What do you assign to Orthanc?

[Loslote]

I assign skiing on a lake, looking down, and realizing that the lake wasn't actually frozen. Still, it was a beautiful day.

[Hakon]

Originally Posted by Loslote

I assign skiing on a lake, looking down, and realizing that the lake wasn't actually frozen. Still, it was a beautiful day.

Are you okay? What exactly happened? It sounds like a good story.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Loslote

I assign skiing on a lake, looking down, and realizing that the lake wasn't actually frozen. Still, it was a beautiful day.

So what did you do - go water-skiing?

[Loslote]

In the winter, my mom and I go skiing on the lake all the time. Only, the night before it had rained. So the top layer was slush. There wasn't any danger of actually falling in, but it was scary! My mom was about a hundred feet ahead of me, and I was only twenty or so feet out on the lake, when I realized that her tracks were just two long puddles. So I asked if she was sure the lake was frozen, she looked down, and we retreated as fast as we could go. Looking back, it is kind of funny.

[Laurinquë]

Originally Posted by Loslote

In the winter, my mom and I go skiing on the lake all the time. Only, the night before it had rained. So the top layer was slush. There wasn't any danger of actually falling in, but it was scary! My mom was about a hundred feet ahead of me, and I was only twenty or so feet out on the lake, when I realized that her tracks were just two long puddles. So I asked if she was sure the lake was frozen, she looked down, and we retreated as fast as we could go. Looking back, it is kind of funny.

That has happened to me more than once too.

I assign searching for a university. It's fun to look at where I could go and do but rather less fun looking at the prices. Why does it have to be so expensive for international students to study in the UK? I may have to actually go to an American school as I lack the $90,000 it takes to do a full course abroad.

[Brinniel]

Originally Posted by Laurinque

I assign searching for a university. It's fun to look at where I could go and do but rather less fun looking at the prices. Why does it have to be so expensive for international students to study in the UK? I may have to actually go to an American school as I lack the $90,000 it takes to do a full course abroad.

You know, there are a lot of schools in the US that offer programs to study abroad for a semester or year. I spent a semester in Europe and it was an amazing experience. I have friends who have studied a year in Spain taking courses at a Spanish university in Spanish and well, that's certainly one way to become fluent in another language.

Anyway, I don't know if spending four years at a foreign university is the best idea. It's enough of a headache for me to travel across the country during breaks; going overseas would make it really hard to come home very much (expensive and inconvenient). I love living away from home, but I wouldn't recommend studying out of the country for your freshman year at least. Living away from home is a very different experience and it can take a little while to adjust. You never know how you might handle it; some people get homesick. If you move out of the country, you're not just dealing with being on your own but also with culture shock...and that's a lot to handle all at once.

Good luck with the college hunt. Tuition prices in the US can be very high (mine is close to $30,000), but keep in mind that some schools offer good financial aid. And I know the whole application process can be a major pain. But then, every college student has to go through it.

[Hakon]

You can also go for a loan for tuition. Strangely I am already looking at colleges even though I am only a sophomore in high school. As for studying abroad there are great ways to do it as Brinniel said. My cousin did a year abroad in Cuba, another one of my cousins did his year abroad in Australia and my dad did a year abroad in either Denmark or Finland. I am not sure which one I think it was Denmark but while there he took a trip to Finland.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by Hakon

You can also go for a loan for tuition. Strangely I am already looking at colleges even though I am only a sophomore in high school. As for studying abroad there are great ways to do it as Brinniel said. My cousin did a year abroad in Cuba, another one of my cousins did his year abroad in Australia and my dad did a year abroad in either Denmark or Finland. I am not sure which one I think it was Denmark but while there he took a trip to Finland.

My best friend is two years older than I. She has a lot of university talk, so I have started thinking about uni and monies to pay for it. It is polluting my mind.

[Laurinquë]

Originally Posted by Brinniel

You know, there are a lot of schools in the US that offer programs to study abroad for a semester or year. I spent a semester in Europe and it was an amazing experience. I have friends who have studied a year in Spain taking courses at a Spanish university in Spanish and well, that's certainly one way to become fluent in another language.

That is what I am planning on doing now, but I am still holding out hope for a transfer abroad after two years at an American institution, one year of which would be abroad. We shall see. I have heard word that some universities also allow you to do two years out of the country if you are doing well and plead your case. I will have at least one year abroad at any rate.

Originally Posted by TGEW

My best friend is two years older than I. She has a lot of university talk, so I have started thinking about uni and monies to pay for it. It is polluting my mind.

Well, it is never too early to start thinking. But yes, I will stop talking about it if you want me to. And I am only 1 year, 9 months, and four days older than you though - not two whole years!

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Just realize that the average undergrad changes majors several times, so whatever school you settle on, you may wish to be sure that they've got a few programs you're interested in, in case you change your mind. It's usually easier to change majors than to change schools, but that would be especially so if you're abroad and have a change of heart about your course of study.

My assignation to Orthanc: ear drops. Yes, my ear feels better. No, I'm not a fan of squeezing liquid into my ear and having to feel it slosh around in there.

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Laurinquë

Why does it have to be so expensive for international students to study in the UK?

How about Finland? It's free here. Plus you'll get to see lots of nice people, and even the climate isn't that different from Alaska.

I assign staying up till morning with friends, for reasons that should be pretty obvious. It's so much fun... until you have to wake up.

[Hakon]

I am too lazy to quote things. TGEW, all my cousins have gone to college except for one who is a year older then me but talks like an old man. He says stuff like when you get to be my age... Anyway my point is I have been sort of looking for colleges since I was very little.

Agan, I think she wants to escape the very cold weather of Alaska or maybe it is just her Anglophilia (I think that is a word) acting up and making her want to go to the UK.

Boro, you have to post a picture of this puppy.

I have two things to assign. The first is 13 year old girls that are my sisters friends. They are loud and annoying quite a lot of the time but they are sort of my friends which is good since I have none and a few of them are very attractive.

The second thing is my new fictional world I created which has two major sexist nations. The first is one of all men with no women at all since they can grow humans and the second is a woman dominated nation. Men are kept in prison camp like places and...

[Loslote]

I assign babysitting. It's extremely draining, and there's only so much Candyland-type games you can take in one day, but it is satisfying.

[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by Hakon

Boro, you have to post a picture of this puppy.

I've been meaning to do that, thanks for reminding. Although, you'll have to look at them in The Shire, because he is not going to be assigned to Orthanc.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

How about Finland? It's free here.

Not for foreign students....

I assign staying up late and waking up late...

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

I assign staying up till morning with friends, for reasons that should be pretty obvious. It's so much fun... until you have to wake up.

I assign the Barrow Downs... for the very same reasons...

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Laurinquë

Why does it have to be so expensive for international students to study in the UK? I may have to actually go to an American school as I lack the $90,000 it takes to do a full course abroad.

Unfortunately because of the changes in British higher education we have the situation where the government has insisted on vast numbers going into higher education without funding it properly and overseas (non EU) student are regarded as cash cows more than ever. At the same time we have yet to develop the system of support from Alumni which funds many bursaries in the US.


A British University education isn't what it was - my cousin had to pay tuition fees and received about 5 hours of contact time a week! His mother and I who got free tuition and maintenance grants as standard had over 20.... We aren't particularly sorry that his sister didn't go as things turned out.

Unless you are going to a top flight institution (and may be even - my cousin's is one regarded as inferior only to Oxbridge) I suggest you might get better value for money by either doing the exchange programme or saving the money and just having an extended trip over here maybe including a short course somewhere.

[Mithalwen]

Oh can I assign the fact it is raining again....we had a dry morning yesterday but seriously I am thinking of trying to swap my car for an arc....