u/Dog_Whisperer44

Good evening all,

I'm a mature student interested in the German MA with integrated year abroad.

I would be most appreciative if Redditors who are reading languages at St Andrews could give me some insight into the course and the department vibe.

Many thanks

I have diagnosed ADHD and started titration yesterday. Started on 18mg Concerta XL.

I was on Concerta years ago and it worked miracles. Hopefully it does this time too.

Good day everybody,

This is my first post in this sub-Reddit.

I'm a native English speaker (British) and I'm learning German. I'm currently A2 in German.

I started learning German because I have fallen in love with the country, culture, and language.

I'm also feeling that way about Icelandic, however I have a problem: German has masses of resources for learning, whereas Icelandic has barely any at all!

I understand why: there are only ~400,000 native Icelanders.

But it still presents a problem for people like me interested in learning the language.

I've found that, for me, focusing on speaking/listening works best and reading/writing follows. So for German I've been using resources such as Pimsleur, Paul Noble, Easy German, etc.

But Pimsleur only has 1 level for Icelandic (German has 5).

To be honest, I'll probably try to get my German to at least B1 before I take on another language and learn simultaneously.

But can anyone help - where can I learn Icelandic in a way that would suit me, focusing on speaking/listening first?

Thanks for your help.

I've recently found myself unemployed and desperately trying to find a new job.

I put a message on my UC journal explaining that I'm suicidal and desperate for help with finding a job.

The following morning I received a phone call from the "service centre" asking about my safety. We had a chat and I was told that a work coach would contact me and give me practical support with finding a job.

It's worth noting that I have something on my account that means that I'm not required to look for work due to disability.

This "work coach" started the conversation by talking down to me about why my financial situation is so bad if I've only just left a job - I didn't know that DWP work coaches were trained to give financial advice....

Anyway, long story short, they're going to be of no practical use whatsoever in helping me to find a job.

I bet they all bitch to themselves when they get somebody who doesn't want to work. But then somebody like me comes along who does, and they provide no practical assistance other than offering to send you on some BS "confidence course".

What's the point of the Job Centre and "work coaches"?

When I was a teenager I approached my GP about acne.

I had months of gaslighting: "it's not as bad as you think", "your skin will get better as you age", etc.

I tried a few treatments on the promise that if they didn't work they would refer me to a dermatologist. 2 years and various treatments later they refused, until I complained.

Then the consultant dermatologist determined that I should receive roaccutane. I haven't had acne in over 17 years now.

I later developed severe depression, diagnosed bipolar type 2.

Massive gaslighting again: "your life can't be so bad because you can afford an expensive coat", labelled an awkward patient because I complained about their incompetence, "you're the ONLY one having these issues with our service and everyone else thinks we're brilliant", etc.

What's with the gaslighting in the NHS?

As the title says, I'm starting Access to HE (Humanities) in September.

The reason I'm doing this is because I wish to go to university to study German. I'm now working through GCSE German and I plan to do a couple of A-levels too.

I preciously completed A-levels when I was younger in maths and sciences before going to university to study maths.

The purpose of doing this Access course is to help me transition from scientific study to humanities study (essays etc).

That's actually my question: I have the study skills in place, but what prep can I do before I start?

Also if anyone on here has actually completed an Access Humanities course, can you give me some tips please?

Many thanks 🙏

I'm English native 🇬🇧 and learning German (TL) 🇩🇪. Currently solidifying A2.

How do I improve my language 'production', particularly speaking?

I feel like I know more words than I can produce.

I can read a passage in my A1/A2 graded reader and understand it fine - but I wouldn't be able to write it myself.

Similarly, I can listen to an elementary book on Audible (e.g. Dino Lernt Deutsch), but I wouldn't be able to produce those sentences myself in a conversation.

Maybe I'm not expected to be able to do that at A2. But how do I get there?

Anyone been to the Vibra Caleta Playa Apartments in Ciudadela (formerly called Sa Caleta Playa Apartments)?

I went there on a family holiday in 2003 when I was 14 years old, and I've always wanted to go back. Now I'm thinking about making that happen.

If you're able to offer a review or share experiences please do comment 😊

I would love to get a feel for what it is like there now.

I've been working through Pimsleur German for quite some time and I'm now part-way through Pimsleur German 4.

I have rigorously worked through each level, completing all exercises, and then worked through the lessons again in order as a review before moving on to a new level (sometimes multiple times).

However, I now feel as though I'm at a bit of a crossroads of sorts.

Although I've used other resources and not just Pimsleur, my reading and writing levels are behind where I am in Pimsleur. As a result, I feel I need to move those skills forward before I'm ready to move on to German 5.

So here's what I'm thinking: after I finish German 4, I may spend a few months working through 1-4 again as a review while at the same time working on reading and writing.

Then move on to German 5.

What do you think?

On one hand, I don't want to get ahead of myself. On the other, I don't want to be stuck in endless review of material that I've already worked through several times and have in fact reviewed previously.

Do I need to bring all skills up to the same level before progressing, or do I just keep pushing forward?

In 2019/20, I suffered a mental health breakdown (I have bipolar 2) and made a serious attempt at ending my life.

Part of the problem was having to fight to try and get help from NHS mental health services. It really wore me down and eventually I just disengaged entirely.

Luckily, a local organisation separate from the NHS gave me the councelling I needed and I recovered.

Since then, a personal rule I have lived by is that I will never seek mental health support from the NHS again, beyond repeat prescriptions from my GP.

The first the NHS will hear of me having mental health problems in the future is notification that I've ended my life - I'm not feeling like that now, though 😊

As a protective mechanism now, I don't complain if I receive poor service because complaints make no difference in the NHS. I just disengage entirely. The NHS won't absorb a single joule of my energy again.

I did that with my GP today.

I spoke with my GP about something a month ago and it has been mishandled.

So now I've disengaged and requested to be deregistered as a patient.

I'm not registering at another GP and I won't receive prescriptions relating to my bipolar any more.

I've essentially chosen to not have the NHS in my life at all, and it feels so beautiful and stress free already.

Yes, I won't get bipolar meds and in a way that does concern me. But I'm only on low dose olanzapine right now and I have a stockpile of sertraline that I can restart myself on if I ever feel low.

I'm getting sick of the frequency of ads on YouTube. I know they're a company and they need to make money, but it's getting to the stage where constant ads are very much interfering with the experience.

Just now I clicked on a video to watch.

2 ads at the start. Then 60 seconds in, another one. Then 3 min 15 seconds in 2 more.

I just closed YouTube and started doing something else out of pure frustration.

I'm sorry, but this isn't acceptable.

I'm seriously thinking of just ditching YouTube and looking for an alternative.

I start an Access to HE (Humanities) course at a local college in September and I'm considering seeking a private tutor to give me some extra support.

Is this worth doing?

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The reason I'm thinking about this is because the A-levels I completed many years ago were in maths and science, and I lack the skills such as essay writing needed in humanities subjects.

Since I'm aiming for top grades, I'm considering investing in some proper additional support.

​

If I do this, I'd be looking to engage an experienced Access to HE teacher and not 'just' a university student wanting to make some extra cash on the side.

The Terminator films are a classic from my childhood. It's one of the reasons why I've chosen to watch the latest films as they were released.

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But - and I don't want to rework old ground - the latest installment was a big let down.

Suddenly the John Connor storyline was cut due to him being killed, then some girl comes in to take his place in such a way that the same old story repeats itself with no movement towards a climax or resolution to the storyline that spanned SIX films.

​

Now some details about Terminator 7 have been released, though it's difficult to say how accurate they are.

​

Basically: the old judgement day story is going to be completely forgotten and the new film isn't going to be a continuation of previous films.

Instead, it's apparently going to be a film that's about how people come to live alongside - and their lives to some extent dominated by - AI.

Obviously I don't know specifics at this stage.

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Is the Terminator film series cooked (a bit like Jurassic Park/World has been)?

I have an existing ADHD diagnosis (NHS) from 2014. I've previously been medicated on Concerta XL but haven't taken it in over 8 years.

I approached my GP as I would like to get back on Concerta. She explained that I would need to see a specialist to restart that medication and that the NHS waiting list where I live is over 4 years, but that I could choose a private provider under 'right to choose'.

But all of the providers I have found so far won't just take you on a titration pathway - they want to take you through a diagnostic pathway first even if you already have an existing NHS diagnosis.

This strikes me not only as unnecessary, but a possible scam.

These providers are able to charge the NHS a considerable sum for diagnostic assessments. So patients are worth more to these private providers if they have a diagnostic assessment first prior to being given medication - even if, like me, they already have an NHS diagnosis in place.

Is this a scam hiding in plain sight?!

I'm comparing the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 creator combo (£426.50) with the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 creator combo (£549).

The context is that I'm going to be making language learning videos outdoors walking around filming myself speaking a foreign language.

For example, I'll be walking around my local city talking about myself and my surroundings in German, editing, and uploading the videos to YouTube.

Which would be best to get?

Additional context: this is my first venture into vlogging, I've never done this before.

Any advice much appreciated 👍

Apologies in advance if I'm not allowed to ask about this.

I'm currently learning German 🇩🇪

My comprehension is somewhere between A2 and B1, but my spoken fluency is between A1 and A2 because I don't get much opportunity to express myself in German.

I'd like to improve that substantially.

I've had the idea of starting a YouTube channel where I simply post a video, say once a week, of me speaking German.

Then people can comment offering advice on my pronounciation and vocabulary.

The idea is that I would get some practice speaking and build confidence doing so publicly.

I'm not used to putting myself out there in this way, so I'd appreciate some feedback on this idea please.

Thank you 😊

I've applied to a local college to study an access to HE course and been accepted following an 'interview' (informal chat).

But they said in the interview that the access course is part-time (2 evenings a week for 4 hours) and lasts 5 years.

Is 5 years normal?

One one hand it seems far longer than other providers.

On the other hand, how are other providers delivering a course that is supposed to be equivalent to 3 A-levels in only one year?

I'm a little confused about this.