Any advice on choosing university subjects?

[Bexi]

I started university on Monday (the courses don't start until next week...it's just intro' week) and on Thursday I have to register for three part 1 subjects for my first year. I've been accepted for a History major so History will be one of them but I've no idea about the other two. It's quite a good system whereby if you pass all three subjects you have the option of either switching your major or doing a combined degree if you've enjoyed the others. It seems like a good oppourtunity to try something I've never studied before for one of them, but I'm a bit worried.
When I first went to uni' four years ago I chose History, Religious Studies and American studies and I hated the American Studies course. I tried to stick it out but still hated it by which time it was too late to switch, I ended up quitting and it's taken me this long to get back. Does anyone have any experience of a particular subject which they enjoyed? I've been considering History with Politics and English Literature but I think that would be three subject which have an awful lot of reading.
Other interesting looking courses which are running:
Creative Writing
English Laguage
Applied Social Science
Medieval English
Sociology
Women's Studies
Educational Studies
Law
Psychology
There are also various intensive language courses designed for people who have never learned that particular language before (Spanish, German, Italian).
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated...I've already got a headache 2 days into term and the lessons haven't even started!

Bexi - hope your course goes well - it's the same system I studied with (14 yrs ago). I started with Law, German, and Economics - the Law was my 'major', but I switched to German after a year. I wouldn't recommend doing a language, unless you have an aptitude for languages already. It does require a lot of intensive rote learning of vocab. etc., and may not be particularly rewarding. Law too was very hard work for the first year - we had to memorise hundreds of cases, and not do much 'real thinking' at all.

I did Economics as a 'doss' option, as I'd already done Economics A Level, and the course required no previous knowledge ... I would recommend doing something like this, as it gives you a bit of leeway, in your pressured life. .. Presumably being on this site you have at least one child to take up your time?

So why not try and find two you think will be of great interest, and one which may not be particularly interesting, but you can get by without too much hard graft?

The subject I most enjoyed at Uni was Linguistics - about how language is formed. You don't need to speak any other languages to study Linguistics.

Good luck - let us know how you get on.

I'd suggest the English "Laguage" - just teasing.

Bexi, my son is studying French to degree level and absolutely loves it, after scraping through his Standard Grade. He has a very methodical, logical mind and the way it is taught seems to suit that. He reckoned he'd learnt more French in three weeks at uni than in five years at school!

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Not sure which university you are talking about, KMG, but doing economics was certainly not a doss option for me!

I'd do creative writing like me Bexi, then we can give each other ideas! Speak to you soon...

What kind of law would it be? My degree was law and there are some dreadfully tedious parts (company law possibly being the worst) but at level one things like criminal law were amazing - I really loved all the "social" things - criminal, family, government etc. Can be quite useful to have some knowledge of as well as being interesting. Ask around and see which aspects you would be covering.

If you've enjoyed learning languages before, but let them slide due to lack of time, or if you've always wanted to have a go, now's your chance. Intensive tuition at university level is well worth a go.
Whatever you choose, have a fantastic time, you lucky thing. And BE NICE to the librarians.

bexi, kmg, my eldest has just started linguistics/phonetics at leeds - and she was told before she went by a friend who started the same course last year that there are NO TEXTBOOKS!!!

(i always thought linguistics sounded really interesting, my total college experience was 2 years on an HND business studies (failed!) so i wish i could go with her...)

a language would certainly increase your options later.

how long have you got to make your mind up, bexi? good luck anyway, i bet you'll appreciate what you're doing much more for having climbed out before and decided to jump in again!

Bexi, if you really can't decide on the courses, take a good long look at the lecturers. In my experience both at 'A' Level and degree level being in the company of an inspirational, enthusiastic, charismatic and charming lecturer makes all the difference when you're sitting in some tutorial on a grey February afternoon. Yes, you've guessed it, I had a major crush on one of mine. Get talking to some of the older students and see who they rate - and why!

Zaria - no offence to economists meant. Our Uni 'subsid' course was open to people with no background in economics at all. As I had just completed two years study for a good A Level, I was largely able to coast along, without too much study.

Hi - thanks for all the advice! I have to make my mind up and register by 12 o'clock tomorrow. Eeek. Today were all of the intoductory talks for each course but I couldn't find anyone to look after dd and her place at the pre-school is every day except Wednesday. After asking one of the tutors he said it would be alright to take her with me as they were informal talks only lasting 15 mins each. 5 mins into the first one she started giving the lecture theatre a running commentary on everything she was doing : "Oooo biscuit" (the one I'd given her to keep her busy) and "It's Thomas" (holding the book up for everyone to see). I apologised and left and went home. It looks like I'll have to choose them and hope for the best!

Harrysmum - the Law course focusses on English and European Community Law and English Public Law, it looks really interesting but another tutor said that the Law dept. don't really like other students (who don't intend to major) doing their courses.

As for asking older students, I haven't seen many 2nd and 3rd years about. They all seem to be avoiding fresher's week. (Might have something to do with all of the drinking and flirting going on amongst the 18 year olds - first time away from home and they seem to be just getting drunk and sleeping with each other).

I'm really tempted to do one of the language courses (Spanish?) as I regretted not doing A-Level German at 6th Form, I used to love German lessons but then I'm thinking it took me 5 years (11 - 16) to learn German to a reasonable standard so I'd never pass the exams by Summer. Although what your son says Chairmum sounds quite encouraging.

Writing a lot of essays doesn't worry me, I actually quite enjoy it (sad I know!) but I got really bogged down last time with the amount of required reading. I got to the point where I was reading so much stuff that I wasn't taking anything in. Did anyone else find that? Maybe a way to avoid that is to do different types of subject with the History course, like a language and a (social) science subject rather than all arts subjects???

I've got a lot to think about tonight!

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I've chosen my courses. It was quite a pain and registering them took nearly 2 hours. I have decided on History (intended major), 'Educational Studies' and 'Politics and International Relations'. I really wanted to do the intensive Spanish course but I had a timetable clash so couldn't. Lots of going back and forward to the various departments - took ages.

I also had to choose two courses from the History department and one of the ones I wanted was already full so I had to pick again. I chose a course called 'Political and Social Change in Europe 1870-1970' and I've ended up with one called 'The Making of Scientific Authority' which is studying "contemporary debates about the body, the environment and the information society". I picked it randomly - looks pretty interesting. I've also opted to do 'Modern British Politics' instead of 'Politics in the US' as part of the Politics course. I suppose all of the hard work starts now.

Robinw - I could have done German and to do the intensive Spanish course you had to prove you had language learning ability (apparently the course takes you up to A-Level standard in a year - sounds scary) so you either had to have done another language at A-Level or had an A-grade pass in a language at GCSE. After reading the messages on here I decided I wanted to do a language I'd never studied before to take the oppourtunity of learning a different one. I was pretty dissapointed that I couldn't, it's certainly something I intend to do in the future.

Thank you very much for all of the advice, it really is appreciated. I've been so stressed and worried about picking subjects that I've felt sick for days. I hope I've ended up picking interesting and enjoyable courses.