Bittersweet Candy Bowl

I’m not really feeling linguistics, but I’m not smart enough to study psychology. Sadness. :’(

I’d argue that if you’re not doing what you love you’re going about things all wrong, but it’s not always a tenable situation. If you really feel psychology, is it too late to change majors or too hard to commit everything you have to it?

Ah, in Finland, you have to take entrance exams in order to be admitted to study in university— you choose your major as you apply and take the exam. There is no way I could qualify, as I didn’t do too hot on my graduation exams so I don’t get a lot of credits to begin with, I’d need to ace the exam. And while I love and adore studying psychology, my intellectual capacity just isn’t fit for it. I’ve always had trouble learning. (Never diagnosed with anything, though, since I’ve never actually admitted it before)

I can’t randomly switch majors either. I could switch from English Language and Translation to English Language and Culture, but those are my options without retaking an entrance exam. Make any sense? Sometimes my abilities to express myself in English fall way short considering my level of education.

Yeah, I get what you’re saying, so I won’t be obstinate about the whole “do what you love” stuff. Sometimes you just play the hand you’re dealt, I think, and not everybody gets that luxury. I guess there’s a little I don’t understand, but that’s just because I have no idea whatsoever how those entrance exams work. Still, I’m not going to say that you couldn’t do it. Shit, I don’t know everything.

And you have no problem expressing yourself in English, it would seem to me. Words fail everybody sooner or later. I can’t imagine how a course on American Culture would go, if that’s included in English culture in any way. If they force you to sit down and watch Family Guy, ask for something out of the first three seasons; if it’s Simpsons, nothing before 1992 or after 1998. Fair warning. n_n

New Simpsons episodes are still good for a watch every now and then. But yeah, they used to be much better.

Simpsons should’ve ended ten years ago and Futurama should’ve replaced it. I say that, but I haven’t watched TV in two or three weeks so I’ve missed most of the new episodes. :|

Oh, no worries, I got an A in American Culture Studies. But that’s because we weren’t really required to know any genuine facts like dates and names and such, just be able to explain (and if we could point out flaws, all the better) and give examples of things such as the plea bargaining in the legal system. I had a very good teacher, otherwise the class would probably have been intolerable. (Interestingly, and this is something we discussed in class, we have American Studies and British Studies, but we have no such classes as Australian Studies or African Studies)

Since I don’t really know what I want to do for a living, I’m probably aiming to get my Bachelors in Linguistics, and hope I’ve figured out some kind of a future plan by then. I am interested in social work, but alas, it doesn’t pay well and it’s a really high stress profession. Oh well, can’t have it all.

Edit:
As per Simpsons, no worries, Finland gets them with a ten-year-delay. /not for reals

Karo,

I see absolutely no problem with your English skills. Just by reading your posts, it’s easy to see that you have greater command over the language than many people from the USA.

Well, with your English you could probably make a good translator at the very least. Americans in particular do not like to learn other languages. xD

My friend Jessie was going to use her English degree to get a job as a tour guide in Holland. And then unforeseen consequences. >[

Is it mean that whenever you say you live in Finland all I can think of is:
“Finland, Finland, Finland
The country where I want to be
Pony trekking or camping
Or just watching tv”

@PenultimateQuestion
Aw, shucks. I’m sure it can’t be that bad in the States? I mean, it’s their native language.. well, for most of them, anyways, right?

@Jerk
Not necessarily, my translations have been graded poorly so far, and I’m fluent only in two languages. In order to get employed as a translator, I should be fluent in at least three, four would be ideal. Interpreting was somewhat nerve wracking for someone as socially inept as myself, so that is a definite no-no, haha.

NOT HOLLAND?
Well it’s okay, Sweden is worse.
/lie sweden is the real utopia on earth

@Miw
Oh, I’m used to that, no worries. Could be worse. Could be “NOT FINLAND?”

@ Karo: That’s weird because your English? It’s good. Even by “fluency” standards around here. (Because the state of the English language is just as bad as PQ put it.) Then again, anytime someone tells me they know more than one language and don’t know what to do with it, I jump in with “TRANSLATOR LOL!” I don’t know any better. x]

And you don’t seem socially inept either. I mean, you’re having conversations with people you met yesterday and doing just fine.

Thing is, no one needs a Finnish-English / English-Finnish translator, as 99% of the Finnish population can speak/read English just perfectly fine without help. If, on the other hand, I were to be fluent in Finnish, English and Swedish/German, I’d be pretty well off. I wanted to study Russian. But it’s too hard.

Haha, the internet is a liberating place like that. In all honesty, I’m a little messed in the head so face-to-face encounters (not of the fun kind) tear me asunder sometimes. It’s like running Windows Vista. Shouldn’t be a problem, but there is.

I’m trying to think of a way to react to your shyness without sounding like a condescending douche.
Cue: “But you are a douche!”
Preempted: “Yes, but not a condescending one.”

But you are a… wait a minute…

Just as I planned. *cackles*

Oh hey look, somebody elses (else’s? Or maybe just else…? As you can see, the English standard is really low here in America, as PQ stated. Or maybe it’s just me.) intro thread! I shall now invade and claim it as mine.

First though, you just have to sign here, here, here, and here. You then have to dot here and here, sign again here, except with a portion of your soul this time as ink with this pen, and then swear to forever troll in any threads you encounter.

Go confusing legal shit from a person who doesn’t know scat about it. Stalkerism ftw.

Okay.

I’m not as much shy as I am neurotic, I’m sure. But it’s another reason why the whole Skype voice chat seems a little daunting. Plus I have a strong accent. And, and.. Okay, I’m shy. D:

Mm, nothing like the smell of stalkerism first thing in the morning.

great

This pod is obviously not mature yet. Back on the stalk with you.

@ Karo: It’s not like the Voice Chat is the end-all-be-all of the forum, but those people usually make it into forum comics. Accent won’t even remotely be a problem considering that there’s members using Skype on virtually every habitable continent. Except me, I use it maybe once every two weeks.

@ whf: