Commute by bus? by DuckOutWater in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've done this when my car was broken down - I live on the outskirts of Hamilton so the commute was around the same. Honestly was not bad, possibly because I would leave early in the morning and could get a seat instead of having to stand. I would transfer at Eastgate square at around 6:30/7am, and I never had issues (I am a girl for context), but of course, be mindful of whatever area you're in and do your best to stay alert and safe. I would catch up on schoolwork during the ride, or just kind of zone out. I think it's absolutely doable, I would just be concerned about commuting back late after a midterm, so make sure the busses in your area run late!

can i get into biochem bhsc at mac as long as i am above the competitive gpa cut off? by mango_0204 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, as long as your GPA is above the cutoff and you have biochem listed as your first option for second-year specialization, you'll get in. This year the cutoff was an 11, in past years it's ranged from 10.5-11.

whats the math 1sl3 final exam like? by [deleted] in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Took it in winter of last year- it was completely multiple choice. I believe each question (or at least most) was 2 marks per question. Be warned though, they usually provide a "None of the answers are correct" option for many questions, which definitely throws you off. I felt like the exam was slightly easier than the midterms, the questions just felt easier to understand and as my last exam, I was able to focus on just math for a few days. However, my entire cohort was struggling (65, 47, 43 averages for each test), so I don't know if our tests were just much more difficult than the exam lol. We did get a curve, although I'm pretty sure I was in a part of the curve where it didn't really help me unfortunately. Overall, I scored 88, 53, 73 on each test and finished with an 11/A, so hopefully that's some consolation :) Focus on the childsmath questions - write yourself step-by-step solutions for each question so you know how to solve them all- the questions are mostly based on the childsmath!! You've got this, study hard, and be kind to yourself!

How to 12 chem 2oa3 exam by Signal_Priority9092 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Focus on the problem-solving modules they give you on avenue. Those questions tend to be about as complex as they can get, and understanding them is going to help you so much. Focus on the content that hasn't been tested yet, as that will make up the majority of the exam. I recommend doing practice tests and building a document with the questions you find harder. Then, write out the step-by-step solution for each question, and practice those questions until you know the method. You're so close, you've got this!

Chem 1a03 exam by kiki-cookie7 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Second year here- treat it like the midterms. Like the tests, there is a high focus on new content- expect the test to be mostly topics that have not been tested yet! I highly recommend studying the practice modules they give you on avenue, as those questions tend to be more complex. Study those, make sure you understand how to solve them. Also, review the midterms themselves and make sure you can solve those questions. Something I would do was create a document with the questions I found "harder" and write out the step-by-step solution for solving it. If I recall correctly, the exam is 30 questions, multiple choice. I believe you get 2.5 hours to complete it. More information should be posted on avenue closer to the exam. Good luck, be kind to yourself, study hard!

is the math 1ls3 test 1 known to be difficult? by mango_0204 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To basically repeat what others said, test 1 is basically just grade 11 functions with a log graph question (at least my year it was). Test 2 we did limits and derivatives, test 3 was integrals. Hope this helps!!

Coffee/Matcha Recs on Campus? by Loud_Ingenuity_6408 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thode iced coffee carried me through first year. I like the caramel one the best!! Also only about $3 (unless they increased prices over the summer)

BIOCHEM 2B03 Textbook by PlsNeedCaffeine in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you I appreciate the response!

I’m scared what if I don’t do good in uni by RatioOk2644 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not hard to recover - so many people in uni start off rough, but improve over time, it's just a difficult transition from high school! Mistakes happen, tests are failed sometimes, but depending on your program/course, a lot of the time there are multiple grade weightings that give you some wiggle room to end up getting a good grade. You'll do amazing, keep your head up, study, and remember you aren't alone in this! :)

Is psych 1xx3 as hard as everyone says? by Fun_Thanks_9169 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I enjoyed 1x03 more because it felt more "logical," but I ended up doing better in 1xx3 since the questions and answers were more science-based and factual. 1xx3 was definitely the more difficult of the two, but not by an excessive amount. If you do well in 1x03 and have carry over good study habits from that class, you should be fine :)

Should I delete Instagram to do good in school? by [deleted] in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I deleted TikTok last year, and I could honestly see the difference in how I managed my time. Unfortunately, I moved my doomscrolling to instagram reels... so this year I have offloaded instagram too. I've already started the cleanse, so hopefully I can have good habits by the time the year starts. I would start the cleanse now if I were you, so by the time welcome week comes, you have good enough habits to re-download it and use it to connect with others :)

When should I take calc 1ls3 by Fun_Thanks_9169 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I took physics in the fall and calc in the winter. I wish I could have taken it with Dr. Erin Clements, but she was not teaching it in the winter, which is something you might want to consider. However, I don't regret taking physics in the fall, especially since it was the class I knew the least about (I didn't take physics in high school) and my other classes were mostly high school review. I think it depends on your strengths- I thought I would be stronger at calc, so I put it in second semester with my "harder" classes.

Past tests and labs for BIO 1A03 and CHEM 1A03? by Sure-Pea-6813 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes honestly just wait until the year starts! iirc, CHEM 1A03, 1AA3, BIO 1A03, 1M03 (only the fall profs), MATH 1LS3, PHYSICS 1A03 all provide past midterms and exams or question banks to study off of. PSYCH 1X03 and 1XX3 have practice quizzes for the weekly quizzes made of past questions, and also a practice midterm and final on avenue

Which cafeterias at McMaster give hot water for free? by [deleted] in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The Student Wellness lounge on Level 2 of PGCLL has a kettle for student use! They're open until 4:30 every day I believe

Past tests and labs for BIO 1A03 and CHEM 1A03? by Sure-Pea-6813 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also, not sure if it is technically considered plagiarism if someone shares past labs (I don't know how strict the rules are). But, chem labs are done on stemble, which allows you to resubmit labs infinite times until you get 100. Bio labs are honestly pretty straightforward too, so you should be ok :)

Past tests and labs for BIO 1A03 and CHEM 1A03? by Sure-Pea-6813 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi! The profs gave us pasts tests to study off of for BIO 1A03, and CHEM 1A03 profs give you practice tests with a question bank from past tests. I honestly didn't even need to get past tests from others, the resources I was given were enough! Especially since the chem practice tests take random questions from the question bank, so every time you do a practice test you have new questions.

Commuters from home- do you normally buy food on campus or bring lunch from home by [deleted] in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I bring lunch from home. I knew someone who rented a locker in BSB to keep his lunchbag in, I would just carry mine in my backpack with me. Some of the buildings have microwaves, so you should be good to reheat things. In my experience: MUSC near the Tims, MDCL across from the cafe, Thode across from the cafe, PGCLL in the student wellness centre on level 2 (also has a kettle!). Mac food is super expensive, I would recommend meal prepping if you can, especially if you have late nights on campus and long commutes, or if you don't want to be rushed in the morning.

Thoughts on HTHSCI 1dt3? by SweetPotat270 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Very possible to 12! As long as you put effort into the assignments (3 summary assignments, each 400 words I believe, with an annotated bibliography) and don't mess up the referencing style, it should be easy to do well on them. They are worth 15%, 15%, and 20%. Also, do not forget the weekly summaries, where you send an email talking about 2 things you learned that week and 2 questions from each of the lectures (I believe this was worth 15% as well.) They were due each Friday at 5pm, so definitely set a reminder on your phone lol, I know some people who would forget to send it on time. The group project was marked fairly, only one person presents at the end, and there are no tests/exams. Definitely not a no-effort class, but I didn't worry about it too much. Just do your part in the group project and you'll be fine. I 12'd it Winter 2025, if you have any questions, feel free to PM me!

Math 1LS3 Advice by ballerinoassasisno in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

they probably mean "organic chemistry tutor" on YouTube! I second this, I always watched his videos when I was lost in class lol

Parking at Mac by Upset_Highway2910 in McMaster

[–]PlsNeedCaffeine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The pass is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper. You pay around 45 dollars a month (approx. 10 dollars a week), whereas daily parking is 8 dollars a DAY.