"You spoiled, SPOILED brat." A rant that is surprisingly lacking in vitriol.

[Loneraven]

I had several encounters with a particular acquaintance today. Let's call her Alex, as that is in fact her name. For some reason, I kept on running into her. Over the course of the day, I got rather angry.

Firstly, in the morning. One of my lessons was cancelled, so off I went to the common room to hopefully get some peace and quiet and get some work done. Alex was there, and naturally we got to talking.

"Did your lesson get cancelled too?"
"No... I have a free."
"Oh. Do you have many frees?"
"A double every day, and two on Wednesday."
"How come?"
"I do three subjects."
"Ah."

A little background. I'm an A-level student. I do four A-levels - English, Politics, Chemistry and Biology. They are difficult subjects to take at advanced level, particularly the sciences, and although I find them difficult, I'm perversely pleased that I can cope. Being in the sixth form and almost grown-up, the school trust me enough to give me free periods when I don't have lessons. However, I don't have many (two double periods a week) and I need them to get work done.

Alex does three A-levels. Not for any particular reason (four is the norm), but all right, I'll go with that. Maybe there wasn't another subject she was interested in. And it follows that with a subject missing from her timetable, she'd have a lot of free periods. And it also follows that she wouldn't have nearly as much to do in them as I have to in mine. I went back to work (and nibbling gingerbread).

Later, the conversation turned to "pocket" money for some reason. "How much do you get?" someone asked her.

"Two hundred pounds a month."

I nearly choked on my gingerbread Christmas tree. Even if she's buying all her clothes, no one can say that's not a lot of money. My parents are comfortable if not well-off, and give me thirty pounds per month.

Later still...

I went along to my Politics lesson and sat down. I was tired. Everyone was tired. Alex ambled in and announced in general, "I can't be arsed with this."

I was feeling snarky. "And how many frees did you have today?"

"The whole morning..."

I rested my case. At that point I was annoyed that she had the balls to say she couldn't be arsed when it was half one in the afternoon and she hadn't been to any lessons yet.

And lastly... during the Politics class, the debate somehow turned to what we would all do if we won the lottery. The assumption was winning a million pounds. What would you do if you won a million? I said what I would do (for the record, finish off school and university, live off the interest and try to make it as a writer) and then it was Alex's turn.

"Would a million be enough?" quoth she. "I'd need... ten million. Maybe a billion."

I contented myself with asking, "Do you even know how much a billion is?" but I was rather annoyed.

Each of this little exchanges taken separately isn't all that Pit-rant-worthy, I know, but taken all together I can't help but be angry. Here we have this girl, who is frankly lazy (I'm saying that from more than today's evidence; I've known her for a while), doesn't do anything she doesn't have to, has all the money she wants, and yet... she can't be arsed going to lessons. Ten million pounds ain't enough for her.

I do four A-levels because I have to. Because I want to get into a good university and get a good job, which I will need to pay off my horrendous tution top-up fees (but that's a whole other rant) and while I would love to sit around and not do anything, I can't afford to. It rankles that this girl can afford to, but doesn't even seem to see how privileged she is. How many opportunities she has. She could do anything, be anyone, but she can't be arsed.

Fuck her. Argh.

[7 up yours]

If she gets 200 pounds a month, I would expect that sort of attitude. Not that it makes it right or anything. Blame can't be placed solely on her though. Someone was supposed to teacher her that money doesn't grow on trees ( :rolleyes: ) but no one did.

[Chastain86]

Originally posted by Loneraven
Later, the conversation turned to "pocket" money for some reason. "How much do you get?" someone asked her.

"Two hundred pounds a month."

I nearly choked on my gingerbread Christmas tree. Even if she's buying all her clothes, no one can say that's not a lot of money. My parents are comfortable if not well-off, and give me thirty pounds per month.

Later still...





Can somebody convert this to real money, so I know whether or not to feel sorry for the girl?

/stupid, ugly American

[lisacurl]

1 British pound = approximately $1.60 USD

200 pounds = $320 USD, which is more monthly pocket money than I give *myself*.

[whiterabbit]

That's a HELL of a lot of pocket money. Good Lord.

[An Arky]

Ain't it always that way? There's always people like that...you'll have the pleasure of their annoyance throughout life...

However, to me, it seems like there's as much resentment of her perceived wealth as anything. I think it's perfectly normal to be annoyed at smug, well-off folks, but it also seems that there's quite a bit of class resentment in the UK, which is where I'm assuming you're from. What's up with that, anyway? Is the class system still that rigid there?


/antother thick yank

[BubbaDog]

Are these courses college level or high school ? (another ugly American trying to get this in reference)

I think you will meet a lot of people like Alex in high school and a pretty good number of them in college too. They are to be pitied actually. She will eventually get a hard lesson or she will be coddled her whole life.

Either way, you're way ahead of her in maturity and if she continues with her lazy attitude towards her education, you'll be way ahead of her in academics.

[Steve Wright]

Blimey.

When I was doing my A-levels, my parents gave me £5 a month. Of course, that was a lot of money, back then, when dinosaurs walked the earth ...

Is it mean-spirited to hope that someone like Alex will one day get a good solid kick up the arse from the boot of Life In General? I suppose it is. But it's fun, too.

[hanza]

At the school I went to, kids like Alex were quite common- but the last laugh will be yours when she drops out of university and ends up achieving bugeer all in the next few years, while you get a degree and move onto to bigger and better things.
She may seem like an annoyance now, but trust me, in a few years you'll probably pity her.
More annoying is the friend of my brother, who upon his 18th birthday, inherited several MILLION pounds (perhaps even tens of millions, no-one's really sure.)
All he does is sit around watching DVD'S on a home cinema system and eating take-out food. Albeit in an AWESOME house right by the beach (it cost 3x as much as my parent's new house, which is nearby, and that was the house they could barely afford after working their arses off for their entire adult lives- but as my mum says, he won't enjoy his house half as much a she'll enjoy hers, having had to work for it)
Plus, he fills the house with lots of shitty self-assembly furniture, because he just doesn't know what other kind to buy.....
grrrrr, who was it again that said- money is wasted on the rich
And, in answer to the question about class in Britain, yes some people still twitter on about it a bit, but IMHO it's an increasingly outdated way to view British society (but then I would say that, being middle class)

[Ca3799]

Maybe she's husband shopping. (run)

[Thudlow Boink]

Is "being arsed" a British thing? It doesn't really sound like something I'd blame someone for not wanting.

[matt_mcl]

*sigh*

"I can't be arsed" to do something = "I can't be bothered."

This has been "British Idioms with matt_mcl". Tune in next week when Potter explains "gitch," "bumper shining," "shit disturber," and "that's better than a kick in the arse with a frozen boot."

[whiterabbit]

I guessed "I can't be arsed" from context. And I'm a stupid American at that. I may have to save that one to use sometime.

hanza has a good point; if she's not willing to work in school, who's to say she'll be willing to work in the real world? Reality is going to hit her one day. Heh heh heh.

Or so we can hope.

[Hanna]

Just ask her out. You know you want to.

[Loneraven]

Originally posted by An Arky
However, to me, it seems like there's as much resentment of her perceived wealth as anything. I think it's perfectly normal to be annoyed at smug, well-off folks, but it also seems that there's quite a bit of class resentment in the UK, which is where I'm assuming you're from. What's up with that, anyway? Is the class system still that rigid there?


Yes, I am from the UK. I have to say I'm not all that clued-up on class resentment here - the class system is alive, but not kicking. It's gradually fading away into them folks as has money and them folks as hasn't. In this case, it's not class resentment - perhaps I didn't make it clear in the OP, but my parents are certainly not badly-off. Alex and I go to a public (ie private) school and so class doesn't come into it as much as it could have done. Besides, as I said, the class system is increasingly no longer relevant.

BubbaDog, I have no idea about high school and college, but I'm in sixth form, past compulsory school age, and I'll be seventeen in January (Alex is slightly older than me). Once I'm eighteen and have passed all my A-levels (June 2005), I'll go on to university.

Boscibo, an intriguing idea. But as I haven't come out to the general public yet, not the most advisable thing to do.

Sigh. Back to revision. Figures, doesn't it - I give myself a few minutes off studying, and what do I do? Post on the SDMB. :)

[BubbaDog]

Loneraven Going by your statements and age I would say you're at the high school senior equivalent (college and university prep studies) to USA students.

And a person like Alex can definitely get on your nerves. But I meant what I said about having pity on her. She has been taught the neither value of an education nor the value of money. Even with her parents wealth protection she is at a disadvantage.

[porn_star_luke]

Isn't it just the case that you're angry she's not more like you?

Firstly, I'm not aware of any University in this country that requires four A-Levels. Changing, of course, with AS levels, but three is the norm and (assuming they don't use that stupid UCAS points system) almost every uni will give an offer of XYZ. It's not lazy to do three A-Levels, I'd say it's sensible.

Secondly, Her family's wealthy and she gets £200 a month pocket money. Big deal. If she's rubbing it in your face or something that's different of course, but its hardly her fault that her parents give her that much.

Thirdly, It'd be a pretty dull and workaholic 16/17/18 year-old who, just occasionally, "couldn't be arsed" to attend yet another tedious A-Level class. I did four A-Levels (maths, further maths, physics and history), got five hours of tuition per week for each and hence sometimes had 6 or 7 hours off in a day. Does that mean that I was bursting with enthusiasm when I went into my class? No. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Fourthy, Given that she's probably used to having a lot of money, it might have been a bit insensitive for her to say a million wouldn't be enough. A billion is outlandish of course, but depending on where you live I'd like to see you live off the interest on a million quid for the rest of your life.

Fifthly, If you don't get a good job you won't need to pay off your fees (presumably your income will fall below the repayment threshold).

Do you want to fuck her? If so, get up the courage to ask her out. If not, leave her alone and accept that she had a good upbringing and has a balanced life.

PornStarLuke

[Eternal]

good post pornstarluke. Exactly what I would have posted had I not been so lazy.

[Kyla]

I believe that A-levels are something like AP classes in the US. I'm not sure if they are mandatory or not. AP classes aren't, but are generally necessary to get into a good college.

[porn_star_luke]

Originally posted by Kyla
I believe that A-levels are something like AP classes in the US. I'm not sure if they are mandatory or not. AP classes aren't, but are generally necessary to get into a good college.

Exactly the same - about 30% of people get them off the top of my head, and they are the standard means of university entry.

PSL

[GuanoLad]

I don't see her as acting spoiled. She seems to just be unaware of the value of money, because she's never been in a position like that.

Perhaps you can inform her. Or perhaps you can just accept her lifestyle is always going to be differet to yours.

Such is life.

[Equipoise]

I don't know what to say about Alex, but I enjoyed your post just for pure reading pleasure. You should be a writer.


(Begin Horrendous Hijack)

What are "Mock A's"?

I ask because Kate Bush was asked and pressed for an answer once about her schooling (she dropped out of school) and she "admitted" (quotes because she seemed kind of ashamed of it) that she had 10 "O" Levels, and had taken her "Mock A's" before leaving school at 16.

Is that good, or bad, or what?


(/End Horrendous Hijack)

[gothelen]

Mock A's are like practice A Levels that you would usually take at least twice before the real thing.

Can't really offer you any advice about Alex either I'm afraid Loneraven. Pretty much the only thing I can tell you is when you look back in a few years you'll proabaly have forgotten her name, never mind how much allowance she gets. I know that I can barely remember some of the more annoying people from school and I went to a girls grammar school in Buckinghamshire so there were quite a few 'Alex's' there.

gothelen

[Loneraven]

Originally posted by porn_star_luke
Isn't it just the case that you're angry she's not more like you?

Firstly, I'm not aware of any University in this country that requires four A-Levels. Changing, of course, with AS levels, but three is the norm and (assuming they don't use that stupid UCAS points system) almost every uni will give an offer of XYZ. It's not lazy to do three A-Levels, I'd say it's sensible.

Sorry, I should have made that clear - I just said "A-levels" because more people know what they are. I'm still in Lower Sixth, and probably will end up with three AS/A2 subjects, but at AS level, four is the norm. As for your point about universities, my school work on the basis that they will use the UCAS points system. When in doubt, do more subjects. It's not sensible, but then neither is the system.

Thirdly, It'd be a pretty dull and workaholic 16/17/18 year-old who, just occasionally, "couldn't be arsed" to attend yet another tedious A-Level class. I did four A-Levels (maths, further maths, physics and history), got five hours of tuition per week for each and hence sometimes had 6 or 7 hours off in a day. Does that mean that I was bursting with enthusiasm when I went into my class? No. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

"Occasionally" is the key word. She can never be arsed. I know that wasn't clear from the OP. What I don't like about her is her lack of appreciation. Of her free time, and her money. I certainly don't grudge her the money (maybe I do grudge her the free time, but that's straightforward jealousy :)), but the fact she's so blasé about it irritates me.

Fifthly, If you don't get a good job you won't need to pay off your fees (presumably your income will fall below the repayment threshold).

I very much hope you're right there.

Do you want to fuck her?

Nope.

...leave her alone and accept that she had a good upbringing and has a balanced life...

Cite? The "balanced life" bit, I mean.

I would like to point out that I don't dislike this girl, no matter how it seems. She annoys me at times (yesterday being one of them) but aside from all of this, she is actually a nice person and friend, and so are her family.

Equipoise, thank you for the compliment, and I'll add to the previous answer to your question by saying mock A-levels no longer exist because of the introduction of the AS/A2 system. There isn't time for mocks unless they want us doing board exams every three months.

[rekkah]

porn_star_luke, they're "improved" (Blair speak for totally fucked-up) the A level system in the last few years. The straightforward system of taking three (or possibly four) A levels all the way through has been thrown aside in favour of taking four (and I think five isn't at all uncommon) AS levels in lower sixth then dropping one (or two) as Loneraven described.

Speaking as a Brit who has the misfortune of sounding posher than I am (for reasons I will never understand, my accent sounds as though I should come from the landed gentry, which is not true at all) and who went to a "posh" university, I can say that inverted snobbery (the belief that the upper classes have it easy and are inferior because they know nothing of "real life") is alive and well. People like this Alex do nothing to help this situation.

[Coldfire]

Eh. No offense, but you're going to need to grow a thicker skin than that. Life's full fo these discrepancies in (perceived) wealth, talent, enthusiasm... if you'll get yourself worked up over each and every one of them, you'll die of a heart attack before you're even 40. Focus on your own goals, and take pride in them when you achieve them. Don't begrudge others the fact that they didn't have to do anything to be rich.

[Coldfire]

One thing I'd like to add: when I was your age, my parents had long stopped giving me pocket money. I was working in a restaurant on the weekends.

No judgement - just saying. :)

[Malacandra]

[Short and rather obvious sermon]

Loneraven, somewhat ironically you are "spoiled" by the standards of what I considered normal at your age, what with being public-school educated as opposed to going to the local sausage factory.

Fortunately, from my mature perspective, I can just say "Good luck to you".

[/Short and rather obvious sermon]

[porn_star_luke]

Originally posted by rekkah
porn_star_luke, they're "improved" (Blair speak for totally fucked-up) the A level system in the last few years. The straightforward system of taking three (or possibly four) A levels all the way through has been thrown aside in favour of taking four (and I think five isn't at all uncommon) AS levels in lower sixth then dropping one (or two) as Loneraven described.

Speaking as a Brit who has the misfortune of sounding posher than I am (for reasons I will never understand, my accent sounds as though I should come from the landed gentry, which is not true at all) and who went to a "posh" university, I can say that inverted snobbery (the belief that the upper classes have it easy and are inferior because they know nothing of "real life") is alive and well. People like this Alex do nothing to help this situation.
rekkah

I agree that there have been problems with the new A-Levels, but I support the reforms in principle. I took my A-Levels in 2001, and by that time they had already changed substantially. Except in history, which was terminal (meaning exams at the end, not grade A on pain of death!), I took modules throughout the two years and I found the system to be perfectly workable. In fact, in maths, fm and phys my course was equivalent to the new one (1/2 of each subject done by end of 1st year) except that I took full A-level standard modules throughout instead of 'easier' AS modules in the 1st year. Despite teething troubles, I think the new system works well if people don't get suckered by their teachers into thinking the number of subjects (if >3) or UCAS points is all that important. Quote from Matthew Huntbach, an University of London compsci admissions tutor, on alt.uk.a-levels:

This assumes that all admissions tutors are looking for is a certain
number of UCAS points and do not care where the points came from. I
opposed the introduction of the UCAS tariff precsiely because it would
lead to this ridiculous reasoning. In my case the subjects taken at
A-level are very important, I reject many applicants regardless of
predicted UCAS points because they have the wrong A-level subjects,
and pick up some with relatively low UCAS points because at least they
are in the right subjects.

I don't think the standard three A-level involves an excessive amount
of work, whatever the subject, and I don't know of any university
admisisons tutor who insists applicants do four. Anyone who is reasonably
bright should be able to take three A-levels and have plenty of time for
other things.

Speaking as a rural Welsh Brit who now sounds much much posher than I am (people in my village don't even believe I'm from Wales, let alone from the area. when I'm speaking english, that is ...) I can say that it is the inverted snobbery of "non-posh" people who contribute to this just as much. My friends from home know I'm largely the same person as when I went to university, it's just people who don't know me who have this inverted snobbery.

Ah yes, university. Speaking as someone who grew up in state-owned housing and whose father earns minimum wage, and who currently attends a "posh" university, I'd like to think I see this from both sides. I have a social circle with people drawn from all walks of life, and -- with some exceptions -- I'd have to say that inverted snobbery is much more prevalent than the real thing. That's not to say there aren't some real snobbish fuckers out there, but they are largely in a minority and you can of course choose your friends. Alex sounds like a normal, though possibly somewhat sheltered, teenage girl, who is being attacked for being different and not sharing the OP's attitude to life and work. Who's the snobbish one here?

Oh and in my experience it is indeed the case that the "upper classes" know nothing of "real life". Big deal, so long as they're not aggressive or obnoxous about it. I know very little about "upper class" life, so what?

PSL

[Loneraven]

Coldfire, I work in a bookshop at weekends. :)

PSL, I would agree with you about the system working well - dividing things into manageable chunks is a good thing - if it weren't for the synoptic element in the last modules. It irritates me no end that I'm tested on the same material twice, particularly in the humanities where there is so much of the syllabus to cover in time without having to cope with extra revision as well.

I don't like being called snobbish, inverted or otherwise, but you're entitled to it. Of course I don't share Alex's attitudes to life and work, but that's the way it is. I suspect it's cultural. :)

A minor hijack while I'm here - you mentioned doing Maths and Further Maths as your subjects. Could you clear up a dispute for me? I'm positive I heard somewhere that Maths is the only subject that doesn't divide easily into AS and A2, and even those people who only want to do it for AS have to carry it on for a term into their second year. Is this true?