Did you enjoy college?

Yogi3

Just wondering for anybody either in college now, or finished college in the past – do you actually like college, or did you do your degree just for the sake of having a degree? To be brutally honest, that is the situation I am finding myself in right now, I absolutely despise the subject I am doing, yet feel compelled to work at it and put my best in for the results and the degree (hopefully) at the end of it all.

Also I guess when you start courses, its not the same as they often make it out at the beginning in order to get people interested, and they become quiet tedious. Are / were you in college for no other reason but to get a degree, or did you actually enjoy it?

W.Shakes-Beer

Im in college now not to go to lectures, get pissed, protest, get the shift, save the world etc.

MagicMarker

I'd probably enjoy it more if I wasn't working 40 hours a week as well.

It wasn't me!

It's not all fluffy and delightful, but it's good to develop the discipline of getting a degree and working through the crap stuff. For instance, I foresee myself getting up at eight o'clock tomorrow and working for twenty four hours to finish an essay, and that will suck nuts, but working hard isn't a bad thing. I also do enjoy the material in itself, but I think the way subjects are presented tends to be rushed and unsatisfying. Still, beats the fook out of job-hunting.

Killer Pigeon

Hmmm, I'm thinking that the OP desires proper advise, not advise from us feckless wasters on After Hours. I suggest that this thread be moved to the personal issues forum or college forum so that the OP can get some genuine guidance, not witty humour from Hoursians.

christina_x

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Hmmm, I'm thinking that the OP desires proper advise, not advise from us feckless wasters on After Hours. I suggest that this thread be moved to the personal issues forum or college forum so that the OP can get some genuine guidance, not witty humour from Hoursians.

You may speak for yourself, because i aint to waster
shouldnt be in PI anyway... its not a problem

In college atm, thoroughly enjoying it! Love my course, love the whole social aspect of it and love being independant.

Ficheall

I hated my degree, it was more an "I've started so I'll finish" job, where it just made me determined not to get a job in the field. I did go in full of hope etc. that it would be a wonderfully enlightening... which it was, to a degree... (npi)
I'm enjoying the phd though.

Ardennes1944

i go because i know its the best thing to do right now. and i want to drive a new audi when im older

Killer Pigeon

christina_x wrote: »

You may speak for yourself, because i aint to waster
shouldnt be in PI anyway... its not a problem

In college atm, thoroughly enjoying it! Love my course, love the whole social aspect of it and love being independant.

In general though, Hoursians are wasters of sorts, I mean I only go on here when I'm bored or just plan procrastinating, like now when I'm supposed to be studying ...

And this OP clearly has some sort of problem, that need sound advise - After Hours really isn't the place.

Whippersnapper

I went to college, didn't enjoy it at all. Realised that there's no point spending 4 years doing something I'm not happy with so I left. It just wasn't for me.

randylonghorn

Yes, I enjoyed my degree and my time in college ... I did work hard, but I played hard as well, and was involved in lots of extra-curricular stuff, as well as having a good social life.

Like lots of things in life, hitting that balance is the important thing.

Stained Class

Well, I did my college thing in Carlow RTC frm '85 to '89.

I remember Brian Lenihan Sr. saying at the time that 'Ireland are rearing their young for export' or something like that.

Like many, I went abroad as soon as I finished. Never felt hard done by or anything.

It was just an accepted fact back then.

I've got cousins now finishing third level & see the whole godamm thing happening all over again.

Still, back on topic, I enjoyed my time in College. Made friends that I keep in touch with to this very day.:)

Also I learned to smoke (properly) & gained appreciation for a substance called Beer!:P

jubella

Was in college, hated it, dropped out, went back a year later, now I love it

PeterIanStaker

I drank, smoked, headbanged and fornicated my way through an honours degree and two masters. Went back to get the second one recently in hopes of upskilling and landing a good job- boy how that backfired! Thanks FF.



Remember one time as an undergrad coming into an exam at 9am after being out on the píss with these nurses until about 5am. How I passed it I'll never know.

Fun times . . . .

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

College is awesome...

epgc3fyqirnbsx

Does the pope shit in the woods?

elspecia

In short no i didn't enjoy it as a whole, i only went to gat a degree, but now as i've just recently graduated i really missed it.

Its not the subjects i miss it more the people and seeing them every day, also the "college lifestyle" basically getting drunk alot, not going to classes i didn't want to go to was great. There was a lot more freedom, than work you know.

Also doesn't help that i'm still in the job i have been doing for 4 years while i was in college.

But all in all i miss college the same way i miss school its all about the friends you made and its a real adjustment knowing that alot of them you'll never again, its really something that should be looked into in the future. Because i really found it hard to get over the realisation that college was over and alot of good friends will fade into the distance only to be seen every now and then, but that is life

Hayzooz

Yogi3 wrote: »

Just wondering for anybody either in college now, or finished college in the past – do you actually like college, or did you do your degree just for the sake of having a degree? To be brutally honest, that is the situation I am finding myself in right now, I absolutely despise the subject I am doing, yet feel compelled to work at it and put my best in for the results and the degree (hopefully) at the end of it all.

Also I guess when you start courses, its not the same as they often make it out at the beginning in order to get people interested, and they become quiet tedious. Are / were you in college for no other reason but to get a degree, or did you actually enjoy it?

Change your course. Take it from me, change your course.

You will really, really regret doing a degree you hate.

Change your course now.

entropi

I'm in college now as a 1st year undergrad and loving it. The people are great, lecturers are friendly and DO help us in what we study The workload is tough enough, but the rewards will outweigh any negatives there may be from lack of sleep. Social life is decent too so yeah, overall I'm happy about college.

Three more years and I'll look back with fond memories!

Dudess

Only had interest in the social aspect when I went to college first, and failed the course miserably. Went back a few years later and loved the social life again, but also the course.

Piste

I love, love, LOVE college! The course I'm doing is so so interesting, with loads of different aspects to it, a lot of the modules are so different to each other but all tie in together. The people are great and I always have fun before and after (ok also during0 lectures messing around with them. Even though it's a small college they events that they throw are always such a good laugh. Even though there arent that many hours, the elctures are so spread throughout the day that I'm with my class all the time either messing about or studying in the library so I've made great friends and gone on some really fun trips away. Even though I can come close to tears around exam time, there's a lot of support as everyone's in the same boat. I like the idea that we'll all be working together probably in years to come (if everyone doesn't emigrate that is...) I'm having the absolute time of my life! (says she who has been working on a project on and off for the last 12 hours...)

College is great

epgc3fyqirnbsx

students...

Hayzooz

Dudess wrote: »

Only had interest in the social aspect when I went to college first, and failed the course miserably. Went back a few years later and loved the social life again, but also the course.

but dudess, you do have that massive hole to contend with!!!! :)

Dudess

Try harder IanCurtis...

Rothmans

Hayzooz wrote: »

but dudess, you do have that massive hole to contend with!!!! :)

Say what!

Contessa Raven

I LOVED college! Graduating forever on Tuesday and I'm quite sad really.

I loved the parties and the drinking but I also made some great friends and I got to study abroad for a year. It helped immensely that I loved my course though. I think if you like your course you're experience as a whole is better.

yizorselves

I loved the nights out during the week

Spirit on a Thursday night, Big Tree on a Wednesday night, Coppers any night

I think when you're in your 20's you'll have a better idea of what you might want to study and what it includes, than deciding at 17/18 at leaving cert time. A lot of kids dont know what they're getting into and it can make for a miserable experience when it comes to getting the head down

KnifeWRENCH

College has been a very up and down experience for me. I've had both the best times and the worst times of my life over the past three years. Yet I think it's made me a smarter and stronger person.

I do have a love/hate relationship with my course; I find it interesting but very difficult. I pretty much flew through secondary school and expected to do the same at 3rd level; alas, when I actually had to use my brain and not just get by by rote learning I discovered that I was not nearly as intelligent as I thought I was.

I'm in my final year now, and really hope I do well in my exams this year to get a good degree overall. And even though it hasn't been plain sailing, I will be quite sad to leave the place come summer.

Killer Pigeon

The whole college experience for me holds some odd paradoxes; you lose so many braincells yet you somehow become smarter.

Dinner

I graduated today. And if nothing else, its shown me how lucky I was to have such an incredible bunch of people both teaching me, and in my class. So yeah, I did enjoy it. Even the shit moments.

Davidius

Enjoy the course. Don't enjoy not having much to do between lectures or having to use public transport. The horror of it all.

KnifeWRENCH

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

The whole college experience for me holds some odd paradoxes; you lose so many braincells yet you somehow become smarter.

Yeah, that's actually true (though I hope I haven't lost that many braincells; only one horrible experience with alcohol so far!)

I feel a lot smarter in the sense that college has made me grow up a lot. I definitely feel like being in college has made me more mature, more streetwise and less socially awkward.

On the other hand, I feel like I've become more stupid academically. It's not a good sign when your average grade goes down by about 10% every year.

nisior

Ok I hate that I read this thread. I had to drop out of school two years ago because of illness and all my mates are in 1st year college this year and I'm feeling left out. Ah **** it. Haha

Killer Pigeon

Davidius wrote: »

Enjoy the course. Don't enjoy not having much to do between lectures or having to use public transport. The horror of it all.

... get involved in societies ... talk to people ... spend time at the student bar gym.

I loved it

scientific1982

Best craic I ever had.

Agricola

Whats not to enjoy? Meet like minded people, 5 or 6 hours of lectures beats 8 hours of work every day, half days all over the shop, tonnes of holidays.

I wasnt a party animal and rarely bothered with the traditional student carry on of going out as much as possible, getting bladdered etc etc and even I enjoyed it hugely. Its important to get the right course though. I went into a one straight after school which I hated. It really bored me, and the people on the course werent really my type of people. The following year i went into a course I liked and it was full of similar personalities with the same interests.

Princess Peach

I used to hate college. Didn't really like my course, didn't like the people in my class, way too stressful. I may just be focusing on final year too much. The rest wasn't too bad, but that last year was hell.

Now I work full time and I realised how much I really miss college. Way better than working!

Xavi6

Call me cynical but the OP is a first time poster asking for opinions from Boarsdies. Wonder which paper he/she is connected with....

Anyhoo, my college days were the best of my life. I did the minimum to get my degree and had a bloody good time for three years. The social life was carefree and constant.

I'm envious of those Van Wilder types who just never have to leave.

Nodin

Yogi3 wrote: »

Just wondering for anybody either in college now, or finished college in the past – do you actually like college, or did you do your degree just for the sake of having a degree? To be brutally honest, that is the situation I am finding myself in right now, I absolutely despise the subject I am doing, yet feel compelled to work at it and put my best in for the results and the degree (hopefully) at the end of it all.

Also I guess when you start courses, its not the same as they often make it out at the beginning in order to get people interested, and they become quiet tedious. Are / were you in college for no other reason but to get a degree, or did you actually enjoy it?

Was never in it.

Went to a freshers ball in UCD once though, if that counts. Can't remember how I got home, so it wasn't bad.

Sugar Free

For the first two years I enjoyed both the course and the other aspects.
For the last two years it was purely to get a degree and get working on a good job and career - which I now have and do enjoy.

Nodin

Xavi6 wrote: »

Call me cynical but the OP is a first time poster asking for opinions from Boarsdies. Wonder which paper he/she is connected with....

.

Hope its not the Sindo, as we aren't allowed criticise the shitty standard of some of their journalism.

HalloweenJack

When I started I enjoyed it and was enthusiastic about it. Now, I just want it to be over.

I'm in my final year of studying journalism and as the years have gone by, my enthusiasm for the subject has turned into cynicism. I'm going to finish my degree but, tbh, I don't see myself having a career in that field.

College has been meh. I live an age from the city and I haven't had a job since I started so I haven't been able to fully partake in the social side, unfortunately. I have met one of my best friends there.

By far, the best experience from college for me has been the Erasmus exchange. It was brilliant.

Overall, I'd do it all again, I'd just pick a different course.

candy-gal1

Imho :



School = 80% crap mostly.
PLC college = Meh, not too bad really, spent most of it studying.
College = 100% the best! It shaped who i am today, made me realise that education wasnt **** after all, and its something I can look back on fully and think of all the fun times and experiences in the classroom.

Sounds cheesy and shmaltzy but its true.

tallus

Never went myself.

School was ok tho

It was fine. At the time I didn't think I was having a great experience as I didn't go out much, but I look back it at and I think I was happy. I think I focused too much on studying and going to lectures, if I could do it again, I think I'd party a bit more, although to be fair, I was putting myself through college, so I was always broke. My Erasmus year was the best year of my life, loved every minute. Had money because of the low cost of living in Spain, became fluent in Spanish, made loads of friends and went out all the time. Would have loved to have done my whole degree over there. Dublin at the time was just too expensive to be able to enjoy the student lifestyle on a student budget.

pakb1ue

Hated it at the start ended up loving after the first few months. I only ended up enjoying my course in final year as that is when we started doing all the interesting modules.

Was known for doing the bare minimum, would actually work out how much marks I needed just to pass, then in final year I was working out how could I get a 2.1 and both worked out quite well until I realised I didnt know a lot of stuff when going for Job Interviews.

Miss the lifestyle big time, arsing around college for most of the year only when exams came around I actually started to do work. Avoiding study like my life depended on it by playing tennis with a bottle cap and the lap computers being the net or playing makeshift blowing in the lab when with my class mates when we should have been doing an assignment worth 40% of a module which we all hated and where crap at and it was due at midnight that night.

Ha I even have fond memories of sitting in a big lecture theatre at 9am dying from the night before hand with all my mates taking the piss out of me for something I had did the night before just before we had to sit a class test which I was in no shape to do. Fail that exam shockingly enough but still managed to get a 1st in that module somehow.

All that said I wouldnt go back there now to do a masters as I know I wouldnt enjoy it what so ever.

SeaFields

I loved college. Was good at it too. Probably could have made better decisions as regards what to do but, as a 17 year old filling out a CAO form, I did what I thought I wanted to do. Still tho I did well in what I eventually chose.

A good lecturer can make all the difference. I had the pleasure of being taught by several outstanding lecturers (one in particular is known around the world in his field) and their ability to present the material in an interesting/enjoyable fashion was second to none. Nothing worse than a poor lecturer. They might be experts in their field but communication skills can make what should be enjoyable lecture experience into a dull, drab 50 minutes.

I enjoy learning so will prob keep it up for life. Not a bad attribute to have I hope.

Mars Bar

I'm in my 3rd and final year.
I have a really good attendance, do my work on time etc...and it's probably the reason why I hate it.

My course is all over the shop too which doesn't help.

Novella

I hated college. It wasn't really the course, it was the experience in general. Too many breaks in the timetable - lecture 9-10am and the next lecture not 'til maybe 2 or 3pm. Ugh. I just didn't like it at all. I went to a really tiny school, with a huge work-load and then in college... I guess I was bored tbh.

flahavaj

Had an unbelieveable amount of craic in college.