I wish I'd known.. (1 Viewer)

[cpjeeves]

So I was talking to my cousin who is starting uni soon, and I was giving her some of the advice I wish I'd heard before I started. I thought some of this could be applicable to Mac first years as well.
I wish someone had told me (or I wish I'd listened when they said):

Talk to heaps of people in your first classes, it'll be good to have a few familar faces over the coming weeks. Mostly everyone is pretty nervous and open to meeting new people.
You don't need to bring every book to the first tutorial. Most people won't have read any yet. Some of the mature age students will have, but you can't help that.
Don't stress if you haven't got your text/course notes yet. You won't be the only one without them.
Try not to get in the habit of skipping lectures too soon, cos once you start it's hard to stop.
For the love of deity, don't give your email address to the friendly Christians with the lollipops. (But that's already been adressed in this forum, heh).
Please don't leave your stuff on a desk in the library and then piss off for a few hours.
It's hard to get to Mac centre and back in an hour if you go into Borders. (If you're a book/music/film nerd like me)
Go to Conception Day (whatever's left of it this year )

Um..that's all I can think of at this moment..so yeah, if anyone has any further suggestions or hates one of mine post away..

(PS - I'm still up at this hour cos I just got back from seeing the movie Hostel and I don't think sleep will be happening for a while..got to erase some disturbing images from my brain. Don't see Hostel immediately before or after eating, seriously. Yuk.)

 

[...]

where are the mentors..


we did this in training..
"First year revisited"

 

[cpjeeves]

Ah, sorry, then I guess I'm just repeating what all the first years have already heard! This is what happens when I'm too lazy to actually be a mentor myself....

 

[AsyLum]

Haha, nah its cool, and yes you should go mentoring, then you can join the elite members of stalking new bos members

 

[Supra]

Haha, nah its cool, and yes you should go mentoring, then you can join the elite members of stalking new bos members

im definitely becoming a mentor next year...

Great advice cpjeeves!!!
Conception Day should be ok hopefully, as that chancellor i think is leaving/has left...and teh new one will make it less ghey.

My Advice:
Do NOT skip lectures...its a very bad habit...very very bad
I skipped lectures frequently and got shit grades. For summer stat, I attended everything (coz it was $1650 and the thought of skipping something that I...ok Dad...paid for was just...) and I got a mark I was really happy with...lame but true story

 

[MaryJane]

lol, what I'm about to say totally contradicts Supra!

Dont ever go to lectures - ilecture is your friend I find that I get a lot more out of an ilecture because I can pause it and make decent notes, and refresh myself when I get bored and lose concentration. I find I get better marks when I avoid real lectures!

I would have also liked to know how to use the library - I'm still not 100% sure how to find books because of the fancy system they use. But I also think its really valuable to know how to use the hold system, and where exactly ereserve is (I originally thought it was on the third level, because I didnt realise that the entry level is actually the second level and all that confuzzledoo).

 

[AsyLum]

Haha, beat me on the lecture thing.

Advice:
- the courtyard in W6A/B is the best place to go for a quick nap, grab some newspapers, a park bench, and go for a snooze.
- if you're looking to get involved in uni stuff, join a club or mentor, it leads to a whole new world outside of the academics, even to jobs and great resume stuff (as well as awesome new friends and contacts)

 

[MaryJane]

Yeah, thats one thing I wish I had done (and still wish I was) - joined more groups! I was just too shy really to go out of my way to do anything new and meet new people. I feel a lot safer and a lot happier being myself when I know there is already at least one person who accepts me

In the end, you've just got to jump in I suppose. Joining mentoring has been fantastic, and I plan to be a mentor leader until my final days at MQ. Apparently they are going to organise a pizza/movie night thing for all mentors - how cool would that be? And it would be so massive in size too!

 

[Tabris]

lol, what I'm about to say totally contradicts Supra!

Dont ever go to lectures - ilecture is your friend I find that I get a lot more out of an ilecture because I can pause it and make decent notes, and refresh myself when I get bored and lose concentration. I find I get better marks when I avoid real lectures!

I have to agree with Supra and MJ, this is because of some ECFS units.

In first year ECON110 and 111, it is a bad idea to skip lectures because there is a large number of diagrams that require detailed explaining by the lecturer otherwise it would be very hard for u to comprehend (Esp. econ111). Also in ACST101, there are methods and working out written by lectureres which makes the maths a whole lot easier. In ISYS123, Frank and his buddies deliberatly point out specific "IMPORTANT" parts of the lecture, a major help in the finals as well as valuable "how to" if ur a computer newbie.

But ilectures are good because if u miss out something or dont get what the lecturers said, u can jsut download, replay, rewind, etc. But if the lecturer is explaining a complicated diagram on the overheads then this might be hard to do.

Lectures arnt worth jigging but some tutes are, such as STAT170's Prac's and tutes and ECON111's workshops.

 

[AsyLum]

Metaphysics goes down best with a good amount of beer.

 

[p.r.i.n.c.e.s.s]

1. that the UNIbar's got cheap drinks, perfect for thursday nights

$2 Beer [isnt that the price of a bottle of Mt Franklins at samshop?]
$4 Breezer or Absolute Cut!

2. that waiting til last minute to start an assignment ain't good.
Well, think we already know this, but need to be reminded over and over again.

3. that making the most of i-lecture will be at my own advantage.

4. that hearing "this unit is easy" DOESN'T equal unimportant lectures. or necessarily true for me.

 

[Supra]

I have to agree with Supra and MJ, this is because of some ECFS units.

In first year ECON110 and 111, it is a bad idea to skip lectures because there is a large number of diagrams that require detailed explaining by the lecturer otherwise it would be very hard for u to comprehend (Esp. econ111). Also in ACST101, there are methods and working out written by lectureres which makes the maths a whole lot easier. In ISYS123, Frank and his buddies deliberatly point out specific "IMPORTANT" parts of the lecture, a major help in the finals as well as valuable "how to" if ur a computer newbie.

But ilectures are good because if u miss out something or dont get what the lecturers said, u can jsut download, replay, rewind, etc. But if the lecturer is explaining a complicated diagram on the overheads then this might be hard to do.

Lectures arnt worth jigging but some tutes are, such as STAT170's Prac's and tutes and ECON111's workshops.

yeh this is what i meant...for ecfs we really do need to attend lectures. I've heard law has iLectures, but I'll still attend lectures because i will be with a few friends as well.

Maths + economics + Stat (171 in particular) - lecture attendance is essential (exceptions based on personal ability though)

COMP115 and ACCG105 lectures are a farce though, and I don't regret skipping them. Kids, ACCG1B lectures are apparently pretty important (according to my friend)

 

[cpjeeves]

I would have also liked to know how to use the library - I'm still not 100% sure how to find books because of the fancy system they use. But I also think its really valuable to know how to use the hold system, and where exactly ereserve is (I originally thought it was on the third level, because I didnt realise that the entry level is actually the second level and all that confuzzledoo).

I've vowed to finally take the official library tour this year.. I make the same vow every semester. I think I have it mostly figured out by now but there's probabaly stuff I could still find useful.

 

[AsyLum]

Yeah like did you know the Law section top floor is the best place to make out

 

[cpjeeves]

Lol, I do now! My uni experience hasn't been all that well-rounded, I guess.

 

[*hopeful*]

1-only skip lectures if u got friends who make good notes n wont mind sharing
2-try 2 make friends with kind-hearted nerds (helps wit point no.1)
3-talk 2 everyone!
4-try 2 buy 2ndhand txtbkz so u can save money n go macq centre shoppin(but try not 2 miss many lectures 2 do that)
5-if ur curry n like havin curry friends, talk 2 every single curry u can cuz soon enough they'll form their 1st yr curry group n then u'll meet heapz of other currys(ie 2nd n 3rd yrs like me )

 

[Orange Juice]

check out the medievil club this week. you wont regret it

 

[CieL]

Ah, sorry, then I guess I'm just repeating what all the first years have already heard!

No.. it's all good.. I didnt hear all that since I was 3hrs late to my thing.. and all I got was a free lunch =]

I wanted free pens too.. so I pretended to be an acturial student.. until one of the members fell for it and was like making me join..

 

[CieL]

1. that the UNIbar's got cheap drinks, perfect for thursday nights

$2 Beer [isnt that the price of a bottle of Mt Franklins at samshop?]

Is this some discounted day or something?

When I went to the EFS day on friday my friend paid $3 (after SAM card) for his Tooheys?

 

[Supra]

1-only skip lectures if u got friends who make good notes n wont mind sharing
2-try 2 make friends with kind-hearted nerds (helps wit point no.1)
3-talk 2 everyone!
4-try 2 buy 2ndhand txtbkz so u can save money n go macq centre shoppin(but try not 2 miss many lectures 2 do that)
5-if ur curry n like havin curry friends, talk 2 every single curry u can cuz soon enough they'll form their 1st yr curry group n then u'll meet heapz of other currys(ie 2nd n 3rd yrs like me )

this year there seems to be even more curries...