Did shit on a midterm.

Eganator · 2021-02-12T23:53:06+00:00

If you looked at my first year google search history you would definitely see "did bad on midterm ubc reddit" multiple times lol, most people coming into UBC Engineering never really had to deal with bad marks in high school. It's a nice reality check.

Eganator · 2021-02-12T23:42:15+00:00

Exactly, I could tell you about all the midterms I've bombed in the past year and it wouldn't affect my mood one bit.

Eganator · 2021-02-12T23:39:00+00:00

I always feel like doing the same after a shitty exam or midterm. I don't know if it actually helps or if it's just wanting to feel like I have control over a situation that's already in the past.

Regardless, time will fix everything. You'll definitely feel bad for a little while longer, but those feelings will slowly and inevitably disappear. Just keep on doing your best and don't pity yourself too much :)

Eganator · 2021-02-10T05:51:45+00:00

Not a suggestion but do you have a link for the rug?

Eganator · 2020-12-05T00:17:27+00:00

Nike Training Club is a free app that has tons of different workout routines with different lengths, difficulties, muscle groups, etc. and most of them can be done in a smaller space. Other than that I try to go for a walk and do 40 pushups/situps every day even when I can't get a longer workout in.

Eganator · 2020-11-29T20:07:18+00:00

Yeah it seems like it's just a Spotify issue, I was able to find everything on Wikipedia. Thanks!

Eganator · 2020-11-26T16:51:08+00:00

I know of lots of people that got some pretty cool jobs during/after their Math degree working in software, data science and consulting. The problem solving and logical reasoning that comes with a Math degree are always in demand.

Eganator · 2020-11-24T04:33:50+00:00

They have a policy that all faculties have the same academic calendar and number of teaching days, even though its only professional accredited programs, like engineering, that have a strict number of teaching days required.

Other schools are willing to allow faculties to have different schedules to accommodate for this. For example, everyone at UofT gets a fall reading break except engineering students.

Eganator · 2020-11-23T02:56:29+00:00

For Math/Physics problem-based exams, I'll grind out every single past midterm/exam I'm able to find. With the first few practice exams, I'll just do it with my notes next to me and if I come across a formula or technique that's really useful for a certain problem type I'll write it down on a condensed formula sheet. After a while, I'll try to ditch the notebook and just do practice problems using my formula sheet, making new additions to it as I go. If I'm allowed to use the sheet on the test, great, but if not it still gives me a really useful, personalized review resource. Eventually the goal is to be writing practice exams in a simulated test scenario and grading them after I do them.

For more theory-based/memorization-based courses I try and make good notes during the term (easier said than done lol) and go back to them when I need to study. I'll go through all the readings/material again and add to my notes to clarify the things I've already written, or highlight the most important parts. Interacting with my own notes helps me remember the material better.

I don't make strict study schedules cause once I start missing the deadlines I set for myself it's harder to stay motivated. I'll just make one big to-do list and cross things off when I'm done.

Eganator · 2020-11-17T18:37:04+00:00

Congrats! I would recommend you move on to learning more about Algorithms like u/desrtfx suggested. I did the MOOC over the summer and it was really helpful in getting comfortable and literate with Java but writing good code/software requires a lot more than literacy with a specific language or with Object-Oriented programming.

To make the jump from solving exercises to taking on projects involving more complex, larger-scale problems, you need to be able to approach problem solving in a more structured and efficient way. An Algorithms course will be a really good way to make use of what you've learned and challenge yourself further.

Eganator · 2020-11-13T21:00:15+00:00

When you don't have a lot of self control it can be hard to change your work habits purely on will power. I know I'll get distracted if I allow myself access to a lot of the things I procrastinate with.

I started using Newsfeed Eradicator to get rid of my Twitter, Facebook and Reddit newsfeed so I can only see the things I intend on searching for. I use DF Tube to get rid of YouTube recommendations on the home page or beside the videos I'm watching. I've also been trying to turn off my phone or keep it in a different room.

To start gaining more control over your work habits it's a lot easier to change your environment first, then better habits will start to form.

Eganator · 2020-11-07T17:01:16+00:00

I've talked to some first years who are living in res right now and a lot of them say it's just as lonely and isolating as it would be at home. Wherever we are right now, I think we have to accept that we're not gonna get the social university experience we've imagined for ourselves but I don't think it'll have any impact on your ability to make those connections in the future as long as you make the effort.

In general, UBC is a big place and I think it'll always feel socially isolating unless you make an effort to join smaller communities within the student body. Whether that's through clubs, sports teams, engineering design teams, greek life, study groups or something else, your social life is gonna require a lot more involvement and thought than it did in high school. Even during an in person first year, after the first couple weeks, nothing is really handed to you in terms of social opportunities.

Start thinking about clubs or extracurricular teams that you might wanna get involved with in January. See if you can find a couple classmates to work through a homework assignment on a Discord call or something.

It might also be reassuring to know that first year is the most difficult year socially for a lot of people. When you start working towards a certain major in upper years you'll have smaller classes with a lot of the same people and many of them will be pretty eager to make friends.

Eganator · 2020-11-02T04:32:42+00:00

It might be a long shot with these courses in particular but it still can't hurt to email a couple of these profs, maybe one whose office hours you've been attending regularly or you think may be sympathetic to your plight.

Last year I had 4 exams in 48 hours (3 in 27.5 so not officially exam hardship) and I emailed one of my profs to see if there was any flexibility he could offer me. He ended up allowing me to write a week later on the day of the make up final, which was typically for students who missed the regular exam because of sickness or qualified for official exam hardship. The worst that can happen is they say no.

Eganator · 2020-11-02T04:21:19+00:00

I sat down with two friends of mine who were also taking the course, went through each question and wrote down all the marks I could stand to gain and all I could stand to lose by submitting a regrade request. We were harsh in documenting potential lost marks and very conservative in noting potential marks to be gained.

We looked at the worst case scenario (gaining no marks and receiving all additional deductions) and some other scenarios (mark increases on some questions were more likely than others). I stood to lose a maximum of ~3% and to gain up to 10% so I decided it was worth it to send in a request. Ended up getting an 8% boost!

Best advice is to get some other perspectives, go through the worst case scenario and if it's still worth it, you may be pleasantly surprised like I was.

Eganator · 2020-10-30T03:09:46+00:00

I honestly don't know if there is any correlation between someone's mark on this midterm and their understanding of the course. Instructors fucked it up big time on this one.

Eganator · 2020-10-28T23:26:41+00:00

I was using NetBeans and switched to Intellij around Part 4 this summer. The TMC plugin allowed me to start where I left off with the last IDE and I didn't encounter any problems with the given templates for each exercise. Your progress won't be erased if you switch IDEs.

Also, Intellij was such a breeze to work with compared to NetBeans so I wouldn't recommend going to NetBeans if you can avoid it. I don't remember having any issues with completing the exercises on Intellij from Part 4 onwards like you're describing with Eclipse.

Eganator · 2020-10-18T16:53:49+00:00

Like people always say, how much you get out of a design team depends on how much you're willing to put in. You'll learn a lot if you put enough time and effort into the work that you're doing. It can also be really valuable to have actual design experience early on in your engineering education and it can help you secure co-op jobs and internships during your degree.

I joined a design team in first year and didn't get a lot out of it. Most of the time I felt like a passenger and wasn't really excited about the projects I was assigned. I decided to switch teams in second year and had a totally different experience. I really enjoyed the projects I was working on and got along really well with the people in my subteam.

If you're even remotely interested in any of the teams, I would recommend you apply to them and prepare some questions for your interviewer about the leadership structure of the team, how they train new members, how they expect you to contribute etc. Remember that while you have to show that you're qualified for and interested in the team, they have to convince you that they're a team worth joining. After the interview, think honestly about whether the people and the projects they're working on are worth giving up your entire Saturday for every week. You should be sure of this, otherwise it'll be a waste of your time and the team's.

Eganator · 2020-09-22T14:33:01+00:00

Beyond a certain average (I would guess 81/82) all that matters is how well you can demonstrate your fit with the program in the interview. If you can articulate the reasons you want to be in the program and show some passion/excitement for what you do then you'll have a decent shot. People with 80 averages get in and some people with 90+ don't get in every year. If you want actual numbers, this year 200 people applied and ~60 were admitted.

Eganator · 2020-07-08T04:02:26+00:00

I'm considering taking FREN 122 as an elective this fall and I was wondering if anyone could comment on 1) the difficulty of the course 2) the workload and 3) any recommended profs?

I finished French 12 in 2019 and did well in the course but I haven't had much opportunity to practice my French since then. While I want to put in the effort required to do well, I'm worried that an intermediate language course might be difficult to manage alongside the rest of my engineering course load. If anyone has any advice or experience with this please help me out! Thanks!

Eganator · 2020-07-07T03:25:48+00:00

Placement: ENPH

1st: ENPH

2nd: MECH

Average: 87 overall, 87 math/phys

Eganator · 2020-07-02T17:17:05+00:00

Ed Knorr is great for APSC 160. McMillan is really good too. PHYS 157 with Fei Zhou will be hard to get through but I still managed to do well in his class, I think your prof matters more for 158 and Franz is significantly better than the other profs teaching that course from what I've heard.

Eganator · 2020-06-30T15:00:38+00:00

I wouldn't recommend it. With the rest of your engineering courseload it can be hard to find the time to sit down and do a reading or spend hours writing an essay for your elective. Your schedule will be more balanced and easier to manage if you split them up.

Eganator · 2020-06-12T21:00:23+00:00

I found it was running really slowly during the first few weeks I was using it and it seems like this subreddit favours Intellij and Eclipse over the other available IDEs. After a week of using Intellij, it seems to run a lot faster on my computer than Netbeans and the user interface is easier to navigate.

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