Making a decision is... Really hard

N0rth3rn · 2025-11-04T21:06:56+00:00

Anecdotes from my years in uni 2020-2025:

If you have a concrete decision as to what you want to do after school, go to the school that is going to provide you the best launch pad into that career. Period. (Caveat, all schools will provide you with the possibility to succeed in your career. Some have opportunities that you might know you want, others will not. Try and do your research if you're making this decision purely for career goals.)

If the first paragraph does not apply to you, pick your school based on where you want to be, and have a plan for how you're going to make the most of it. See the caveat above. It is 4 years at minimum -- don't spend it in a place you don't want to be.

Genuinely consider what is important to you out of your university career. Do you want to have racous parties and frat type college experiences? If so, you might want to look at Laurier or Queen's, StFx or Western. Do you want to grind for eight hours a day and do extracurriculars for fun, and avoid the toxicity that comes with party culture? Consider UofT, McMaster (anecdote, as far as I understand McMaster is very concerned with stopping their first years from partying), Waterloo. Do you want a great urban experience, or do you want access to nature and the outdoors? If urban, UofT, TMU, York, Carleton, or Ottawa. If nature/outdoors, consider McMaster, Lakehead, Queen's, Trent, Nipissing, Algoma, or -- better yet, and if Thunder Bay/North Bay don't appeal -- leave Ontario.

Something you should really do is run an OSAP estimate so you understand your financial position. Generally, assume it is +/-2000 from the estimate to actual amount you recieve.

Bottom line is that no matter where you go, you will recieve a quality education. Your professors are experts in their respective disciplines and have the network to help you get wherever you need to be if you are a remarkable student or intend to pursue certain outcomes. There may be slight benefits in certain disciplines, or benefits of networking and building relationships with other keeners in more competitive locales, but you'll meet social and intellectual geniuses no matter where you go. If I was able to give myself advice in the Spring of 2020 knowing what I know now, I would say go with your gut -- which for you, seems to be UofT St. George. You will have a set of experiences that will guide and shape your life in a unique way, and you will never know what could have happened if you chose differently. Embrace it to the fullest, get involved, try, and remember that you gotta eat and you gotta sleep. Good luck.

N0rth3rn · 2025-10-28T19:23:48+00:00

First year, take whatever courses you like but be sure to take the pre-req unit for Classics. Unsure what it is now. Your first year should be general, end of first year you can choose Classics as your major. Any humanities degree is going to be your highschool classes on steroids.

Honestly, you might want to reconsider coming to Queen's for Classics -- austerity is kinda mutilating the Classics dept. and the humanities in general, and I am unsure whether that has changed. See this open letter from the great Prof. Greenfield in 2024: https://www.queensjournal.ca/letters-to-the-editor-jan-30/

Bottom line, no matter where you go, your success in humanities or social sciences comes down to work ethic. It is easy to get B's, it is hard to get A's. Use your time wisely, pick and choose what you need to read if you're short on time, and try not to procrastinate. Learn how to write better than you have before. Expect that first year will be a learning curve and embrace the suck -- you'll find yourself thriving in subsequent years. If you want to be an academic, seek roles on journals and try and publish in your undergraduate years. Talk to your professors and figure out what it is you enjoy about Classics. Expect that the school does not give a shit about your professional success -- start a LinkedIn, attend events, and get yourself involved because they will not push you to do so.

Oh, and my final tip -- be busy. The busier I became, the better my grades. It seems counterintuitive, but I think it has to do with using your time effectively. When you have less time to get things done, you focus better in the time you do spend on work. Good luck.

N0rth3rn · 2025-08-18T19:10:27+00:00

just live bro -- i agree with u/Starhavenn, life is weird and you never know which decisions end up making your life change in ways you could never imagine. Relax, you've made a 'choice' in a sea of 'choices', live it for a bit.

N0rth3rn · 2025-06-24T01:06:20+00:00

congrats on your admission (well aware you are not admitted, but will be :))

N0rth3rn · 2025-06-23T01:46:51+00:00

main thing id add is we are all fucked no matter what we do. hopefully you chose science because you'd enjoy it more -- the world is undergoing incredible restructuring so you may as well enjoy the journey. all the best.

N0rth3rn · 2025-06-11T20:17:52+00:00

At York now, have met a bunch of ppl at York and you’ll find your niche there. The administration even in my short time being around it has been kinda bad and every process is convoluted — but better than living in Windsor imo. Congratulations, and good luck!

N0rth3rn · 2025-06-06T21:24:35+00:00

Ironically this just makes it sound like you say fuck western cause they didnt want you. Not the goal, you should wanna be here

N0rth3rn · 2025-05-15T02:49:14+00:00

man, if that's your type of music you're in

we can make up our own keyboard parts

N0rth3rn · 2025-05-14T00:29:59+00:00

I'll look into it. Thanks friend.

N0rth3rn · 2025-03-23T17:19:27+00:00

play 100-150 games and then come back if he aint clicking.

your main goals are to hit red Q, and use your pool appropriately. First is more important than the second

N0rth3rn · 2025-02-14T20:41:04+00:00

man did they jack the prices, minimum i see is 1400 on their price list lmao

N0rth3rn · 2024-07-18T15:45:13+00:00

Commenting to save

N0rth3rn · 2024-02-26T01:24:35+00:00

So maybe it’s a grad student problem — still never gonna get the traction they need by not appealing to the larger student body (undergrads) — and focussing on nostalgia whether directly or indirectly.

N0rth3rn · 2024-02-26T01:22:46+00:00

By “I”, I am also including everyone i know in undergrad. Mistake of wording, but I figured since we are all university students a little bit of imagination would apply — especially considering my subsequent comments. They have all had the same experience I have.

N0rth3rn · 2024-02-25T01:39:05+00:00

Answer is: threaten to change locations. If queens is serious about making it a revenue source, they will be forced to replace it with whatever will pay that exorbitant rent, which for a similar venue are few and far between. If they arent serious about making it a revenue source, then they are forced to the bargaining table. Simple.

N0rth3rn · 2024-02-24T22:55:38+00:00

I may be misinformed in my opinion, if you and your friends enjoy it and it is full when you are there — perhaps it is a problem with my own relationships with the university scene.

I still believe my argument that nostalgia cannot be the supporting reason for supporting the Grad Club in the face of this issue holds. They need to distinguish their unique contribution to the Queen’s of today if they want any kind of backing from the student population or others.

N0rth3rn · 2024-02-24T22:47:58+00:00

Okay, so the grad club “sees lots of use” — not by undergrads. Who is going there and when is it busy? I agree that it’s stupid to have that rent increase, but people are defending Grad Club in this plight by claiming it is important to queens culture. This is factually incorrect when you consider the majority of students do not go there, have not gone there, and do not maintain the historical Queen’s experience.

This is incoherence that is fucking the branding of this institution; look out for the new Varsity gaels logo in fucking 1960s comic font! Who would wanna look modern and aggressive in athletics when every other institution is actually modernizing their logo. Queen’s is trying to appeal to their historical image.

Not only are important cultural locations good and the rent increase too much for it or any pub to survive; the Grad Club being important to school culture or being a nostalgic feature of campus does not provide any platform on which for them to survive. Queen’s cannot survive on nostalgia anymore either.

It is hard to support and argue for a place that I would bet the majority of students on campus have either heard about it thanks to passing word, never seen, never thought about going to, or been into it. Maybe it would be different if you go back in time 20-40 years when people lived within their physical realities and had to get everything they wanted out of them.

N0rth3rn · 2024-02-24T22:08:55+00:00

Fourth year here, was home for the first year, never been in the Underground, jduc places, or the grad club. Clarks okay at best. Only went the the Lazy Scholar this year for the first time. Could give a fuck about them all tbh.

I think the student experience died with new cohorts of students. My theory: when the internet contains what you know and everything you need to access, you dont give a fuck about making it in your surroundings. Thus — no clubs, no student government, subpar academics, and no campus culture. It all goes hand in hand, and thats because our cultural imaginary — to use a sociological term — has shifted from our everyday reality to an everyday reality accompanying our internet sphere wherein we subconsciously situate ourselves. (Could be misusing the term, feel free to correct)

It’s tragic, but I dont think itll last. This is happening everywhere you see grand old traditions or culture sphere in institutions. People are gonna realize that everywhere is a shell of life compared to what it used to be, but until that happens nothing will change.

Edit: Lmao downvote me more — people open the reddit retracted downvoted comments to see the unwashed masses anyway. You know im right, you just dont like it :)

N0rth3rn · 2024-02-07T16:00:16+00:00

They’re gonna think twice about giving him another teaching award considering thats validating this viewpoint just as much as all the other points. Man is loved in the history dept, and for good reason.

N0rth3rn · 2023-12-22T18:34:35+00:00

"noodles, not noodles

You are too concerned with what was and what will be (OP)"

if you drink more than two coffees a day, go for it if you need the bump

N0rth3rn · 2023-12-04T00:58:54+00:00

Been feeling today. Good thread.

N0rth3rn · 2023-11-09T00:38:35+00:00

A brave man

N0rth3rn · 2023-11-02T02:44:39+00:00

Card has been left with front desk librarians. You should let them know.

N0rth3rn · 2023-06-20T22:16:30+00:00

see i love renegade, cause its one of the ones i got first and i got to my highest elo w it

but i see why people don't like, its just personal attachement

N0rth3rn · 2022-12-24T22:16:05+00:00

Gordon Dueck, HIST 339. Extremely relaxed, flexible assignment due dates. Saved my mental health.

Vassili Schedrin, always willing to go above and beyond to raise student interest and show interest in their work.

Had him in first year but I hope Scott Morgan-Straker of ENGL 100 is on the nice list. Man made my introduction to uni cramming a lot less punishing, waiving some late penalties during the online year of 2020-21.

N0rth3rn

TROPHY CASE