(no subject)

[arcanetrivia]

Last night I was trying to do one of those art memes, and two of the questions were "what subject would you excel in" and "what subject would you be all EPIC FAIL in". (DevArt Silvercresent11 if you're wondering)

I can never seem to remember all twelve* on the first try, so I enlisted enotsola to help me, and to give input on which subjects I would probably have done well in. This resulted in the following exchange:

Me: *erasing Potions from the list* I don't think I could say I would have excelled at Potions.
Him: Yeah, because you'd be spending too much time staring at the teacher.
Me: *eyeroll* No, I mean I just don't think I have the intuitive touch for it.
Him: Sure, okay.
Me: I'd just follow the directions properly and get my work done quickly, and then stare at the teacher.


* - Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, DADA, Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Divination, Astronomy. FOR THE LAST TIME, BRAINMEATS! I couldn't remember History at first and both of us blanked on Ancient Runes for like two whole minutes.

Comments

[juniperus.livejournal.com]

Hm, good question.

I'd be Epic!Fail! in Arithmancy, but as it's an elective I could, and would, elect to stay the holy hell away from teh numb3rz.

My best guesses for next in the embarrassment line are Astronomy (more with the maths, OMFG) and CoMC. And as for Divination - I can read tarot and an astro chart, but I fear dealing with wacky Trelawney and tea leaves and crystal balls and shite would get me up rather poorly for Ultimate!Success! (Firenze, however, I think I could groove on.) I don't know about DADA - likely it would entirely depend on who was teaching, as I imagine I'd be interested in the theories and history behind dark magic and how to utilize that against itself moreso than rote learning of blocks and hexes out of context (and since it appears that it wouldn't be taught that way unless Snape was teaching, I'd be SOL.)

I think it's likely that I would be intensely interested in and greatly enjoy, but not necessarily a natural at, Potions and Herbology. Charms - er, you got me. I'm a historian, but were I taught by Binns I would have had to have outside reading or mentoring or I'd be toast - I remain optimistic, however. Ancient Runes would be a success, as would Muggle Studies (since I'm so mugglish, but it's an elective as well, right? So I'd probably skip it. They really should have a 'Purebloods and Wizarding Society' course, even if it's only first-year, for teh confuzed muggleborns.) I think I'd do quite well with Transfiguration, as I have good visualization skills (and I gather that's a key part of the process).

[And yes, I would have been crushing on Snape most pathetically, no matter what he was teaching. The 'type' that attracts my attention hasn't changed in over 20 years - tall, skinny, brainy, dark hair, and a masculine nose with an, er, presence. The sarcasm would only be a bonus, to be honest.]

[elethian.livejournal.com]

Sarcasm is pretty much a requirement for me. ;)

I picked Astronomy and Muggle Studies for my good subjects. I did well in a beginning astrophysics/cosmology class (I say "beginning" but it was upper division and "advanced study" at that, it just was only bachelor's level) in university and I've been interested in astronomy since I was a young girl. I used to subscribe to a kids' astronomy magazine called Odyssey and even got letters printed in it twice.

Muggle Studies, well duh.

As for FAIL, I picked History of Magic. I'm the sort of swot who wouldn't likely actually fail anything (my lowest mark ever was one semester's high school math where I got 70%; my overall college GPA was 3.92), but I've never been that great at history and I don't think Binns would help it any.

I'm not sure I would do like Hermione and get 12 OWLs and 11 of them Outstanding, but I'd probably have lots of "Exceeds Expectations", even in History. I'd force myself to take in and regurgitate details anyway, then promptly forget it as soon as I'd passed the OWL.

I'm sure I would enjoy Potions since I like fiddling around with stuff. Objects to play with will always keep me interested. I just don't think I'd have any exceptional talent for it. I know from experience trying to blend perfumes, for example, that I tend to overdo it, and not be subtle enough with the ways a single drop can change things. Give me directions and I can follow them, and possibly improvise a little, but I am not an inventive genius with a nose for the task (if you'll forgive the joke).

Transfiguration... I think I'd apply myself to becoming an Animagus. ;)

[winged-panda.livejournal.com]

I'd be best in either History of Magic or Care of Magical Creatures, and worst at Arithmancy, Ancient Ruins and Potions. I figure it out by comparing them to existing "Muggle" subjects and studies, aside from completely magical ones of course.

Potions = Cooking (sorta, I doubt Snape would ever want this comparison to come to light xD)
Herbology = Biology? Or something along those lines.
Care of Magical Creatures = Ecology, perhaps?
Arithmancy = Math
Ancient Ruins = Foreign Language
History of Magic = History
Muggle Studies = History of another country (pretty much, at least)
Astronomy = Astronomy, that one is easy!
DADA = Self defense, LOL
There's also Flying in one's first year =)
Flying = Sports =P
I'm not sure what I could compare Charms, Transfiguration and Divination to...

[elethian.livejournal.com]

"Ancient Ruins"? I'd say you're off to a bad start on "Runes" already. ;)

If it's like a foreign language, I should do well. I got easy A's on eight semesters of Spanish in high school. I suppose Spanish is an easy language, though, especially since you don't have to learn a new writing system to go with it. (I was amazed how much French I picked up from having some Spanish plus reading French packaging in Canada, though. I can't possibly speak any French but I can get the gist of a good deal of simple written French, even Italian -- which has made it interesting trying to read French and Italian Snape fanboards, let me tell you.)

I don't think Potions is really much like cooking and the comparison gets up my nose a little, heh. I think it takes the same sort of intuition, but I don't think being good at the one translates to the other. (I compared it to perfume blending in my reply to juniperus.)

[winged-panda.livejournal.com]

Baaad, baad typo. *blushes*

I was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, and I'm horrible at French, even after living in a very french saturated environment where it's enforced on signs, packaging, etc, I barely pass at it, so I assume something far more complicated would give me horrible trouble.

As for the perfume blending thing, that is probably a better comparison. I never thought about that, it's a good idea.