College: Having the craic vs degree

He looks like that fella Harvey Keitel

Here's my situation - I've narrowed my CAO down to two areas, Psychology & Primary Teaching. I'm still not fully sure which one I want to go for, but right now I'm definitely leaning towards Psychology. Thing is though, with it taking so long to get qualified and there being so many 'if' clauses, I'm kinda worried about going in all guns blazing. With that in mind, I put down Primary Teaching and Psychology in Mary I as my #1. The hope would be to push on with the psychology aspect after graduation, but should it turn out that psychology isn't everything I had imagined it to be, I just don't like it that much or whatever, I'd have Primary Teaching to fall back on. You'd have both options open to you, really seems like the perfect degree for me, and based on last years points and my Mock results, it's certainly doable.

But of course there's a catch, there's always a catch. The problem is the college. I was there for the open day and tbh all it succeeded in doing was putting me off the place. It just seemed really underwhelming to me. I know it shouldn't be an issue and that I'm probably being very petty, but isn't college supposed to be like the greatest place ever, the place where you'll spend the best years of your life?! Additionally, Limerick is far from ideal as regards transportation for me either. I'd hate to think of myself being couped up in a convent when I could off in Galway or Dublin, especially considering the fact(well not really a fact but hopefully) that I would be going down the psychology route in the long term anyway.

I reckon a lot of it comes down to risk, ie how much am I willing to take. I pretty much decided I wanted to be a Primary Teacher at 12 - even then I was seeing its virtues with great holidays, working hours and what not. In the last year though Psychology has just grown on me and now I'm thinking maybe I should sacrifice the holidays for that big paycheck. With Primary Teaching you know what you're getting. With Psychology you don't. It's like 'safe state job' vs 'take years and years to qualify making sure you get unreal exam results all along the way'. Mary I is the safe route, but it's Mary I! I'm serious about my ambitions and want to do well, but I want to have the craic too like

Sorry for dragging it out so much, probably reads like a diary, but the clock is ticking and I'm very indecisive! Any thoughts/advice at all? Thanks in advance

rainbowtrout

He looks like that fella Harvey Keitel wrote: »

Here's my situation - I've narrowed my CAO down to two areas, Psychology & Primary Teaching. I'm still not fully sure which one I want to go for, but right now I'm definitely leaning towards Psychology. Thing is though, with it taking so long to get qualified and there being so many 'if' clauses, I'm kinda worried about going in all guns blazing. With that in mind, I put down Primary Teaching and Psychology in Mary I as my #1. The hope would be to push on with the psychology aspect after graduation, but should it turn out that psychology isn't everything I had imagined it to be, I just don't like it that much or whatever, I'd have Primary Teaching to fall back on. You'd have both options open to you, really seems like the perfect degree for me, and based on last years points and my Mock results, it's certainly doable.

But of course there's a catch, there's always a catch. The problem is the college. I was there for the open day and tbh all it succeeded in doing was putting me off the place. It just seemed really underwhelming to me. I know it shouldn't be an issue and that I'm probably being very petty, but isn't college supposed to be like the greatest place ever, the place where you'll spend the best years of your life?! Additionally, Limerick is far from ideal as regards transportation for me either. I'd hate to think of myself being couped up in a convent when I could off in Galway or Dublin, especially considering the fact(well not really a fact but hopefully) that I would be going down the psychology route in the long term anyway.

I reckon a lot of it comes down to risk, ie how much am I willing to take. I pretty much decided I wanted to be a Primary Teacher at 12 - even then I was seeing its virtues with great holidays, working hours and what not. In the last year though Psychology has just grown on me and now I'm thinking maybe I should sacrifice the holidays for that big paycheck. With Primary Teaching you know what you're getting. With Psychology you don't. It's like 'safe state job' vs 'take years and years to qualify making sure you get unreal exam results all along the way'. Mary I is the safe route, but it's Mary I! I'm serious about my ambitions and want to do well, but I want to have the craic too like

Sorry for dragging it out so much, probably reads like a diary, but the clock is ticking and I'm very indecisive! Any thoughts/advice at all? Thanks in advance

There's so much wrong with what I've highlighted it's not even funny.

I think you need to scrap all of your plans and do a complete rethink. First of all if you have been following anything of what is going on the country in the last couple of years you will know that there is a huge over supply of teachers and there are many teachers on the dole who simply can't get work. It is not a safe state job. Far from it.

Also if you are getting into the job for the holidays, and working hours you need a massive rethink. Anyone who wants to get into teaching for the holidays is in for a rude awakening. Yes, you will have two months off in the summer, but maybe you haven't thought about all the work you have to do on a daily basis as a teacher. Maybe you haven't thought that you won't walk into a job when you qualify and you will be doing a day subbing here and there or doing a maternity leave and signing on the dole during your 'summer holidays'.


I haven't seen you once mention that you actually want to teach or work with children, or work within the educational system. Most of your post is about holidays, safe jobs and the big pay cheque.

Social life is a big part of college, of course it is, but college is what you make it. Mary I might not seem to you like the most happening place, but I know plenty of people who went there who had the time of their lives in college, I also know plenty who went to Galway or Dublin and were miserable. You get back what you put in. I'm biased because I'm from Limerick and went to UL, but there are a lot of students in the city and lots of stuff on if you make the effort. Remember theres Mary I, UL, LIT and Limerick College of Art and Design. That's a lot of students.

However if you want to go on the piss for three or four years just lob down any course on the CAO form in your city of choice. I'm sure it will be grand.

Chuchoter

You need to do a complete overhaul of your entire way of thinking, because you sound unbelievably immature.

First off, primary teaching is like any other form of teaching nowadays-impossible to get a job in.

Even still, have you ever done any work experience as a primary teacher? Because its really difficult. You are surrounded with 35 small kids, all looking for attention, of whom at least 5 or 6 won't have English as a first language. Its a hard job and you need to like what you are doing.

Psychology is as you said, also really hard to get into. I have a lot of psychologists in my family and it takes years and years of hard graft to even be qualified, let alone the big paycheck.

He looks like that fella Harvey Keitel

Thanks for the replies guys

rainbowtrout wrote: »

There's so much wrong with what I've highlighted it's not even funny.

I think you need to scrap all of your plans and do a complete rethink. First of all if you have been following anything of what is going on the country in the last couple of years you will know that there is a huge over supply of teachers and there are many teachers on the dole who simply can't get work. It is not a safe state job. Far from it

crayolastereo wrote: »

You need to do a complete overhaul of your entire way of thinking, because you sound unbelievably immature.

First off, primary teaching is like any other form of teaching nowadays-impossible to get a job in.

I have a family member in Primary Teaching and all he can get is subbing so yes I am aware things aren't as straightforward as my first post may have suggested. I wouldn't be qualified until 2015 though, and anything could happen in the meantime

Also if you are getting into the job for the holidays, and working hours you need a massive rethink. Anyone who wants to get into teaching for the holidays is in for a rude awakening. Yes, you will have two months off in the summer, but maybe you haven't thought about all the work you have to do on a daily basis as a teacher. Maybe you haven't thought that you won't walk into a job when you qualify and you will be doing a day subbing here and there or doing a maternity leave and signing on the dole during your 'summer holidays'.

I haven't seen you once mention that you actually want to teach or work with children, or work within the educational system. Most of your post is about holidays, safe jobs and the big pay cheque.

Even still, have you ever done any work experience as a primary teacher? Because its really difficult. You are surrounded with 35 small kids, all looking for attention, of whom at least 5 or 6 won't have English as a first language. Its a hard job and you need to like what you are doing.

I have done work experience in a Primary School and honestly, it seemed grand to me. Of course there's work involved but it's nothing out of the ordinary. I could definitely see myself in a class room environment. I'm not going to walk straight into a permanent post, but it is quite a steady job tbh. And yes, the holidays are a motivating factor for me, but it's not like I'd be picking it 100% for the holidays, they're just a juicy bonus

Social life is a big part of college, of course it is, but college is what you make it. Mary I might not seem to you like the most happening place, but I know plenty of people who went there who had the time of their lives in college, I also know plenty who went to Galway or Dublin and were miserable. You get back what you put in. I'm biased because I'm from Limerick and went to UL, but there are a lot of students in the city and lots of stuff on if you make the effort. Remember theres Mary I, UL, LIT and Limerick College of Art and Design. That's a lot of students.

I'm not the most outgoing person in the world, meeting people and building an instant rapport isn't my thing. I could possibly see myself becoming isolated in Mary I, but still - you're right, no matter where I go, there's a good chance it'll turn out to be the time of my life. The few friends I do care about would be heading to Galway or Dublin though at the same time

However if you want to go on the piss for three or four years just lob down any course on the CAO form in your city of choice. I'm sure it will be grand.

Harsh!

Psychology is as you said, also really hard to get into. I have a lot of psychologists in my family and it takes years and years of hard graft to even be qualified, let alone the big paycheck.

Yep, it's definitely an uncertain field to get into. There's so much risk involved in comparison with the more straight forward Primary Teaching - That's what I was try to put across in my original post, didn't quite work out that way, can totally see how I may have come across as immature or fundamentally flawed in my outlook