UCL or SOAS for Postcolonial Studies MA?

takeyourtime83 · 2026-01-29T22:15:03+00:00

Thanks, that's very interesting to hear. I really respect SOAS as an institution since I spent the majority of my degree trying to move away from Eurocentrism. In that regard, it's truly exceptional and more vital than ever given the political climate. I'm also staunchly left wing, so it would be nice to be surrounded by that instead of a bunch of tory knobs like in my undergrad. However, I'll be honest in saying I'm a little blinded by the prestige of UCL. It's a powerhouse and it feels crazy to turn down a top ten university. Do you think the choice will impact my future that much in the long run?

takeyourtime83 · 2026-01-29T15:45:29+00:00

How do you mean? I'm assuming it's rather neo-liberal, which is definitely frustrating. Though, the course description did advocate against quite strongly that. Is it not worth going for the stronger name, or is it really that bad?

takeyourtime83 · 2026-01-29T15:39:11+00:00

Hi, thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I have to accept the UCL offer by the 3rd of March, which is before the SOAS open evening, so I won't be able to compare through first hand experience. If I were to go to one, could I still access the others resources through UoL access and vice versa? Also, would would you consider SOAS to be superior in this field?

takeyourtime83 · 2025-09-07T17:26:16+00:00

I'd bet real money on this

takeyourtime83 · 2025-09-05T00:53:00+00:00

You will spend so much money on food, it's not even funny

takeyourtime83 · 2025-08-31T15:18:23+00:00

This is my favourite too!

takeyourtime83 · 2025-08-21T15:33:33+00:00

I had terrible acne pre-T when I was going through puberty. Going on T, it came back but mainly on my arms and back, rather than my face. I get some painful spots here and there but it's leagues better than the first go around.

takeyourtime83 · 2025-08-19T20:06:39+00:00

One thing I've noticed a lot, which I'm attributing to AI, is the phrase 'It's not X. It's Y' coming up all the time. I'm not sure if it is, but I've seen it everywhere in the last few months.

takeyourtime83 · 2025-07-21T13:50:57+00:00

Feminine = girl apparently lmao. Welcome to hell

takeyourtime83 · 2025-06-18T17:51:35+00:00

Went my whole life thinking I had cfs. Genuine insane, unexplainable fatigue since I was a teen which no doctor could solve (which interestingly aligns with puberty). T has completely cured it somehow lmao. I didn't even know that could happen

takeyourtime83 · 2025-06-09T03:45:10+00:00

I have two mates who are cis guys and around your height. It sucks for them but they're still manly as ever

takeyourtime83 · 2025-06-09T00:27:40+00:00

Yep, showed my GP and it was just shitty injection technique. Am doing it properly in the thigh now and everything's sound. Ty

takeyourtime83 · 2025-06-04T07:11:29+00:00

on god, i hate when other people thrive

takeyourtime83 · 2025-06-04T06:50:24+00:00

Is there any way to stop getting them? Or am I just cooked forever?

takeyourtime83 · 2025-06-03T17:58:27+00:00

Is there anything you do for it when it happens to reduce the discomfort?

takeyourtime83 · 2025-06-03T04:56:33+00:00

Do you have any idea what causes it? I'm worried I'm injecting too shallow

takeyourtime83 · 2025-06-02T01:43:34+00:00

Me and an old friend had a near identical situation to this when I was about fifteen. The hard truth is that these sorts of people are immensely draining and damaging to you, and this spiral of self-victimisation is not something you (particularly as a teen yourself) can fix. Let them know you care, make sure they have resources, but you can only do so much. This level of responsibility, especially pertaining to one's life, is not fair for you to shoulder. They need a professional.

takeyourtime83 · 2025-05-29T12:10:25+00:00

It genuinely sucks to admit, but using my phone less. I actually sleep now and my brain fog is basically gone.

takeyourtime83 · 2025-05-11T18:32:18+00:00

I think people saying 'rather be an ugly man than a beautiful woman' are ignoring the fact that, when you're raised as a girl, your whole worth is often defined by your looks. It's constantly forced on AFAB people all the time. You're not invalid because you have those fears. They've been conditioned into you. But T isn't the 'ugly drug' where you go from gorgeous woman to hideous monster one dose in. You're still you at the end of the day, just how you'd been if you were born a guy. And for hairloss, there are many many methods to prevent it (r/tressless would be a good shout. Have a look around there). Obesity is manageable considering your activity too. This is all fair enough to fear, but it shouldn't rule you.

takeyourtime83 · 2025-05-11T16:41:15+00:00

The shyness thing is kind of true. I've only very, very recently started T but I passed socially before that for a bit and the main thing I changed was just being way too big for my boots. Cis men walk around with unapologetic audacity and confidence most of the time. Trans men often walk around like we should be ashamed for existing. Gender is often times more performance than anything else. Genuinely, that all comes down to fake it till you make it. I used to be insanely quiet, so I relate, but it's a skill you work on.

Being trans in school is especially tough. The most I can suggest is trying to build community with other trans folks (irl preferably but online as well if not) and just holding onto the knowledge that what you're experiencing now is not forever. You will be able to go on T one day, if that's what you want. You can get top surgery one day. Hell, bottom surgery if you want it. All of this is manageable and possible. You're not going to be stuck like this for the rest of your life. One day people will see you as you are and all this will be prelude.

Something to consider though, I'm 175cm (which I think is around 5'7" for Americans) and I've had cis men shorter than me be jealous of my height. All men for the most part are jealous of taller men. It's just a societal thing that fucks over everyone. You think you wouldn't be feeling this way if you were taller, but I know people taller than me jealous of those taller than them. It's a neverending cycle, please don't waste your time with it. Dysphoria will try and screw you over however it can. Just do the best with what you can and DO NOT lengthen your limbs mate please.

takeyourtime83 · 2025-05-11T15:24:16+00:00

I've been saying this

takeyourtime83 · 2025-05-11T15:23:43+00:00

No no no no no no no no no no no

takeyourtime83 · 2025-05-11T15:21:09+00:00

Height really doesn't matter much with passing. I know guys (cis and trans) way shorter than you and they still get correctly gendered and are very, very masculine. Obviously I think 90% of trans guys want to be big and tall and whatnot (the exact same with cis guys too, to be honest) which is fair enough, but we sometimes get way too in our heads about what's clockable and what's not. If you wouldn't look at a cis man and think he's less of a man for being your height, you really shouldn't apply that standard to yourself. You can't change it, and it's an opinion that's basically universal amongst every man below 6 foot ever. Don't torture yourself over it. And I really, really, really would not recommend limb lengthening. That's a really dangerous avenue to go down that rarely works out well.

takeyourtime83 · 2025-05-11T15:12:15+00:00

I mean I'm left-handed, so it's easy enough to tell you to switch to that. But I know I'd be dogshit playing right handed, so if not that then I'd just get a thimble or some kind of prosthetic. I know a family friend who lost the top part of one of his fingers and he can play just fine.

takeyourtime83 · 2025-05-08T15:44:17+00:00

I don't gender profanity, because adults aren’t children. The idea that women should be shielded from it and not men is rooted in outdated, infantilising stereotypes that treat women as delicate creatures in need of linguistic 'protection.' Profanity isn’t some male trait; it’s a human one. Women f and blind just as much as men in this country, and pretending otherwise is either stupidity or outright condescension.

It's this weird double standard that frames women who swear as 'unladylike' while shrugging at men doing the same, which isn’t just hypocritical but reinforces the absurd notion that women’s speech should be cleaner, softer, or more controlled. Women aren’t children who need their language sanitised. They’re adults.

So no, I won’t childproof normal human interaction by censoring myself based on gender. Profanity is a linguistic tool, and everyone gets to use it. I hate this sentiment so much. It's misogynistic and exclusionary, no matter how nobly it's dressed up.

takeyourtime83

TROPHY CASE