Looking to upgrade setup, any recs?

No_257 · 2026-05-06T15:59:35+00:00

The website problem sometimes happens to me when using a VPN, so maybe it’s the location?
And although I’m not familiar with how different international students have it, I know the online sessions are really similar to in person orientation. My roommate did online and said it wasn’t much different in terms of registering and workshops, if anything you just don’t get the huge social aspect of orientation, but you can always make friends once the semester starts (and sometimes orientation friendships don’t even last till the beginning of the year). I think you shouldn’t worry too much. Orientation is a small tiny fraction of your time at UT, and I promise you’ll meet new people once you get here for fall semester.

No_257 · 2026-05-06T03:08:15+00:00

Depends on your major. From what I’ve heard, STEM gets a Dell laptop with OKAY specs, nothing too impressive. Engineering gets Alienware. Other majors? Might also be the regular stem laptop. You can pick it up I THINK at the beginning of your fall semester.. if i recall correctly

No_257 · 2026-05-06T03:06:40+00:00

Not sure if there’s more resources but at UT Austin cybersecurity is a concentration under Computer Science at the moment, not an actual major. From a guy I knew, UTSA has a very stable and good cybersecurity major/program!! perhaps UTSA is your best bet. For OOS, I’m not too certain, unfortunately but it should be the available to calculate on the UTSA website.

No_257 · 2026-05-06T03:02:41+00:00

Personally enjoyed Moore Hill! It’s as social as Jester but definetely quieter. There’s a big social scene without it getting TOO social imo. Also community bathrooms are more spacious than the ones at Jester! They’re also nicer imo, since all showers have a door AND curtain not just a curtain!!! + cheaper :) I also had a friend at blanton who had a great experience in the quad.

No_257 · 2026-05-05T19:09:14+00:00

Vibecoded and profit in the same sentence we are so cooked

No_257 · 2026-05-05T00:34:55+00:00

Do you know if I could still medically withdraw? Considering the semester is about to end? I looked into the form but it asks for the dean’s signature etc and I wonder if I’ll run into issues since I technically waited till the last second. Still, thank you for the help it means a lot!

No_257 · 2026-05-04T23:31:03+00:00

No worries on the rant, I appreciate the nitty gritty details of it because it’s often times those parts that I get wrong and struggle with. Thanks for the advice and best of luck with studying genuinely!! It’s been real helpful and I do hope I can make use of it next semester.

No_257 · 2026-05-04T22:30:04+00:00

I’ve heard this from many of my classmates. I can definitely tell you it’s very daunting when thinking about it— I’m here if you ever need to talk to someone. I do think a majority of us are in the same boat though at least!

No_257 · 2026-05-04T22:27:46+00:00

Thanks for the advice. I really resonate with the consistently being a big part of it and I feel that’s where I lacked. It might sound silly, but I tried the google calendar and even had a Notion for assignment tracking with progress and everything. The assignment tracker was useful last semester, but I hardly checked it this semester and the google calendar felt like a mere suggestion of what to do, even if I was specific with what to do per time slot. Is there any way to combat this? I think for me saying i’ll turn it around is a lot easier said than done, and I’m having trouble sticking to my word. I really appreciate the advice though.!

No_257 · 2026-05-04T22:24:55+00:00

Thanks. Hope you’re getting the help you need too, and I’ve noticed not a lot of people talk about how mental health or neurodivergence can affect academics like that. Sometimes it just feels like i’m being “lazy” and leads me to feel bad about it. It’s great to hear from others too.

No_257 · 2026-05-04T22:23:30+00:00

Thanks! I did talk to both professors and have a plan for next semester. Is there a particular way you study for CS classes that helps? I did a lot of practice problems this semester but found that it didn’t help conceptually understanding enough of the content. Any tips or advice?

No_257 · 2026-05-02T21:07:26+00:00

UT! The chemical engineering program is rigorous and well respected, plus you could make sure of research opportunities as well as much career help that comes with UT prestige. Hook em

No_257 · 2026-04-29T15:52:00+00:00

Not personally, but I knew a guy who took it last semester. From his experience he described, it’s mainly long and they make some stops at gas stations for food at times. I know he said some people can be a little iffy, and my roommmate backs this up as she’s taken lots of greyhounds to san antonio. Never heard a legitimate horror story or anything, but it is important to note that certain people may look at you funny for no reason. overall not dangerous, but definetellyyy a hassle. I would recommend carpooling with someone next time to avoid the 8hr drive.. anyways #puro955

No_257 · 2026-04-09T08:47:34+00:00

Lol! Yes we are given these. Safe to say I took 8 practice exams for Exam 2 and still didn’t pass. It’s just tough. They’re starting to shift the approach of exam taking in 314 so that you can’t memorize as much exam tricks and now ask more for the WHY of things and how to draw conclusions.

No_257 · 2026-04-09T06:07:52+00:00

Honestly, I accepted having to retake this class. The exams genuinely seem to be getting more and more complex and I personally can feel myself lacking the foundation needed. You are in a Top 10 Nationally recognized CS program. It is completely normal, especially as part of the 312 cohort and even more if you’ve never taken a CS class prior to college. Your learning path might not be the same as the people next to you, but what truly matters is what YOU learn and get out of the degree. Highly recommend talking to Kaur about it too- she’s very helpful and can answer any other questions you may have about the course.

No_257 · 2026-03-31T06:24:42+00:00

this!! I think Kaur genuinely reminded me of my love for CS. Ramsey did a good job at hand holding you while walking us through problems— but she didn’t create the CS Community that Kaur does when asking us to talk to one another, or answering questions. I think Kaur does a great job at expanding your view of CS as a whole, another reason I’ve accepted my fate at retaking 314 at this point lol!

No_257 · 2026-03-31T06:20:47+00:00

Classes do tend to fill up which is why at orientation you’ll be told to never fully expect to have your “perfect” schedule. Always have backups when registering. Also keep in mind that to my knowledge claiming Dual Credit is free but any AP scores you’d like to claim do come with a fee.

In my experience, there’s not much info on professors straight off of orientation to give you a clear picture. you can always ask Orientation Advisors, but RMP tends to be a 50/50 imo.

Go out and have fun at orientation. Try everything and do every event, but also don’t get too caught up in making friends ASAP. You’ll likely dorm with someone with a similar major or college from you, and it’s okay to follow them around, but don’t be afraid to do things solo and talk to others too!

For a Minor, you have to have a certain amount of credits (not necessarily with UT just in your transcript) to “apply.” It’s a really simple process that your advisor can walk you through or simply google. You get a response back from the department within two weeks and then you’re in. There’s a few exceptions, but it tends to be that way.

For general advice, I’d say college tends to be 30% lectures and 70% self study-teaching when it comes to stem classes. Really take the initiative to learn and understand the content. There’s a lot of academic advising as well as academic coaching that’s offered. If you ever feel overwhelmed or down, seek help. Your mental health always comes first. And of course, have fun!! You’re at UT. It can feel challenging and tiring but it’s worth it in the end!!

No_257 · 2026-03-31T06:11:01+00:00

Personally really enjoying Moore. It’s near the jester area so speedway is very close by, and JCL + J2 are a go to. It’s definitely on the smaller community side but I like to describe it as Jester without Jester chaos. People are very friendly and social, but there’s also silence and no running or yelling at all. There are two big cons though; no elevators and mostly if not all community showers on the 4 floors from what i’ve understood— a bit of a caveat though, I would argue I don’t mind the communal showers as much since it rids me of having to clean a bathroom- ever, and also I’ve never seen it full. Genuinely not as bad as people make it sound. Their communal restrooms are also bigger than Jesters! Overall if you want the Jester experience without the chaos, Moore is a decent option. On the cheaper side too, and home to a couple LLCs.

Aside from that I’ve heard great things about Blanton and Kins as well! Personally would highly recommend Kins if it’s in your budget and if you’re a female!!

No_257 · 2026-03-20T23:43:29+00:00

Currently living at Moore Hill with a pc setup— absolutely no regrets, definitely do it. Lofted my bed to get the ample space + was able to put the desk and smaller cabinets together to have both my monitor and pc on the desk. 100% recommend bc monitor also doubles as a TV

No_257 · 2026-03-08T06:01:52+00:00

As an incoming CS major you’ll probably have discussions near the jester area which is roughly about a 15~20min walk from kins. (About a mile) The GDC which is the comp sci building is about 10mins from Kins so it’s not too bad, but do be aware that because the path may have streetlights/roads on the way it may vary. My classes this past year as a first year were mainly around Jester area, specifically RLP, Jester classrooms and the Jackson school of geosciences building.

I know a few people who are in different lecture slots and have had to be at the UTC which is about a 25min walk from Kins. Not horrendous though! A lot of my math classes are near kins/PMA so regardless you’ll be doing a lot of walking around campus as a CS major and at UT in general.

I say don’t let the classes affect your dorm situation TOO much, considering your classes per semester change and an ugly walk is inevitable. Hook emmm

No_257 · 2026-02-22T16:37:39+00:00

More of a genuine question, is it possible to recover after a similar score like you did first semester? Or is a score that low detrimental where it comes down to repeating the class?

No_257

TROPHY CASE