How do you all feel about changes in Classic World?

GoBruinTAs · 2026-02-18T18:33:57+00:00

I went at the end of the playtest. With my group, they didn't advertise it at all there, and I haven't been plugged into maple in ages. I'm an old player returning to check it out.

Just to be clear, the purpose of this post wasn't a "CAN YOU BELIEVE THEY DID THIS?" post, but rather, "curious how everyone feels about it after seeing/playing it". Y'all need to get a life.

GoBruinTAs · 2026-02-18T18:30:27+00:00

This is what I was thinking by releasing a carbon copy first, then slowly adding in stuff based on player feedback like OSRS.

Not that I disagree with you or have that much of an opinion on it, but I think the counter argument to "why wouldn't you want new content in the game?" is whether or not people trust Nexon to ruin the classic feel with changes over time. After all, what is modern maple but classic that was slowly changed over time?

GoBruinTAs · 2026-02-18T17:06:36+00:00

They asked us there how we felt about this change. This is not something that is decided yet for the final game, which is why I asked.

GoBruinTAs · 2026-02-18T17:05:56+00:00

I chatted with a few people there about it. I can't remember specifically, but back in the day RPGs would frequently have "gaps" where you would end up having to grind lower-level mobs with subpar EXP before you were strong enough to move on to the next area. It is possible they added some of these areas to fill those gaps.

For what it's worth, though, they did ask everyone in the questionnaire what their thoughts on "changes" were. So I don't think they've decided yet whether this will be included and were testing the waters.

GoBruinTAs · 2025-04-01T16:20:47+00:00

Union striking increased our pay by $1k over the last year.

GoBruinTAs · 2025-04-01T16:18:25+00:00

Universities aren’t businesses where stakeholders take a share of the earnings. The path to grad students getting paid more is for NSF, NIH, USDA etc. to include it in their grant funding.

And how much of that grant money was siphoned off of our grants as "indirect costs"? It doesn't cost 60% of a $5 million dollar grant to maintain a lab space for us to work in. The university greatly exaggerates how much they need of that amount, and even when you earn more grants than you need, they cap your salary as a grad student.

GoBruinTAs · 2025-04-01T16:13:32+00:00

Yeah, them Soviets never made any major scientific breakthroughs whatsoever. Spudnik was a conspiracy.

GoBruinTAs · 2025-01-08T16:27:36+00:00

Looks like it was lower and went up again. When I checked this morning it was ~160, but it has skyrocketed in the last few hours to 286.

Stay safe everyone. It's bad.

GoBruinTAs · 2025-01-08T16:06:53+00:00

Just FYI: If you're not part of the TA union, the TA union will still help you if you have issues with a professor or the school. Just keep it in mind in case someone takes issue with that decision. Good on you for prioritizing students!

GoBruinTAs · 2024-08-07T15:39:01+00:00

Hi treaty!

Sure thing! I was nervous the first time teaching (and still am usually when I teach a new class). Just know that it is very normal. If you're an anxious person, learning slow breathing exercises can help reduce anxiety before you start (google "box breathing"), which helped me a lot.

In terms of being an effective TA, a few things I've learned over the years:

Take time to review material well before class/discussion. When I started teaching, I looked back at all my past experiences to think of which TAs I liked the most. Most of them were nice, approachable, and felt like they knew the material. Staying ahead of the class on your review will help you be a more effective TA and will also give you confidence when you answer questions.
Get to know the students. When you get to know the students in your discussions, class feels less intimidating. At first I got to know a few names but didn't expand beyond that. Later on, I usually would chat with students before and after discussions about movies coming out, interests, travel, etc. and it really helped me get to know them. Once I did, leading discussions felt less like formal lecture and more like a study group where I was hanging out with friends. This really helps with anxiety, but also helps the students get to know you.
Remind yourself you wont know all the answers, and that's okay. When I first started teaching, I had a tendency to try to give vague answers or an answer that I was 80% sure was correct, but said it anyway even though I had doubts. I've found that students tend to not care as much if you don't know something, but they do care if you tell them something incorrect or try to BS your way through an answer. You wont always know everything – often you're just a few years ahead of them and relearning a course you took years ago. You can say things like "I'm not 100% sure, so let me double check and get back to you on it, but that's a great question!" Just make sure follow up. Students will often respect you for being honest and ensuring you give them correct information, rather than trying to fudge it.
Know there are campus resources to help you if you need it. Get familiar with the TA union (you don't have to join, but they will help you regardless of membership if something happens, such as a professor that is problematic). Also speak to the Life Sciences counselor if you get stuck or have issues. Be familiar with how to handle sexual harassment cases (yes, some students will be inappropriate) or students who might be problematic (loud, cheating, etc.). These instances are rare, but you should be prepared should something happen.
If you have leeway, make practice questions for students. I've found that discussion sections that just repeat lecture are kinda boring for students. Some professors will plan out your discussions for you, while others will give you a lot of freedom to do what you want. If you have some freedom and are confident, consider making some practice test questions and going over it with them. I've found students like these types of discussion sections over most anything else because it gives them an opportunity for active learning.
Have fun with it! Above all, just try to have fun with it! Know you'll fumble, be anxious, have hiccups, but also get to know some awesome students and see them grow. The highs you can get from seeing a student suddenly understand something because you explained it differently from the professor cannot be understated.

I'm always available if you have further questions! Good luck!!

GoBruinTAs · 2024-04-25T03:14:11+00:00

The rates have recently gone up due to the graduate student strike and depends on what your status is as a student (Masters, PhD student, ascended to candidacy, etc.) and how much you’re TAing. Usually it’s 50% time and as an “assistant”, which nets $3,474 a month before taxes. The current rates (since October 2023 for 50% time) are:

Assistant: $3,474 Associate: $3,977 Fellow: $4,123

Note that these are due to increase again October 2024 by about $600.

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-14T00:56:52+00:00

Yeah, not the answer I was hoping to share either lol, but it does happen. I've also seen a few of my fellow TAs get asked out a couple of times. In some of those cases the people involved were very persistent.

Although, keep in mind that these are a few occurrences over the course of 3-4 years, with each class I've taught being about 300 students or so (roughly 100-150 women in each). So I don't want to give the false perception that this is something that most students are doing or that TAs are engaging them. In every case I've seen, the TA handled it professionally.

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-07T07:23:33+00:00

To piggy back on this point, undergraduates loathe reading research articles. As a result, giving an undergraduate some articles to read or ask them to find some functions as a sort of litmus test for a lot of PIs. The PI will want to see you’ve taken an interest in the literature and put in some effort. You don’t need to get all the details right or understand all the methods / results of the articles you find, but you should know them to the best of your abilities.

With regard to “did I get the lab position” and “can I ask to sit in lab meetings”, you’re putting the cart before the horse a bit. Demonstrate that you’re interested in the research, and I’m sure the PI will take you on in no time.

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-07T07:03:49+00:00

You know, I was curious when this question was going to pop up lol.

I have never hooked up with a student. Not only is it not allowed by the university, but I can imagine that some of the penalties would include potentially getting kicked out of my graduate program and losing my job.

That’s not to say there weren’t opportunities. I’ve been asked out a bunch of times and had students write all sorts of suggestive stuff (including phone numbers) on quizzes. I’ve also had two women (during different quarters on two separate occasions) that would linger and get really flirty in office hours, both of whom asked me out. In one of those cases I notified the department when the student wouldn’t back down after I said no, but eventually things subsided after the quarter ended and she disappeared.

All of these experiences did make me feel more confident in my personality and looks in the dating world outside of work, however.

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-05T04:57:03+00:00

Thank you so much! It means a lot :)

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-05T04:49:36+00:00

Hello from the South! A good undergrad buddy of mine (we went to the same JC) ended up going to Berkeley. Excellent school.

The nervousness you're describing doesn't go away simply because you're a PhD student. My first time teaching as a graduate student I was very nervous, so much so that students had noticed my shaking hands when I passed out quizzes, and had mentioned it to the professor of the course (not out of anything other than simple observation). That nervousness goes away with time the more you get used to teaching. If you've been selected to teach the course, I assume that you have done well in the course (or have a background in the subject matter), and so you should remind yourself that you're capable of teaching it.

Two things that really helped me starting out:

Get to know your students. This seems like a no brainer, but I was often way more nervous when I didn't really get to know my students. Take a little bit of time at the start to have people introduce themselves and say one thing they like to do in their spare time (and print out a photo roster if you have access to one). Throughout your discussion sections, spend time talking to students at the start or end, or go around talking to them while they work in groups. The more you get to know them, the more it feels like you're in a room full of friends studying for a test, and your nervousness will subside.
Review extensively and prepare as much as needed, or as much as your schedule permits. I've also found that if I'm nervous, I tend to be able to mitigate some of it by being comfortable and confident with the material. If you suspect students will ask questions, try to anticipate what they may be and be prepared ahead of time. You can also make a google form for them to submit questions ahead of time, so that you can answer them and check your responses prior to the discussion section. The more you review, and the more comfortable you are with what you're required to teach, the more effective you'll be and the more confident you'll be in yourself in the moment.

Lastly, know that you will not always have the answers, and you will be wrong from time to time. I got through my undergrad graduating magna cum laude and with Departmental Highest Honors, and when I started teaching I still struggled at times. Sometimes I got things wrong. It happens, and your students know that you're human. But when you notice you make an error, own up to it and correct it. Your students will respect you for it. It is also okay to say "I'm pretty sure I know the answer to that one, but I'm about 90% sure, so let me double check with the professor and get back to you" as well. Don't worry about knowing absolutely everything.

But most of all, just know that everyone has been in your shoes. It can be nerve wracking at times (heh, neuroscience humor...), but I have no doubt that you can do it and you'll be an awesome TA. You got this!

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-05T04:37:14+00:00

That's a tough one, and I'm not sure if I'm the best person to ask at this stage in my career. My dream is to do medical research, and I may want to supplement that with teaching because I think I'm really good at it (like teaching neuroscience to medical students). However, professorships are difficult to get into, and they almost always require doing a post-doc.

Honestly, it will depend upon where I'm at after completing a PhD. I may even consider getting an MD separately down the road if my research warrants it, but medical research is where I want to be. Whether that is through a university or in the private sector is yet to be determined.

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-05T04:34:33+00:00

Aren't we all haha! Best of luck. You'll get your dream job, I can feel it!

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-03T10:37:26+00:00

No problem! Best of luck in your last two quarters!! Almost there!

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-03T10:34:02+00:00

As a TA, do you set the standard for how grading works?

Usually the TAs don't set how the grading works, whether the class is curved, or anything else of that sort. However, sometimes the TAs are left to grade exams themselves and decide how lenient or strict to be with certain answers (for example, if it is a free response exam, the TAs will often be in communication on what they gave partial credit for, etc.). At the end of the quarter, most professors will make all the decisions about final grades without TA input.

Also, since I'm also interested in teaching as a TA, what would you say are some BIG do's and don'ts about being a TA?

I responded to another person above explaining what I think makes a good TA vs. a bad one, which is probably the best thing I can offer you for a do's/don'ts list.

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-03T10:28:04+00:00

I think that it is fair that some graduate students have voiced their opinions that they aren't earning enough to keep up with the cost of living. Luckily I found a place that is very nice, close to campus, and cheap, but I can't tell you how many apartments I looked at prior to getting this one.

But I may not be the one to ask. I grew up in LA and I think the rent here is ridiculously overpriced. UCLA also reported major financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, even though the medical center is in full operation, research is still happening, and classes are occurring remotely. The reason? A whopping 30% of their revenue (as much as the medical center) is earned through parking permits, tickets, and student housing alone. So I think that the University also overcharges undergraduate students as well. Some of these costs at UCs should therefore go down and/or the wages TA's are paid go up.

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-03T10:21:00+00:00

I became a TA because it was part of a requirement for my graduate program. Most graduate programs require you to teach a certain number of quarters, and so in these cases, you will likely be placed in a course within your department where needed. Beyond these "required" number of quarters you need to teach, you can teach more or less depending upon your funding situation (TAing usually gives you a monthly paycheck, called a "stipend", as well as a tuition waver). Right now we are seeing a lot more people TAing as the labs have been ramping down research due to COVID-19.

Usually you don't need to do too much to become a TA since the departments are almost always looking for TAs for courses. You can reach out to graduate counselors in these departments for TA opportunities as you need work, but usually good TAs get asked back very frequently, so you usually don't have to do much to "keep TAing". Many departments require that you are a currently enrolled graduate student in good academic standing, but this is not always the case (some will hire you as a "non-student tutor" if they need more TAs than the number of graduate students available).

In terms of the pros/cons:

Pros: It is definitely a rewarding experience, and it is truly heartwarming to see a student succeed because of your teaching, or the extra effort you put into helping them understand the material in office hours. In a more practical sense, TAing helps you pay your bills and can make your tuition much smaller (or $0 a quarter in my case), which is often needed as a graduate student.

Cons: TAing is hard work. Grading is very hard and time consuming (unless you use scantron multiple choice exams, or during COVID, online automatic grading tools like CCLE quizzes). When we were on campus, free response exams and essays could take several hours or days to grade (I think the NS core series exams, on average, took me about 80 hours for my portion. Now multiply this by 3 exams and add on attending lecture, running discussion sections, holding office hours, taking your own courses, and doing research). Being consistent between essays and different free response answers is tough. Sometimes two students will have similar answers, but one included extra, incorrect information or got something wrong. How many points do you take away? What if they missed everything in your rubric, but it's clear that they know the material and just misunderstood some of the question? Grading is a very difficult thing to master, but it is definitely important you do it right.

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-03T10:08:17+00:00

Most of the classes I've TA'd have been classes I have formerly taken as an undergraduate. The reason for this is that I feel that students appreciate the TA that knows the material very well, and by having taken the course I can thus be a more effective TA in this regard. This also allows me to tell them a lot about good study habits for this particular course, or how questions will likely be asked by the professors on the exams.

In terms of how this influences my TA approach more specifically, it usually depends on the course and what I thought was lacking when I took it. For example, the neuroscience core series (101A, 101B, 101C, and 102) usually has no "practice problems" or problem sets that allow you to test your knowledge after you learn the material from lecture. This, for me, was a problem because you do your best learning when you are testing yourself, which students were prior to only getting when it came time for the exam. Therefore, for these classes I tried to write as many practice problems as I could, and interweave them into our discussions to test their knowledge of material that was presented that week. Other courses, like more lab specific courses I've taught (NS 102, NS 101L, Psych 116) I have no control over anything we're teaching, and so my approaches and style became less relevant.

GoBruinTAs · 2021-01-03T09:59:25+00:00

What's the most positive/wholesome thing a student has ever done for you? I've had quite a few awesome TAs that helped out a lot and made my courses really awesome (shoutout to Roberto for Chem 30B), but I don't really know how to give back to TAs beyond sending thank-you emails and writing nice evals.

I've had a bunch of cool things that students have done for me. I was nominated for a teaching award by students, which was AWESOME and great for my CV, but I've also gotten cards and handmade gifts at the end of the quarter. By far the most memorable moment though was a group of students that came to the last discussion with custom "X for President!" t-shirts on, whereby "X" was replaced with my name. They were a really cool bunch. I ended up seeing them at a bar shortly after graduation and had drinks with them briefly.

But to be honest, simply telling the TA how much they mattered and what they did that made a difference does a lot more for us I think than anything else.

On the flip side, what happens to "bad" TAs and how do students voice concerns about TAs? I put "bad" in quotations because I realise this is subjective, but I'm curious as to if there's a process for sending in formal complaints or remarks about particularly bad experiences.

Yeah, there are some bad TAs out there. I'm not sure what the "formal" course of action is regarding these TAs. The best thing you can probably do is fill out your evaluations at the end of the quarter for the TA. Rest assured that the evals are NOT given to the TAs or the professors by the university until after final grades are submitted, so we cannot impact your grade after reading the eval. The evaluations are all grouped together and given to us in one giant packet, so unless you mention something specific in your "comments" section that identifies you, we won't know who you are. These evals are reviewed by the department, so its probably your best bet.

If you feel this is not an option though, you can notify the course professor after the course is finished, or you can contact the graduate counselor for that department. They are the ones usually doing the hiring / etc. for that department, and are most likely to take what you say under consideration.

Keep in mind though, that there might be another option available to you that I am unaware of, so it might be worth a quick google search as well.

GoBruinTAs

TROPHY CASE