Little things that bring a smile to your face 2. (The sequel)

[buster_broon]

Im a bally hero

but the next time i will wear them all going to plan will be collecting money for poppyscotland or the royal british legion

sad times but need to move on

[garrz32]

How many of them already had failed marriages behind them?

Prolly none,but myself who has went through a marriage breakup cos of my work,my daughter now lives in Denmark(my ex is from there)I see her twice a year if am lucky...I just get on with it,coming on a forum and pouring your heart out to people you don't really know *please* If that what makes you feel better you go for it!!

These people on last night had proper problems that they will live with for the rest of their lives,sorry there's no comparison

[EvilBoris]

I'll admit you made me think about this a little more, so even if I haven't changed my position you have made me reaffirm why I'm holding it - always a good thing! I'm certainly not unaware that degrees have become the new standard rather than an advantage so making yourself stand out in other ways is important to your employability. However I would say that the place you get your degree from is the crucially important bit rather than the simply the subject choice alone. As an example of this, a friend of mine studying history at Oxford has informed me that international investment banks such as Deutschebank recruit for grad schemes far more from Oxford than any other university in Europe and pretty much regardless of degree choice. It's a bit of an anecdotal example but I hope it illustrates the point I'm trying to make.

However, I am reluctant to accept that university should be seen as a means to an end. It's too utilitarian. Some work hard to get into jobs that will earn them good money perhaps with a view to supporting a family, to indulge in wealth, whatever you fancy, but in the end it is a pursuit of happiness. As someone who positively does not enjoy mathematical or scientific subject areas I find it unlikely that opting for a degree in more vocational areas will eventually lead to a job in which I can call myself happy. On the other hand, a job that I could see myself doing and actually enjoying in the years to come would be working in the field of academic philosophy, either as writer for a reputable journal or magazine or working as a teacher or lecturer. And of course the best degree for that? Philosophy! Of course it is not a profession known for its great pay, but excesive wealth not something which I find myself striving for.

I realise this will just sound like the idealistic gushings of a teenager, but I hope that my point of view is at least understandable.

EDIT: Also, sorry for prolonging this off-topic discussion in this thread. I realise you said you won't derail it any further so I probably should have considered doing the same too.

Not many people get the opportunity to study at Cambridge or Oxford, you are a very fortunate guy to have that chance. I would take it, any degree from there is going to carry more weight than a degree from say the University of Lincoln. So what if everyone has degrees nowadays, if you want to go on and do bigger better things in your future career, you don't want to be one of the people right at the start who doesn't have a degree.

[Colin]

Im a bally hero

but the next time i will wear them all going to plan will be collecting money for poppyscotland or the royal british legion

sad times but need to move on

But the big question is, have they got chocolate inside them?

Impressive haul, well done.

[Brad]

I would take it, any degree from there is going to carry more weight than a degree from say the University of Lincoln.

Unless you get a third (which according to den 10% of people will - this seems weird and wrong to me). A third from Cambridge wouldn't top a 2.1 from a different Uni surely?

[fuse]

Getting accepted for Oxbridge is probably a higher qualification than my actual degree certificate. I appreciate those with the ability and who applied themselves fully in their education are in a very different position, but for me a degree has just been proof that I can learn, and has opened just enough doors for me to edge in then work my way up the food chain. Congrats danstan, whilst I look back on my time at uni with a lot of negativity, I'd certainly be very excited in your shoes.

Also congrats to Jase! Very impressive.

[Mayhem]

Regardless what Dan says is correct, a Cambridge degree immediately opens doors, regardless of subject matter. He will learn skills on his degree that will cross over into all manner of other disciplines and the Tripos system is very wide reaching. In fact it's very normal for Cambridge graduates go into careers not based on their degree subject at all.

Likewise Imperial College, which is where I graduated from (missing out on a first by 0.4%, and over 25% of our year gained a First, showing how competitive it was). Only about a third of my year went into our field of study, the other two thirds either went into banking/finance, or IT (like I did) primarily.

[buster_broon]

But the big question is, have they got chocolate inside them?

Impressive haul, well done.

if they did they would be empty

from left to right

NI GSM - Northern Ireland with General Service Medal Clasp
Time spend there when there was proper troubles, but i found the people nice and probably being Scottish it helped alot

QGJM - Queens Golden Jubilee medal
Pretty much has chocolate in it

QDJM - Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal
Same as above and generic medals given to all who had done a minimum amount of service whereas the other 3 have my name, rank and service number on them

ACSM 11 - Accumulated Campaign Service Medal
This medal is given only to those who spend enough time in a combat environment, days need is 760 and i have 986

LS&GC - Long Service and Good Conduct
Given after 15 years good service with no reports raised - basically undetected crime

[ETC]

I'll admit you made me think about this a little more, so even if I haven't changed my position you have made me reaffirm why I'm holding it - always a good thing! I'm certainly not unaware that degrees have become the new standard rather than an advantage so making yourself stand out in other ways is important to your employability. However I would say that the place you get your degree from is the crucially important bit rather than the simply the subject choice alone. As an example of this, a friend of mine studying history at Oxford has informed me that international investment banks such as Deutschebank recruit for grad schemes far more from Oxford than any other university in Europe and pretty much regardless of degree choice. It's a bit of an anecdotal example but I hope it illustrates the point I'm trying to make.

However, I am reluctant to accept that university should be seen as a means to an end. It's too utilitarian. Some work hard to get into jobs that will earn them good money perhaps with a view to supporting a family, to indulge in wealth, whatever you fancy, but in the end it is a pursuit of happiness. As someone who positively does not enjoy mathematical or scientific subject areas I find it unlikely that opting for a degree in more vocational areas will eventually lead to a job in which I can call myself happy. On the other hand, a job that I could see myself doing and actually enjoying in the years to come would be working in the field of academic philosophy, either as writer for a reputable journal or magazine or working as a teacher or lecturer. And of course the best degree for that? Philosophy! Of course it is not a profession known for its great pay, but excesive wealth not something which I find myself striving for.

I realise this will just sound like the idealistic gushings of a teenager, but I hope that my point of view is at least understandable.

EDIT: Also, sorry for prolonging this off-topic discussion in this thread. I realise you said you won't derail it any further so I probably should have considered doing the same too.

If you want to be a teacher wouldn't education be a better course?

[Duncan James Waugh]

Unless you get a third (which according to den 10% of people will - this seems weird and wrong to me). A third from Cambridge wouldn't top a 2.1 from a different Uni surely?

A 3rd with honours from Cambridge is better than the vast majority of 1sts out there, one of my friends got a 3rd and she was much cleverer than people I've known with higher marks from other places. Universities don't get together and agree standard marking criteria like school based courses do. That would be impossible because different university courses cover different material. All a university can do is apply a mark based on the relative station within its own bounds, and what fairer method is there than a proportional split? Most employers care first and foremost where a degree is from, only using the demarcation to split within that group. The university selection process has already separated based on ability and those going to the country's top tier universities will be getting a higher quality education, like in Mayhem's example.

[kryss]

Which one is the Conquest Domination medal?

Joking aside, very impressive.

[buster_broon]

If you want to be a teacher wouldn't education be a better course?

off topic but finding nemo is region free

[nakamura]

Those medals are very impressive. Kudos to you Jason.

[Decider-VT]

The fact that the guy who wrote the Bert is Evil website does the UI for Dead Space. Bit of an odd progression there!

[kryss]

The new West LRT which stops outside my building (literally 100m away) and takes me to Walmart in about 5 minutes.

2 pairs of jeans, 3 t-shirts and a dress shirt = $72.17

Thanking you kindly.