Oh god, ff talk me out of this

ChuckF · #1 03-22-2013, 12:05 AM

Since this forum has been dead for like a month, I will bump it with a thread about my latest surprisingly bad idea.

Since going corporate, I have enjoyed the extra munneys (not a lot of them, but some is better that none) and the clearer career path. But I have kind of realized that I miss some other stuff. There lies the genesis of my bad idea: I am considering starting to work on a master's degree in French at my local state university.

The program isn't especially well regarded, but it's not very expensive (especially after tax deduction), and I would only take one or two courses at a time. Most of the coursework is at night. It's about 30 hours, so it would probably take 5-7 semesters, depending on the breaks. A lot of the classes are offered one night per week anyway, so if I just did one or two, it wouldn't be an awful commitment. The curriculum is designed for people who want to be French teachers, but if I don't care about licensure I can be a little more flexible in what I choose to take. It would require taking on some additional projects and work, but honestly, after law school that just doesn't scare me any more.

I miss French, and I am terribly afraid of losing it if I don't do something to keep it. Why not add another vanity degree? I suspect the department would be pretty thrilled to have me, in part because I have a pretty awesome application, but mainly because I will be paying my own way in cash money.

I'm going to e-mail somebody this week to see if I can meet with somebody next week to chat and see if this is realistic. What do you guys think?

lisarea · #2 03-22-2013, 12:17 AM

DO IT.

livius drusus · #3 03-22-2013, 12:19 AM

Definitely do it. When I graduated high school I was well and truly fluent in French. Now I can barely scrape two words together. It's worth it just to ensure you pound your fluency into your brain as thoroughly as possible.

Crumb · #4 03-22-2013, 12:22 AM

Sock Puppet · #5 03-22-2013, 12:34 AM

Don't do it! Studying something you love, at a leisurely pace, in a program you can afford? ARE YOU FUCKING NUTS MAN?

BrotherMan · #6 03-22-2013, 12:46 AM

I agree with Sock.

maddog · #7 03-22-2013, 12:49 AM

Oh, me too.

#2920

ChuckF · #8 03-22-2013, 01:06 AM

My primary reservations are about giving up evenings - but really, most of the time I just come home and crash on the couch - and, more importantly, this becoming another one of those things that I start and then I'm not willing to walk away if I don't like it. Like, oh, you know, law school. I think that's less of a danger since this is purely recreational and not really professional.

Dude I wonder if I could talk my employer into paying for this with their tuition assistance thing.

BrotherMan · #9 03-22-2013, 01:34 AM

As an US American taxpayer who pays taxes and thus making you basically my servent employee by defacto ergo sum concordantly I have to say I am appalled with your so casual use of US American taxpayer monies. As someone who wastes sickeningly amounts of time doing basically nothing I'll have you know I am also jealous y envious and also I kind of hate you a little bit for wanting to do this. But here's what's important; and I know you know this but I think it needs to be seen and known by everborty here: If you think this will make you feel better than all of us then you should do it.

fragment · #10 03-22-2013, 02:52 AM

Do it.

Speaking for those of us who don't have options for continued study that mesh with our day jobs.

erimir · #11 03-22-2013, 03:05 AM

You should convince your employer you need to know French for work.

LadyShea · #12 03-22-2013, 03:08 AM

Yeah I don't get paying money to go learn something you can study at home for free unless you need the degree for some reason, so I guess do what you want to do to be makes happypants.

erimir · #13 03-22-2013, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyShea

Yeah I don't get paying money to go learn something you can study at home for free

Studying language at home isn't as good. Things like Rosetta Stone are definitely inferior.

Or rather, studying it by yourself isn't. There are web video chat sites that are meant to pair language learners together though. You would have to chat in English with a French person, but you'd get to practice your French with a native speaker. But I can't imagine that conversational skill can come without actually talking to people, unless you're like that freak I saw on tv who learned Icelandic in a few weeks.

Classes might help with keeping motivation up.

But if you can stay motivated, she may be right that you can do this for free. But then you won't get a shiny new worthless diploma to put up next to the others.

Gonzo · #14 03-22-2013, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrotherMan

As someone who wastes sickeningly amounts of time doing basically nothing

Je suis d'accord avec Bort.

LadyShea · #15 03-22-2013, 03:49 AM

Quote:

like that freak I saw on tv who learned Icelandic in a few weeks.

I saw that guy! He is some kind of savant with synesthesia IIRC

chunksmediocrites · #16 03-22-2013, 04:20 AM

You should only do it if you can achieve this level of proficiency in French.
The Mask-Park Scene - YouTube

godfry n. glad · #17 03-22-2013, 04:26 AM

Well, it sounds like a fine idea to me. Everybody needs a hobby.

The thing is, if you are seriously thinking of that goal of a "master's degree", then you are going to have to play within a set of rules, including, typically, a timeline. Mine was seven years to complete the requirements, which, if done full time would have taken two to two and one half years. I took five years.

My experience is also that once in, they want to keep you in and getting that last class or two to meet the requirements, are the most difficult to schedule, as they are only offered on odd years (or the like).

ChuckF · #18 03-23-2013, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyShea

Yeah I don't get paying money to go learn something you can study at home for free unless you need the degree for some reason, so I guess do what you want to do to be makes happypants.

As erimir mentioned, once you get to a certain point it's very, very difficult to study a foreign language at home with the same level of effectiveness you get in a classroom. Like, I would be doing professional-level translation courses and literary theory and stuff, and I really need an expert to validate my work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by godfry n. glad

Well, it sounds like a fine idea to me. Everybody needs a hobby.

The thing is, if you are seriously thinking of that goal of a "master's degree", then you are going to have to play within a set of rules, including, typically, a timeline. Mine was seven years to complete the requirements, which, if done full time would have taken two to two and one half years. I took five years.

My experience is also that once in, they want to keep you in and getting that last class or two to meet the requirements, are the most difficult to schedule, as they are only offered on odd years (or the like).

I have considered that and I don't think it worries me too much. Part of the benefit of this being a fairly mediocre program is that they tend to offer a themed seminar once every semester, and you can just take it as many as you need, with different themes. That allows for some flexibility, if maybe not always very interesting courses. But even if it takes a while, that's no biggie. If I get bored of it, I could just walk away.

I don't really care that much about getting the degree in itself because I don't think it will be that helpful, but I think it would be useful as a goal to work towards.

Ensign Steve · #19 03-23-2013, 01:21 AM

I would say absolutely DON'T DO IT, except for the fact that you don't care if it takes you 5 to 7 semesters to finish. This is coming from someone who is currently in the lab on a Friday night, because grad school is a grind and fucking sucks.

ChuckF · #20 03-23-2013, 01:25 AM

Yeah I think another thing that I might be doing is kind of revising my memories of grad school to make it way more fun that it actually was.

Angakuk · #21 03-23-2013, 06:15 AM

I say do it. After you finish that program I heartily recommend that you enroll in a Divinity School and start working on a Master of Divinity degree.

lisarea · #22 03-23-2013, 02:06 PM

Also you should get your CDL so you can drive the big rigs.

SR71 · #23 03-23-2013, 03:37 PM

Hey, if Chuck wants to RUIN HIS LIFE GOING TO FRENCH SCHOOL taht's xis business.

Dingfod · #24 03-23-2013, 04:58 PM

Wait, what? mister glad doesn't have Mr. Fristians on Ignore any more?

traumaturgist · #25 03-23-2013, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sock Puppet

Don't do it! Studying something you love, at a leisurely pace, in a program you can afford? ARE YOU FUCKING NUTS MAN?

LIES...listen to ur corpirate munnies and be a good boy...how dare you want to learn a cool language that would not only teach you to think in different ways, but also open up some really cool literature, philosophy and theory to you if you so chose?

bad...BAD corporate-type person.

PS DOOO ITTTTT