Best/Most Worthwhile Subjects

subway_ie

So, it's pretty much over now; only one or two exams to go. Just thought it would be interesting to see what people think are the best/most worthwhile subjects for the leaving cert. Not so much for points, but more for being interesting/useful/"enjoyable".

For me, it'd have to be maths, or maybe french. Even though I'm not that great at french, I always thought it was interesting and liked doing it.
The worst subject for me was english. The repetitiveness, the god-awful-never-ending poetry, the essays, it was just crap.

Smellyirishman

Hum interesting.

I would prolly say maths (even though I did pass since x-mas) failing that , Ye thats prolly the "best" just in terms of usefulness (sp?)

I detest french and am SO glad that I never have to speak it again!!

Some pointless ones include, IRISH!!! and geography, oh and french.

I like english but I feel that it isnt thought in the right way, I think it should be about YOUR ability to argue your point or express your self, as opposed to telling how someone else did it. I HATE HATE HATE the way you can "memorise" english in the institude courses, absolute crap!!

English should be personal, anyway end of rant back OT

Ye maths is obviously the most practical , But I did enjoy chemistry somewhat well....nah not really! But the teacher was cool

Hum let me contemplate this, ill be back with a better answer

DS

It's got to be applied maths and maths. Nothing more satisfying than nailing a good wedge question.

edit: Irish for most pointlessly large and boring course

munkeehaven

i think it depends on the subjects you are good at-- im good at english, art and languages (i thinkdunno: ) and i like them but im ****e at maths and generally detest it....(but since ive gone to pass my view has softened) ..and you also have to take into account the way a subject is taught--for example is it any wonder the majority of people cant stand irish--the way it is taught is terrible,people are forced to read poems and prose that have no connection to them whatsoever..they really need an update on that syllabus.....as for english its the same--when you have to analyze a poem or play so much-- it tends disintegrate and lose whatever meaning it had...also teachers and examiners tend to favour students who have their same opinion on a particular poem,etc....usually a different opinion is taken as ''wrong'' and that can be disheartening for people......

also it depends on what you want to do after yo leave school..i havent the faintest whiff of interest in any of the business subjects because they are so far removed from what i want to do..and therefore rendered useless in my life.but on the other hand --chemistry and biology are to me the most important because i have a huge interest in science that surpasses anything else.

its good to have a balance i think...science helps you to think about the world and why it does this and that,etc, while languages can help you communicate with other cultures and nationalities, and all other subjects have their uses somewhere in the world or else they wouldnt be on the lc course.

PrecariousNuts

Oh yeah, applied maths without a doubt. I did the most amazing question ever last week, took me at least 7 hours to do it. Whew, what an epic adventure. Just imagine... a wedge with two pulleys down either side of it, attached to a point on a wall which was immersed in a 50/50 oil water mixture all moving in a circle of radius 1m ontop of a spring. Something like this

DS

Yeah, I hear that's coming up this year as the whole paper. Answer ONE of ONE questions.

claire h

History's great. The exam is crazy, but the course is really interesting and the research topic, if you do it properly rather than just copying someone else's, is pretty worthwhile.

I loved English, but I think the course could do with some improvement.

French might have been useful if I hadn't hated it so much.

Maths - I have yet to be convinced that higher level maths is relevant to everyday life. Apart from maybe some basic algebra, probability and statistics, most of the stuff is only going to be useful if you're working in a particular field.

subway_ie

Originally posted by PrecariousNuts
Oh yeah, applied maths without a doubt. I did the most amazing question ever last week, took me at least 7 hours to do it. Whew, what an epic adventure. Just imagine... a wedge with two pulleys down either side of it, attached to a point on a wall which was immersed in a 50/50 oil water mixture all moving in a circle of radius 1m ontop of a spring. Something like this

Yeah, sounds fairly run of the mill alright.

Cannibal Ox

I learnt things in History and actually enjoyed learning them, where as everything else involved effort to learn so yeah...history.

conZ

Best and most worthwhile...

I'd have to say Biology and Construction.

Biology because you learn about how your body works. I had a good teacher, related everything to real-life.

Construction because you learn how to construct, repair, examine and design structures, walls etc. I feel it will come in handy when I actually live in a house of my own.

munkeehaven

it might seem hard now wondering what subject is the best or most uesful but imagine what'll be like in COLLEGE how will you know your course is going to be of any relevance???? i would love to do philosophy but what the HELL can you do with that!?

claire h

Originally posted by munkeehaven
i would love to do philosophy but what the HELL can you do with that!?

Become a philosophy professor?

subway_ie

Originally posted by munkeehaven
it might seem hard now wondering what subject is the best or most uesful but imagine what'll be like in COLLEGE how will you know your course is going to be of any relevance???? i would love to do philosophy but what the HELL can you do with that!?

Well we're looking back on the 2-5 years doing the subjects, so at least we've got some experience in them. Choosing college subjects is a bit like chosing subjects for fourth year, or even in first year, when you have a tiny experience with them and dont really know exactly what to expect. But if you use a bit of common sense, and read the prospectus with a pinch of salt, then you should have a decent idea of what the career prospects are.

munkeehaven

yes, but that is a very prestigious job and you can spend years doing just nothing.....and i havent yet heard of a female professor of philosophy..i think ill just stick to reading nietzche in my spare time---THUS SPAkE ZARATHUSTRA--really recommend it......

munkeehaven

although if i did do eastern philosophy maybe i could crack the transcendental barrier......;) ........there was this buddhist monk who said that when he got realisation that the room he was in just dissolved...and he wasnt on drugs...what was that quote from him...oh yeah life is not moving ,life is movement itself

Mutant_Fruit

Originally posted by PrecariousNuts
Oh yeah, applied maths without a doubt. I did the most amazing question ever last week, took me at least 7 hours to do it. Whew, what an epic adventure. Just imagine... a wedge with two pulleys down either side of it, attached to a point on a wall which was immersed in a 50/50 oil water mixture all moving in a circle of radius 1m ontop of a spring. Something like this

thats easy compared to the one i did!

Smellyirishman

Dammbit woman EDIT!!!

munkeehaven

eh???

Smellyirishman

You posted two posts in a row, Instead of posting one, changing your mind and then editing the above one, You have done it a few times so I guess ya dont know about it but its forum ettiqute( man spelling is off today!)

Simply,

1.post your post
2.change your mind
3.hit the edit button , its small and just above the "post reply" button. It will be down the bottom right of you post.
4.Every body is happy!

[EDIT] the edit button can be found below................................................................................................................................... NOW

stuey

Irish - Ha

Sarunas

Originally posted by munkeehaven
i would love to do philosophy but what the HELL can you do with that!?

Lots of things, were should we start? You could study the works of plato.....Then you could question things (called socraterian method) such as why am i here? who am i?.....
Also philisophy is more important to us now then the ancient romans and greeks. Its all about "self" and the knowlege, just being aware of the surroundings, events, and studying them how they affect us...

IMHO, if you ask this questions, the coarse might not be for you, or maybe it is for you. All depends on you.

munkeehaven

im not saying that i dont like like philosophy its just i think for me it would be better as a hobby because my heart lies with science ---but i can always talk to my friend because she does it herself in UCC ...i have always had an interest in philosophy since i did my junior cert and read the upanishads( i was doing hinduism as a theme for art)

Cathy

I really enjoyed English and Chemistry.
The most useful are probably French, English and Maths, I'd say...
And Physics and Chemistry are both really interesting.

Sarunas

Originally posted by munkeehaven
yes, but that is a very prestigious job and you can spend years doing just nothing.....and i havent yet heard of a female professor of philosophy..i think ill just stick to reading nietzche in my spare time---THUS SPAkE ZARATHUSTRA--really recommend it......

Well IMHO, thats the wrong attitude to approach philisophy, Sure there are women who are prof. of philiosphy. But rare.
If you do physics, you will now what am talking about, in phy most of the jobs are occupied by men. There is only one mention of a woman in our INTIRE PHY SYLLYBUS! Marrie curry. Actualy i friend of mine and me were discussing this after phy exam.

Ayn Rand, is a women philisopher famous for her philosophy of objectivism. IF you google, im sure you will find more.

Smellyirishman

^^ well you just loved school didnt you !!

philosophy, Hum its a tricky one. Prolly a great job if you wanna get on TV! just be one of those analysis people.
Sophies world opened my eyes to philosophy and it is interesting, but just something that id contemplate on the toilet then start watching Tv!

Agent Smith

Originally posted by munkeehaven
it might seem hard now wondering what subject is the best or most uesful but imagine what'll be like in COLLEGE how will you know your course is going to be of any relevance???? i would love to do philosophy but what the HELL can you do with that!?

join the school of philosophy, it's in ball's bridge,


pm me for details if you like

Sarunas

Yeah same here, have philosophy as a second hobby. Both easter and western. I was really interested in ancient civilisations and thats what got me in to it.

Most usefull subjects are:

Maths, a language of the world. One of my favourites. Most usefull and amusing too. Remembers, trying to solve a cubic equation with the proper way, got to uncompressing it.

Phy, favourite subject. Very interesting. I had a good teacher(other ppl said he wasnt a good teacher, but i always thought he was)

Others, not in any order:

History, allright subject, sometimes very boring with its land acts and politics. Does give some experience, saying "see this, thats not a way to do it, this is".... 100 years of european and irish history isnt very usefull unless you want to become a politician or something like that. As claire said, its interesting to do a special topic, which you are interested in. I considered the building of Collusus Mark 1(the first electronic programmable computer built, first one was make in feb 1942(?), and its affects on the ww2(the cracking of "unbrekable" emnigma ciphert)). But then ended up doing Operation Mincemeat, which was a intellegence deception plan, very funny and interesting.

Geography, had a good teacher. Interesting subject, but dunno any use for it besides the map reading.

English, had great teacher. Interesting with its poetry. Shows an insights in to life. I feel like im writing a themes or comparative essay, LOL. Usefull in developing a personality and interests.

Engineering, usefull in fixing things. good teacher.

Irish, dont do it.......

Uhm, i wrote a short personal essay. Got to get out of personal responce mode. Had great 2 yeards. BRING ON DCU!!!!!!

Sarunas

Originally posted by Smellyirishman
^^ well you just loved school didnt you !!
just be one of those analysis people.
[snip]
Sophies world opened my eyes to philosophy and it is interesting, but just something that id contemplate on the toilet then start watching Tv!

Yeah did love school, besides spent most of my life there.

Those analysis people are called psychiatrists, AKA shrinks.

On one of the sample papers in english, there is an extract of sophies world, very interesting. Did you see the film? Newer got a chance to read the book, but might read it during the summer. With along *must read" comp and sci-fi books....

Tv is evil, rots your mind. Dont really like wathching it, only an odd film or something like a documentary/science. And ofcource TOP GEAR.

Envy

Most useful and interesting was, without a doubt, English.

We had a great teacher, and I really enjoyed some of the poetry. The novels and plays we did were good, also.

French is very handy and worthy-of-note. It should serve as an excellent basis for learning new languages.

Geography was OK, too. I never realized how much I enjoyed it, but, once again, we did have a good teacher who was passionate about the subject.

Most dull, insipid, useless, bland, and any other adjective you wanna use: Maths. I probably got an A at ordinary level, yet I hated it.

i would love to do philosophy but what the HELL can you do with that!?

You could float around, act pretentious and damn-holier-than-thou, then patronize everyone like most Philosophy students?

Or make a film. Wasn't Sofia Coppola a Philosophy "major"?

Just make sure your soundtrack is as good as hers. All together now: Just like honey -- just like honey -- just like honey.

Smellyirishman

Yeah did love school, besides spent most of my life there. Those analysis people are called psychiatrists, AKA shrinks. On one of the sample papers in english, there is an extract of sophies world, very interesting. Did you see the film? Newer got a chance to read the book, but might read it during the summer. With along *must read" comp and sci-fi books.... Tv is evil, rots your mind. Dont really like wathching it, only an odd film or something like a documentary/science. And ofcource TOP GEAR.

Ye I knew some1 would say shrinks but thats not what I ment, its hard to explain what I mean!

There is a sophie film!?? Of the same name?

Dont watch much TV either Just CSI really oh and that murpheys law thing. But instead I play video games and go out so it not to save me from rotting my brain!


What comp books ya reading?or looking to read?

DEmeant0r

Well I'd say French or Tech Drawing, although I'd never ever use what I learnt in Tech Drawing again.