How many people choose to go into the Arts stream on purpose?
I'm one of very few, I think. Everyone I know chose Science. Why? Maybe some of them have a real passion/interest in the Science subjects. But I just have this strong feeling that a lot of people choose the Science stream because:
1.It's harder to get into in almost all JCs. What an honour to actually be able to get a place in the sought after Science stream!
2. Science subjects are easier to study for and score in. Arts subjects are pretty content intensive and how well you do can be subjective to how much the marker agrees with your essay, and thus Arts are harder to score in.
3. Dunno wat to study, so since can do Science so do, lor...
4. *Looks down on those who do Arts*
5. The emphasis on Life Sciences. This means more jobs available in the Science sector.
I just think it's sad if you choose to do a subject just because of the status it accords you, and not out of real interest and passion in it. I think the reality is that most people want to do well for A levels, and doing Arts can't guarantee them that A grade as much as doing Sciences can. In the end, some of those who end up doing Arts take Arts just so that they can cling on to the JC they want to go to. That's not right either...won't you be just as miserable?
I know what I'm getting into. I'll be taking a very heavy subject combi: Econs, E Lit, History. "Why? Each subject has 3 papers, each of which are 3 hours long. 3 x 3 x 3=27. That's not counting the AO subjects". But I'm very sure these subjects are what I want to do. Arts is my talent, my interest, my passion. I can't see myself taking Science...I'm interested, yes, but not enough to want to study it so much in depth.
Kenneth asked me why I chose Arts, and that was the reply I gave him. I don't think I'm doing anything stupid. It fits well with the career i want for myself in the future anyway. Employers in the industries which place emphasis in the Arts subject will not look at all your education data and say, "Oh, she went to the prestigious Science stream! Let's choose her over that Arts student" They'll want relevancy to the job. To be a journalist, Literature will strengthen my language powers, History will give me the background knowledge of many events happening in the world, and Economics will teach me how these events will affect people, markets and countries.
Tomorrow will be my last day at Seiyu...I'll miss everyone: Auntie Florence and Jack, who taught me so much and were so patient, Auntie Doris Wong who's been so friendly, guideing me along from her cashier counter (It helped that she's a retail assistant posted to the Cashier department, who was originally frm TOYS)...the Sheng Tai promoter Annie who's given me lots of sound advice; and of course the new friends I've made there: part timers Reina, Sharmaine, Fadh...the promoters Mindy from Akira, Sham from Hasbro, Ben from Shengtai... the executives Hui Teng and Saffia who were always ready to help this newbie...when I could find them...and the manager who doesn't have to do an SA's job but still sometimes does to help out, Mr Yeo. I'll miss everyone.
I feel like writing a letter to the Straits Times forum, telling everyone to respect their sales assistants...to say thank you and please continue to be friendly and understanding to us....I'm still planning what to write, but I hope I can help ppl understand what working in the service sector is like...even though in my short stint, I haven't been through as much as my seniors in the department have...in reality I've had to handle much less than the senior staff have.
Come Monday, I'll be reporting to Meridian JC. I'll know at most 3(?) people there, none from St Nicks...maybe a few other St Nicks ppl will be there, but being so far away, on the other side of Singapore, from St Nicks, there won't be many. But I have Kenneth and Nicholas and...Junrong? Dunno. Nicholas and I are going to sch together, on the first day.
I hope I help MJC take over VJC's position as Number 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!