How can I make a boring subject interesting?

[veregudmen]

I had posted a couple of weeks back asking the forum if it would be a good idea to switch to History HL from Economics HL next term. 

 

http://www.ibsurvival.com/topic/31226-is-this-a-bad-idea/#entry224839

 

At first, my school allowed me to make the switch. My teachers agreed, as did my Principal. However, I found out yesterday, that the Secondary Head, who also teaches Economics, blocked my subject change because "she couldn't believe a student doesn't like economics". Which means I am stuck in Economics for the rest of the diploma.  

 

Having moped around about it for a day, which is enough, I think I'll have to find a way to make the subject interesting for me, else I'll simply get bored to death. I'm not at all worried about the grade I'll get in the subject but I think I'll genuinely struggle with making it through classes. 

 

To that end, what could I do to make the subject interesting for me? Please share with me whatever has worked for you to make boring subjects interesting in the past, whether the subject was Economics or something else. 

 

 

[elicious]

i thought it's your choice to change? how can they block it i would sue them == ! it's your life decision. Econ is really hard i saw some of my friends who are curently taking it right now. But if u cant change it anymore good luck on surviving in IB if the subject is boring i do hope your teacher is interesting. GOOD LUCK! if not, i will just sleep most of the time aha

[khimberleigh]

Try and talk to your teachers or principal to see if you can get it changed because that's not really a suitable reason for them making you stay.

 

To try and make it interesting try and do well in it. I always found I liked a subject more if I was getting good grades. Also a subject like economics is good because it's relevant to everyday things. You might hear something on the news that connects to what you're learning or you might be able to apply your knowledge of the economy to things you do everyday which can also make it more interesting. You could also pretend that your studying of economics is vital to finding the remaining Horcruxes or helping Sherlock solve a case or decoding an ancient tablet or whatever you're interested in.

[Blackcurrant]

It really should be YOUR choice (as elicious) correctly points out.

 

How about getting your parents in on this, if you feel it is that important to your happiness and success? And take it up with the IBO to get an idea what is considered preferable for students.  They needn't comment on your school's decision (which they wont anyway).

 

I can't believe anyone would know better than you what you should "like" or "not like". And it seems counter-productive to force anyone in a course they find utterly uninteresting. 

 

It is a little unfriendly too that you were never brought in for a short interview with the Secondary head and the coordinator. 

Edited November 6, 2014 by Blackcurrant

[Tintinnabulation]

Well, you could start playing the stock markets, so suddenly everything you learn in class has a real application. This may be a bad idea, but it is the first thing that came to mind when thinking, "How to make gaining an understanding of the economy useful?".

[veregudmen]

Thanks for all your replies  

 

My parents think that Economics is a necessary subject, and aren't willing to help me change from it. They're already disappointed that I'm not interested in engineering or medicine, and so the last straw with them is Economics.  

I've tried involving my Economics and History teachers, as well as teachers of other subjects, but my DP coordinator (the teacher who blocked my switch) is not budging.She says she won't let me switch because History is unrelated to my intended majors in college (English Lit and Chemistry), nevermind the fact that Economics is just as unrelated.

I'm trying to get on my school's MUN council next month and this same teacher makes the decision so I'm trying not to piss her off further, which means I'm dropping my attempts to change subject. This teacher gets too much power.  

 

 

 

I should clarify one thing here though. I am not worried in the least about my grade; I did a bunch of online courses, read lots of books on economics and finance. and spoke at length with my father and his friends on the subject of different aspects of the economy over the 2-3 months preceding the commencement of the diploma and therefore have a reasonable if not complete knowledge of the syllabus. I have yet to score below a 7 in 4 tests and have done so with zero effort. 

 

My worry is that I find the subject excruciatingly boring, that I'll fall asleep in class a lot (which already happens) and that one day I'll miss out something I don't know in the course and suffer for it. I need to find a way to stay awake in class, which I can only do by finding something interesting in the subject.