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Ellen talks about uni wow!!! (specifically arts/law)

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ellellen:
The first year arts units that i've heard are the easiest are Academic Writing/ Professional Writing. Unfortunately, I've also heard they are the most dull, and I know quite a few people who enrolled in them looking for easy marks, but then switched out because the content was so dry. I never took these units so I personally don't know what they're like.

Other than that, some that i've heard are ~easy~ but still somewhat interesting are units from: Media & Communications, Behavioural Studies, Criminology, Film & Screen Studies (you get to watch movies at uni which is nice), and Philosophy (I've heard a lot of good things about ATS1371).

But also these subjects aren't bludges. To do really well you need to put in a tonne of effort, but maybe just slightly less effort than other arts units that are a lot more theory based. Also it depends on what you're best at. When I did media last year, one of the assessments involved having to make a short video explaining a media theory. The criteria said that the film had to be creative, and not just you reading out the details of the media theory. I personally really loved that assessment task, I had filmmaking experience and did well at it. My friends who weren't so into filming and editing didn't do so well, despite the actual content we needed to convey in the task not being super difficult.

I would read through some unit guides and see which of those subjects sounds most interesting to you and which has assessment tasks that you think would play to your strengths.

ellellen:
Okay diary time

26/8

I don't have uni at all this week because I'm currently on midsemester break. I think I should explain for people who don't know how uni semesters work:

- At Monash there are two 12-week semesters per year
- During each semester you get one week off as midsemester break
- This break doesn't always happen ~exactly~ during the middle of semester, like this semester the break has come after week 9 (so actually a 3/4-semester break but whatev!)

This break is a nice time to catch up on any study that you've fallen behind on during semester, and help you prepare for exams.
The work I still have left to do this semester is:

Law subjects: Spoiler- LAW1113: Torts
I only have my exam left to go for torts. It's worth 70% of my mark so for the rest of midsemester break I really need to start writing my exam notes (it's an open book exam), and also trying to understand any concepts that have been really difficult to grasp.

- LAW1112: Public Law and Statutory Interpretation
During next week I have an online test for public law. It's basically just to test that you know how to use the law databases and how to search them for specific information. It shouldn't be too difficult, because I had to do a similar test last semester for LAW1111: Foundations of Law. It's only worth 10% and should be a good easy 10% !!!!! It's 20 multiple choice questions in two hours, done online, and I can do it at home, so I'm not too worried about it!

My LAW1112 exam. It's worth 60% and involves a lot of interpretation of legislation (something I'm not super great at), so I really need to make sure I do a lot of practice questions. I'm a tad stressed about it.


Arts subjects: Spoiler- ATS2595: The Rise and Fall of Nazi Germany
In week 12 I have a diary due for history, worth 30%. Basically, I need to write a short little paragraph about the content from 6 different weeks of the course, just talking about what we discussed in the lectures and tutorials. I know I should have been doing this as I went, but I just was not organised enough and so my aim is to do like four weeks worth of diary entries during this break, and then do two more after the break. I feel like this should be an easy assessment, so hopefully it iS !!! we'll see!

- ATS2784: News and Power
This is my journalism subject, and I just have my major essay left, due in week 12. I have to choose a topic from a list of 10 options, and need to write 2000 words for it. It's worth 50%, and I have to submit a plan for it on Monday. I haven't chosen a topic yet, so hopefully I'll do that tomorrow!!!!!

So that's where I'm at right now. So far this semester I haven't been going as well as I'd like. I think so far I'm averaging around 75% across all subjects (excluding torts, because so far I haven't received my marks back from my one torts assignment). I know that nobody can get amazing and perfect marks every semester, but at the moment my WAM is 81.25 and i really don't want it to drop below 80. There's no reason I need to keep my WAM that high, just vanity lol. So for all my remaining assignments I know I need to try sososo hard, and not waste the remaining five days of the break.

TheFreeMarketeer:
Hey, I've got a guaranteed spot for Law/Arts at Macquarie and was just wondering what the perks of combining law with arts are, as opposed to something like Law/Commerce?

ellellen:
I don't know if there's anything I'd consider to be a perk; it just comes down to a matter of preference and what interests you most!

With arts you can take subjects like politics and international relations which would complement your law degree. Then again, you would also undertake some commercial law units as part of your law degree, so commerce could be helpful there.

With arts you can also take some more fun and light subjects like maybe film studies, theatre, a language, etc which could provide a nice break from your law subjects!

Personally, I'm taking arts because I think arts subjects are really fun! I love history and journalism, and I'm good at writing essays (essays are a very large part of arts). While history is pretty full on with content, journalism is a fun nice break from everything! I did a photojournalism unit last semester and all the assessments were just to take nice photos! If I had been doing another heavy subject instead I definitely would have burnt myself out.

Commerce has personally never interested me, but I do know quite a lot of people who are enrolled in commerce/law degrees and love it. I also know some people in biomed/law degrees. That kind of degree is verY full on, but probably good for people who are looking for a career where law and science meet!

I would suggest talking to people who have done law/commerce (or any other double degree involving law) and also look at uni handbooks to get a better idea of what each subject involves, to try and work out what you think you would enjoy more and also what you think would best assist you with your career goals!

I'm happy to answer any questions you have that are specific to arts/law :)

Glasses:
How did you find the Torts case note? And who do you have for Public Law and Torts?  :)

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