lol, Zoom! I guess they took artistic license?
 

Thalia

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When I'm old, I want to be in downtown Toronto like my grandparents.

They are so cool.

Being old doesn't mean being slow!

Just ask Para!
 

Zoombie

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I find the Hellsing Ultimate abridged series to be hysterically funny, if INCREDIBLY vulgar.

It helps that Hellsing itself is one of the stupidest, and yet, most entertaining anime/mangas I've ever seen, so mocking it is easy and funny.

Link here! WARNING: Lots of foul language and even more blood.
 

Thalia

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but you love me anyway!
 

Horserider

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OMG GLEE IS ON TONIGHT. Sorry, impending finals week of doom has left me with a complete inability to remember what day of the week it is.

Tally, I understand completely. There are so many things that I want to study (anthropology, psychology, English, zoology, business) and I know that I won't have time for most of it. The most frustrating thing, for me, is that there is so much I want to study and yet I can't find another class to fit into my schedule for next semester that's not full.

I've thought a lot about going into publishing but A) I would not do well in a large city and B) the industry is just so screwed up right now and while I don't think it's going to disappear completely in four years, I know it's never going to be the same.
 

MargoWest

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Reading back a little - amp, basically if I said anything I'd just be repeating what para said. So... instead, good luck and take it as easy as you can. Try to breathe, and talk it over with an outside source(ideally someone at your school - like maybe a general adviser?). They might point out options you're not seeing right now.

Tally and HR - keep in mind, you don't have to study something in college in order to learn it. :tongue I adore history, but took zero history classes in college. I read up on the periods I'm interested in on my own time.
 

Zoombie

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So, I accidentally sent in Debris Dreams with new Chinese swearing and I said it was CANTONESE, but it was actually MANDARIN, cause I got the two languages confused, ARRRRGH, I should tell the editors that it's Mandarin, but then again, they might not care...but what if they do.

I think I just want them to respond faster.

Because I'm in HORRIBLE SUSPENSE!
 
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