Anyone in final year thinking about next year?

JustCoz

Anyone thinking of doing something different next year, like taking a year out to try something new? I'd love to go to France to improve my French even though my course has nothing to do with French. Don't know what kind of job to get though. Thinking of trying TEFL.
Anyone else?

tintinr35

trying to think about it as little as possible TBH

hullaballoo

I'm thinking about repeating my finals.

JustCoz

Hullaballoo wrote:

I'm thinking about repeating my finals.

Yeah right, don't make me laugh, genius! Thats more likely to happen to me since I've already failed an exam this semester. Is 15% really as bad as it sounds??

beanyb

The more I think about it, the more I think I'm going to take a year out before applying for my masters. I dont want to have to worry about how to make applications better and that sort of thing while also worrying about the fact that I have half my finals in just over a month! There's only so much worrying I can handle!

I still cant believe I'm in final year, time sure has flown.

Royale with Cheese

I'd take a year out but I already did Erasmus last year. Just want to do something short and useful in the workplace and be done with education for good. No idea what though.

Stepherunie

Only going into final year next year but have to come up with my thesis idear.

As for after college - plan is to work for a few months then come back to do a masters - currently trying to decide between comp sci or radiography for my masters.

humbert

I've been thinking about it quite a bit, really want to get out of Ireland for quite a while but farther than that I haven't got a clue.

besty

JustCoz wrote:

Anyone thinking of doing something different next year, like taking a year out to try something new? I'd love to go to France to improve my French even though my course has nothing to do with French. Don't know what kind of job to get though. Thinking of trying TEFL.
Anyone else?

We're going to Dijibouti for the year, remember we organised it in the lecture today!

JustCoz

Oh yeah, how stupid of me! Thanks for the reminder Besty. Who's the prime minister again?

Sangre

You're all bunch of wasters. Start contributing to society already!

rainbow kirby

Bah, society.
I'm not in final year yet... passing 3rd year will be the challenge first! No idea what I'm going to do when I finish, probably go get a job. Tempted to do a graduate diploma in women's studies when I finish, just because it interests me.

arbeitsscheuer

Speaking from the point of view of someone who went straight into a Masters...

DON'T DO IT! TAKE A YEAR OUT, FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST AND ALL THAT IS HOLY!!!!

...

Ok, that may have been mainly me just venting, but my point still stands: Give yourselves a break before rushing into something like more academia.

You'll be glad for the break when ya get back. That's the impression I get from those who took a break before going into their MAs/PhDs etc.

pretty*monster

Up untill about three weeks ago I was sure that I wanted to do a Masters (literature and publising in Nuig or publishing in London) but now I think that I'm not really ready to leave Dublin and I need a break from the aul lectures and essays buzz so I might take a year out.

Of course if I take a year out it's another year living at home since though my parents are happy to finance any post-grad work that I'm seriouse about and might lead to actual employment prospects they'd expect me to save up some money if I took a year out, which I couldn't really do while paying rent, bills etc.

humbert

Taking a year out to live at home and work sounds a bit insane to me, did it when I dropped out in first year and hated it! But I do agree with seb, I think this is my 19th straight year in education and I need a break.

rain on

I'm the complete opposite, I went straight from school into college and straight from there into an MA and now that I don't have anything to do with my brain I'm getting restless and antsy so I'm writing a PhD proposal. I like the idea of getting all my education out of the way quickly and not fecking around, no breaks for me thanks. I thought about taking a year off between second and third year because I had clinical depression, but I realised that not being in college would just make me even more depressed, so I just ploughed on with it.

I could see the sense in taking a break before launching into something big like a PhD, but a masters is over in a year, which is really no time at all.

My attitude towards the learning and the bukes and the shady groves of academe is probably more rabidly enthusiastic than most people's though.

JustCoz

The thought of going straight into a masters after a four year degree is pretty disgusting. There's no way I could do it. I can see why you would to get it out of the way but I think i'd self-destruct

rainbow kirby

Won't somebody please think of us who are already gone past 4 years here, and still don't have a degree?

Blush_01

arbeitsscheuer wrote:

Speaking from the point of view of someone who went straight into a Masters...

DON'T DO IT! TAKE A YEAR OUT, FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST AND ALL THAT IS HOLY!!!!

...

Ok, that may have been mainly me just venting, but my point still stands: Give yourselves a break before rushing into something like more academia.

You'll be glad for the break when ya get back. That's the impression I get from those who took a break before going into their MAs/PhDs etc.

I'd love to disagree, but I can't.

pimpy_c

My advice is to go away. Far away! I'm planning on hitting Australia for a year when I graduate and I'd recommend it to anyone. Might be difficult to find a proper job when I get home but things usually work out in the end. The most important thing is to live life now and not tomorrow! It'll be too late to travel and see the world before you know it! There's a big world out there with amazing things to see.

Stabshauptmann

Im a little bit dissapointed to be leaving college, I love it too much; Hopefully I wont have to, Im running for SU President. Id consider another year in college as a perk if I was elected SU President.

Failing that I'll prob head to australia. Im just not ready to go into the big bad world of investment banking, I might be a final year but Im only 19!

singingstranger

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

Thats one of tha main reasons Im gonna run for SU President.

Seriously?

panda100

singingstranger wrote:

Seriously?

yeah,he's been talking about it for the last two years.Well only for the last year seriously I think he was joking the year before that.

Kaptainredeye,word of advice dont put that on your manifesto...Im running cos I want to spend one more year in college:)

Chakar

I'm not running at all.

Stabshauptmann

seriously

well not the main reason, just since the topic of this thread is what are we gonna do next year I thought id throw it out there.

Yup panda, its not the type of thing to use as a platform, though i think it would show the type of person I am - a happy go lucky scamp who definitly knows this college inside and out, and I love it and I never want to leave. Im also interested in making it a better place and am on the welfare commitee, my own cans campaign and other things but this isnt the thread (or even the time of year) for electioneering

its a better reason than Im using it as a launching plank into a career in politics.

Pythia

I want to do something next year but I don't know what.
I'm pretty sure it won't be a Masters. I haven't done the J1/interrailing thing so I'd really like to do something.
I might just do a summer somewhere like Thailand, then go into a graduate position.

elmyra

Pythia wrote:

then go into a graduate position.

Over a desk? :rolleyes:

Grooveh

blondie83

Gav has managed to unknowingly guilt me into making a rare appearance here

I did the masters after graduating and then went straight into the "real-world". I can't recommend a masters enough - made things so much easier for me getting a job! After five years in college I had planned to take a year out and go travelling, but got offered a job that involved 70% travel, so would have been mad not to take it! I'm getting paid to travel now though so yay Em...in conclusion, do what you want to do - no point going into an office job if you haven't settled down. But if you get a chance at a good job (and they do come more often then you'd think) then go for it! Right I'm off back to the real world - carry on here :cool:

generalmiaow

I figure I'll just work next year, but I can't imagine not going back and being educated again.

Captain Corelli

I went straight into college from secondary school. At 17years old, I reckon I was too young. I will be 20 when I finish, and I think it it too young for a masters. So hopefully I will be going ot China(PRC) to work for 2-3 years, perfect Mandarin and then return to college for a masters(maybe Ireland).

I would really reccomment going abroad for a landuage/study/work. A lot of us have a 3rd landuage so we have the option to leave. Not everyone does have that option so I think people should recnogise that and use it. While travelling for the sake of travelling is great and really broadens your ming & being, constructing a whole life in a new country is teh next leap.

Thats my two cent...

Sangre

Captain Corelli wrote:

I went straight into college from secondary school. At 17years old, I reckon I was too young. I will be 20 when I finish, and I think it it too young for a masters. So hopefully I will be going ot China(PRC) to work for 2-3 years, perfect Mandarin and then return to college for a masters(maybe Ireland).

I would really reccomment going abroad for a landuage/study/work. A lot of us have a 3rd landuage so we have the option to leave. Not everyone does have that option so I think people should recnogise that and use it. While travelling for the sake of travelling is great and really broadens your ming & being, constructing a whole life in a new country is teh next leap.

Thats my two cent...

At the risk of sounding facetious. How can you recommend something you haven't done yet?

Captain Corelli

Sangre wrote:

At the risk of sounding facetious. How can you recommend something you haven't done yet?

You're not being facetious. I can reccommend it because I did it this summer, for three straight months. I can recnogise that it's not for everyone; however if you try it and find out that you don't want to do it, you can lways come back. At least you know.

DiscoHugh

Hey blondie what job do you do that involves 70% travel??

I took care of business and graduated in June. started working fulltime in September. Majority of my friends went straight into smurffit. Very glad I didn't follow the crowd. Work is tough but sampling the "real world" with the option of returning to do a masters (possiby abroad) that interests me is a more valuable experience imo.

just been invited down to Mexico by some friends for March. I have a good bit of money saved so I'm booking my flights, handing in my notice (giving plenty of time to hopefully leave on good terms with a decent reference), doing some kind of a TEFL course and making a long trip out of it before all my Spanish leaves me due to neglect. teaching English to pay the bills hopefully.

That's the plan anyway. It changes daily. but there you go.

TheVan

Captain Corelli wrote:

I would really reccomment going abroad for a landuage/study/work. A lot of us have a 3rd landuage so we have the option to leave. Not everyone does have that option so I think people should recnogise that and use it. While travelling for the sake of travelling is great and really broadens your ming & being, constructing a whole life in a new country is teh next leap.

I'm not being a smartass but you might want to work on perfecting English before you tackle Mandarin.

(although if you are dyslexic, of course I apologise and retract my above comment. Then again if you are not, then I stand by it.)

snickerpuss

I want to do a masters, mainly cos i'll have an art history degree which really only qualifies me to feel cultured.

So hopefully the nice people in UCD's Art History department want to let me do a masters. The year is going very well so far so its all good.

Irish involves so little work i've almost forgotten i'm doing it.

blondie83

DiscoHugh wrote:

Hey blondie what job do you do that involves 70% travel??

I work with Ericsson, travelling around the world (well mostly Africia/middle east) giving training courses about technologies we use, equipment we use ect. Its a cool job cos I'm always either teaching or learning

scop

Speaking as someone who is about to start back again in UCD in January I would suggest that you think long and hard about what kind of MA you want to do. An MA can be a totally different experience than an undergrad degree, and as far as I am concerned it served only as a transition until I could start a PhD. I am glad to be going back to some kind of regime after searching for jobs, and realising I am utterly incapable of gaining any interesting employment in the real world.

I just realised this also marks my return to your illustrious forums.

rain on

scop wrote:

Speaking as someone who is about to start back again in UCD in January I would suggest that you think long and hard about what kind of MA you want to do. An MA can be a totally different experience than an undergrad degree, and as far as I am concerned it served only as a transition until I could start a PhD. I am glad to be going back to some kind of regime after searching for jobs, and realising I am utterly incapable of gaining any interesting employment in the real world.

I just realised this also marks my return to your illustrious forums.

are you doing a PhD? I'm putting mine on the back burner till I come up with an idea that I find interesting enough. in the meantime I'm going to learn spanish and do a H.Dip in something practical (don't ask me in what, you'd be horrified)

MAs are great though.

scop

rain on wrote:

are you doing a PhD? I'm putting mine on the back burner till I come up with an idea that I find interesting enough. in the meantime I'm going to learn spanish and do a H.Dip in something practical (don't ask me in what, you'd be horrified)

MAs are great though.

Yup, but not in English. I didn't mention it as I wasn't sure if I would get it. Kind of put it in on the off-chance. The topic always interested me though so I figured this was what I would end up choosing in the end anyway. Spanish is handy enough from what I remember in school. So what's the H.Dip in? Horrify me

rain on

ooer. what subject is it? was your other BA subject philosophy? ooer.

I am going to apply for a H.Dip in Business and Financial Information Systems. cos I am a sellout. I figure it's only nine months, it might help me get a decent job while I figure out a PhD topic. apparently arts graduates with a technical/practical qualification are having a grand ole time in the job market right now. and I'd have EIGHT letters after my name then.

scop

rain on wrote:

ooer. what subject is it? was your other BA subject philosophy? ooer.

I am going to apply for a H.Dip in Business and Financial Information Systems. cos I am a sellout. I figure it's only nine months, it might help me get a decent job while I figure out a PhD topic. apparently arts graduates with a technical/practical qualification are having a grand ole time in the job market right now. and I'd have EIGHT letters after my name then.

'Tis Philosophy indeed That doesn't sound bad at all if you can live with the betrayal you have visited upon your peers Eight letters sounds awesome though.

rain on

jaykers. a PhD in philosophy sounds very impressive. what's your topic?

scop

rain on wrote:

jaykers. a PhD in philosophy sounds very impressive. what's your topic?

I'm still not entirely sure, but I know it involves Heidegger, ecology, and some eco-criticism [which is how I came about it via English]. The important thing is someone was foolish enough to think it sounded OK