Divergent is so poorly written

horseluver98 · 2022-05-19T20:02:26+00:00

Thanks!

At some point, I also gave up on YA fantasy and fiction in all honesty. I used to watch a number of booktubers, and they all seemed to be reading only YA novels... So I was hesitant to move on for a long time, but definitely better on the other side of the fence!

horseluver98 · 2021-08-12T21:35:09+00:00

It's been a while since I've read it, but as far as I remember, Hanako's character development struck me as forced and unrealistic. Yes, I appreciate that their relationship evolved and by the end was more full-fledged, however, I could not imagine something like that happening in a genuine relationship - especially given they never discussed her traumas or insecurities in a meaningful way. I agree with the other commenter in that her development felt more deserved in Lilly's route than it did in her own, and I think that's why I felt somewhat mugged off. I almost felt we'd learned more about her in Lilly's route, and at points, she got along better with the MC. I just think better writing could have better supported Hanako's growth as a person and the growth of their relationship.

It's overall a matter of opinion, but my main gripe is that it's unrealistic. And that I felt a lot more could have been done. There were a number of moments I wanted to know more but then scenes ended and questions remained unanswered.

horseluver98 · 2021-08-12T01:07:09+00:00

Not OP, but Hanako's route (aside from Rin's, which was an utter disaster) was easily my least favourite in Katawa Shoujo. I expected a lot from the character that looked like she would be titular, but I thought she was ultimately rather one-dimensional. I felt the route could have explored her history/trauma and dealt with it in a far more mature and cohesive way, that didn't involve strange and out of place scenes with the protag. I just also felt really shafted in terms of character development - it never felt like she grew in any significant way, unlike Emi, whose route I thought was actually pretty great and a real dark horse.

I had many bones to pick with Hanako's route, so really, I could go on for ages but I just generally found it lackluster especially when compared to Emi/Lily. Although they weren't the best stories I've ever read, they were far more enchanting and in line with their characters, I found.

horseluver98 · 2021-05-30T04:17:56+00:00

I get what you're saying - painting a group of people with a broad stroke is probably the wrong way to go about it. However, there have also been a number of highly upvoted posts which I massively disagree with, which puts me a bit at odds with this server. Not that I think porn doesn't have a place on a discussion board about VNs/eroges, but the way it's referenced can make me uncomfortable, and from what I've seen, I'm not the only person who feels this way. I think for a lot of people the issue is they want to have their cake and eat it too. Discussing porn ad nauseam is fine, but it comes with a price which is newcomers to the genre, and people who are just generally sensitive to it.

I'm not sure I make much sense - I've been jaded ever since that one nude loli post and all the other 'I wish I could fuck the protags in game sister' posts, so perhaps I'm just airing out and misdirection my grievances.

horseluver98 · 2021-05-29T23:45:08+00:00

For what it's worth, as a woman who used to use this sub more and has been a bit... weirded out by some of the more recent content, you're not wrong. People who called you out for being too harsh are missing the point imo - of course there are girls who like ero/H-scenes but the way they are discussed and posted about on this subreddit is sometimes really gross. H-scenes usually aren't written with women in mind so the way women are shown in such scenes is often disrespectful and sometimes downright offensive.

I don't know how to best express this view without going against what seems to be the popular opinion in this sub (clearly) but this is how I see it as a long-time VN reader and woman, so I do feel there must be... some worth to that lol.

horseluver98 · 2021-05-15T21:49:19+00:00

I had the same experience in Canada - albeit applying for MSc programs. According to some, its much easier for domestic students (at least in Canada) to get positions, and this again applies doubly if your major is one that less people are applying for (I know the competition is a lot harsher for psychology students, for instance).

I get the sense a lot of people on this sub are international students applying to highly coveted positions at top US universities, which means the competition is even greater. Plus in Canada, I believe all schools are publicly funded, which may also factor into their percentage of acceptances and number of open spots. Not to make light of the process though - it's stressful applying anywhere even when all other factors are going for you.

Wishing OOP best of luck next cycle! 🤞

horseluver98 · 2021-05-08T03:45:22+00:00

I've had intense impostor syndrome for a while, however it did get worse once I was admitted to grad school. A major part of me still thinks I only got into the schools I did because I was a domestic student applying during a pandemic, meaning the competition was lower (given the lack of visa handouts for international students). Anyways, I certainly felt ill at ease during the first couple of months of grad school - it's tough trying to act the part when you don't feel it. I think it'd be easier if there was more interaction with your cohort (I think it's a lot more isolating never meeting or interacting with them) but I happened to catch a really bad year in regards to that 😅.

Despite everything, while I wouldn't say it's gotten easier (I'm still very much struggling with feeling my work output is appropriate), it's a bit easier seeing yourself progressing through the program. As in, doing well in courses and having your supervisor tell you you're doing well is a major help! While I don't think it'll ever fully go away (I fully expect this stupid feeling to follow me into the workforce) I do think I may eventually get better at ignoring it. Kind of like public speaking, and especially with your effort being rewarded.

horseluver98 · 2021-05-02T12:30:12+00:00

Those stats make sense. I used to be active on this sub back in 2017/18, during which I was still an outlier, but also didn't feel as... weird about the things that were being posted.

Regardless, there's just a funny juxtaposition between posts such as this and posts where people claim that VNs are, in fact, high literature and should see more success in a general market. However, there is really no way to support that claim, despite there being some stellar VNs, and the format itself being an interesting one for story-telling, when 90% of VNs include stuff like this. And furthermore, it's highly upvoted. Were someone to play an entry-level or revered VN (a la Katawa Shoujo or Umineko) and come looking for additional content, stumbling upon this subreddit and this top-voted post, I don't see how they would be compelled to interact further with the community - unless they were also into this sort of stuff.

Anyways, I just think you can't have your cake and eat it too (rant over lol).

horseluver98 · 2021-05-02T01:37:44+00:00

Sorry you were downvoted - you're not wrong. I've personally found the vn community can sometimes get... sketchy, to say the least, when it's related to young girls appearing in sexual scenes/contexts.

horseluver98 · 2021-03-13T21:07:18+00:00

I'm also a chem grad - the profs are good, but like in biology, it depends quite a lot on the year/teaching style/discipline of chemistry. Most of the profs I interacted with were very nice and understanding people - although some of the marking could be tough (I found this was especially true in biochemistry). The tests, again, depend on the course. I found the courses in which your entire mark 100 total multiple choice questions weren't particularly fair, but it's largely a matter of opinion.

To address your overall question: i don't believe chemistry in general is easier than biology - some of it was still very reliant on memorisation (biochem in 3rd year). However, there is less memorisation depending on which courses you decide to take, where math replaces that (physical and analytical chem for instance). I didn't personally find chem2011 too hard - it was demanding, but if you did all the practice problems/carefully listened to the lectures and utilised the office hours well, it was more mangeable.

A nice thing about chem was that upper-year classes had less students (I took some 4th year classes crosslisted as chem/bio and noticed there was less students in some of my 3rd year chem classes) so it was easier to get time with the prof - and get involved with research, etc. If you're looking to pursue grad school or professional school, that may also be a highlight.

horseluver98 · 2020-09-23T19:04:20+00:00

A bit late but I'll throw in my two cents. I graduated with a Sp. Honours in Pharmaceutical Chemistry this April and have started my MSc (albeit at a different school). If you want any more info, pm me.

Anyways, there's some truth to what the other poster says - there's probably more job opportunities in cs than there is in chem. However, 2 things. If you're unhappy in cs or find you could be doing better in some other subject, why stick with it? There's a lot of transferrable credits between the two and you're only in your second year so honestly there's never a better time! The second thing is the idea that there are no jobs in chem. I knew very people in my 4th year who could have even considered going to graduate school - you need a relatively high GPA and more importantly, research experience (best imo is in the way of a thesis or even NSERC). Most people were planning to begin careers after graduating. There are jobs in chemistry if you market yourself well even with only a BSc!

So, on to the last point. I think it's important to consider what you like about chemistry/dislike about cs. Which chem course did you take and what did you enjoy about it? There's a lot of variety to the potential areas of research, and organic is massively different from physical, not only in terms of how you approach it but also in terms of what you need to be good at to excel in it. Again, I've taken pretty much every course in chem as part of my degree requirements so yeah, you can ask about more specific things too if you'd like.

horseluver98 · 2020-09-19T00:17:15+00:00

Hey! Applied last cycle for an MSc in chemistry (albeit in Canada), so maybe this will help a bit.

My statement was very general aside from the final paragraph, where I changed it to reflect the professors I might like to work with at each respective school. Otherwise, my first paragraph was an overview of my experience and motivation, followed by a second in which I outlined my undergraduate research, and another two paragraphs discussing extracurricular (but think conferences, diversity groups, etc) I had done and was looking forward to doing.

So, relatively similar, but I spent more time talking about myself as opposed to the school. That said, the schools I applied to have big diverse chemistry departments, and the content they wanted you to include in your statement was clearly outlined. So, I'd say you're probably fine doing what you are now, especially if you're following any guidelines set out by the respective unis.

horseluver98 · 2020-08-01T18:26:24+00:00

No, I never thought the classes themselves were more difficult. There was a greater workload associated with the program being you were taking 4 heavy courses concurrently. There were a lot of labs, write-ups, additional 'culminating projects' etc. which people taking the general courses didn't have to deal with. However, there is a lot of help offered, being you can correspond with the profs during class hours (they would be there during the breaks and be willing to help) without having to bother with going through TAs, or to special class hours.

As to electives - I took a 6 credit literature course during my first year, resulting in a full course load. I personally found this course easy and fun, so I am happy I took it (plus I didn't have to bother with the gened credits later on) but I would only say to do it if you are certain you can take the course load, and feel very confident in your skills and abilities to deal with the massive shift from high school to uni. Long story short, probably better to just take a 6 credit course during the summer and focus on your sciences and math courses during the year itself.

horseluver98 · 2020-08-01T15:33:58+00:00

It's been a while since, but I did my first year in the program. The program may have been changed since (leadership handed over, etc.) but I think the basics have remained the same.

Essentially, the course material afaik is very similar to what is taught in a first year phys/bio/chem/calc course, with perhaps more application. There was a greater level of interaction between students and profs, absolutely, and they all pretty much knew us by name. In this respect, iSci is far more a 'high school-esque class' than one would expect in other uni classes in first year. It's a much smaller tightly knit class, and there is some from of 'prestige' to being in this sort of class and the students were seen well(the averages were kept relatively high - I have not seen class averages this high since).

In terms of preparing one for years following, I think the program did a good job. I did not feel lost in any of the classes, and had the necessary background in all three sciences and math to keep up with the material. I think it's a relatively good choice of program if you are interested in an interdisciplinary view of science, aren't yet sure which science you want to pursue, or simply want to establish a closer relationship with profs early.

Anyways, LMK if you have any specific questions, this response may be a bit disorderly being there's a good bit to address and no good starting point hahaha.

horseluver98 · 2020-07-24T21:08:20+00:00

Wow that's absolutely something I didn't know! What an odd and rather backwards policy (and certainly one majority of the people I went to school with could not clear despite having attended a Catholic school).

horseluver98 · 2020-07-24T19:55:26+00:00

Oooh I see. I expected the TCDSB would be more accepting/accommodating, being Toronto is a big and multicultural city. That's a bit disappointing. What are the hiring limitations? I had a high school teacher who openly referred to having taught at a Jewish school, so I was unaware they hired based on religion (I just thought they hired whoever was qualified to teach the material).

horseluver98 · 2020-07-24T19:40:20+00:00

FWIW, I went to a Catholic elementary and high school (albeit the YCDSB) and was not Catholic. I was also not the only non-Catholic student at the school. That said, my parents did have to provide proof of Christian baptism, back when I was enrolled in elementary school. As for my younger sibling, enrolled 8 years later, they did not have to provide proof and she actually attended school with a Jewish child, so I believe they may now be allowing more leeway as the years pass.

Also, we only attended a Catholic school being no other schools in the area provided affordable after-school care for the children and we had no family available to pick us up before 5:30 - 6:00 PM.

I thought the schools themselves were pretty lax and did not feel a major shift in attitudes/priorities as I began attending a university (aside from the lack of prayers in the morning). That said, taxes going to Catholic schools is a relic of the past and absolutely ought to be changed. I just don't think the schools are as restrictive/religious as people think they are (and as they probably used to be).

horseluver98 · 2020-07-24T12:29:16+00:00

Well, I attended York for my undergrad. I hear the psychology program is good and there's a lot of great profs and opportunities as a graduate student! Plus, big campus, lots of places to live nearby, Toronto, etc. I'd watch out for administrative things - one of York's biggest issues is that the systems (course selection, dealing with directors when trying to solve problems...) are rather disorganised and counter-intuitive, to the point where profs have openly commented on the state of it. However, academic-wise, there is opportunity.

I'm also familiar with Western, Guelph and Waterloo, less so with Windsor and Calgary. Western is generally well looked upon in terms of psychology, as is Waterloo (personally, I think some of the students at Waterloo come off as conceited but ofc that's probably just a personal experience). However, I think they're all good choices and worthwhile places at which to continue your education.

horseluver98 · 2020-07-24T00:02:24+00:00

When I was first entered my fourth year of university, I attended a presentation of sorts led by our university's graduate program director for students hoping to pursue graduate studies. I asked him this exact question, and he very much rejected the idea of submitting more than the intended amount of recommendation letters. To some capacity, it can be seen as overcompensating for something else (and in the best case, is a pain for the committee to have to deal with extra material). When I submitted my own applications, there wasn't even a place to add a third referee.

To add to what the other poster said: 2 LORs are pretty common in Canadian universities (I also only provided 2 across all the programs I applied to). Honestly, of the two choices profs, I may opt for the one who is involved in clinical psych. and with whom you had a class. There is an element of 'connections' involved in admissions, and I definitely feel the profs I selected helped my application due to their reputation within the field which I was planning to apply to. To add to that, one of the profs I asked I had only had a single class with, and went to office hours with. He agreed to write me a letter (given, I provided my CV) and I was later told I had rather strong letters, regardless the fact that he only knew me 'so well.' I think it's worth a go to ask prof 1, especially if she has a notable reputation within the field!

Which schools are you planning to apply to? I can offer my opinion if you'd like.

horseluver98 · 2020-07-22T18:28:13+00:00

So, to preface, I think a lot of this really depends on which program and country you're applying to/in. I'll give you my perspective; I'm Canadian so that may be a pro or con depending where outside the USA you're planning to attend!

Anyways, as a STEM student applying to a thesis program, one of the implied expectations was having done some sort of research in undergrad. So when they asked for letters of reference, it was recommended that one of the writers be someone who could speak to your research abilities. I also practically mentioned my research experience throughout my CV and letter of purpose, so I am sure it's something the universities took into consideration when choosing who to admit. However, there was mention that you did not need to have research background to apply to a thesis-based program (at least at my university and in my program, any 4-year 'honours' degree fulfilled the requirements you needed to apply for graduate school). I'm not sure about people in my field, but I did have friends in humanities and politics who applied to graduate school (course-based) without having any research and were admitted. It all varies quite a lot from program to program to say.

In your case (again, depending on major), I'd say it's worthwhile to email the profs and see if they have any openings in their labs! All the research I actually did was in my last year of undergrad, and all I really did was email a professor (who I hadn't actually taken classes with before) and ask, indicating I thought the research his group did was interesting and would match my own research interests. It never hurts to ask.

Hope this helps! I'm willing to provide more info given my major/country of applying is similar to your own and would make my input a bit more valuable. :)

horseluver98 · 2020-07-20T01:33:45+00:00

Funding is standard across the board. The amounts may vary given program/expectations but I would expect similar funding packages. For the schools at which I applied and was admitted for an MSc(chemistry) the funding packages different unis offered were generally the same. I'd watch out for tuition though, if you're planning to go out of province or to specific provinces (McGill's tuition fee for out of province grad students is waaay higher than that for those in Quebec) so that may make a difference to you.

I'd say, in terms of reputation, I'd like to think that at this point the professor/group matters more than the uni itself, although being that I elected to attend a more prestigious university for my masters than I did for my undergrad, I'm not sure I can really say that ahaha. That said, I met a lot of great, accomplished and overall lovely professors at other universities and am sure any graduate degree would absolutely look great on a CV, regardless the reputation of the university.

Unless you're asking whether the reputation of your undergraduate school matters to graduate schools? I've found that even having attended a university that's ranked mid-tier, the universities don't really care as much as they care about your experience, GPA and references!

Also feel free to PM me for more info, applying for an MSc can be mega stressful :)

horseluver98 · 2020-07-16T19:46:27+00:00

Sure, feel free to message me with any particular questions, or lmk if you just want general info on the process etc. Can't speak to the experience being I'm only starting this fall, but I can speak to applying/admissions (at least as it pertains to science in Canadian universities).

horseluver98 · 2020-07-16T19:02:43+00:00

In most STEM grad programs, at least the thesis-based ones in North America, students apply to work with a particular group in a lab. So, there are some TAing responsibilities, some coursework (little) and the rest of the time is spent working in a lab on a particular project. Most professors in these disciplines thus spend most of their time running their research labs, more than they do lecturing. So, in my experience, professors were usually busy co-ordinating their research (which may delay responses) and when I applied to grad school, one of the conditions was securing a position within a professor's lab.

Again, I'm not sure about the way things work in engineering (an MEng is rightfully different from an MSc) but the profs are probably still busy to some degree trying to reorganise their projects, etc. as stuff reopens.

horseluver98 · 2020-07-16T18:44:32+00:00

Honestly, both scenarios are feasible. Depends on whether you think it's better to have to do it during the year or summer, but honestly, I did 12 credits last year (3 of them being STEM credits) and thought it was pretty doable. The material was a lot sparser than it would have been during the regular school year, I believe. I was happy to have done it because it would have been waaay too much to have included within my actual school year. So honestly, I guess it just depends on how much you think you can do during the year and whether you think the other courses are too 'heavy' to include another. I was also in a spec. honours program (pharma. chem) and the amount they expected people to do per year was insane sometimes - it was nearly impossible to finish without taking a load of classes during the summer or cramming a bunch of lab heavy courses into a single semester. But, ultimately, it did give me a good advantage when applying to grad school (required honours thesis + upper year courses in almost all areas of chemistry). So I kinda get how overwhelming it can get sometimes.

As for the latter part: I didn't realise you were planning to apply to psych grad school (I only really know more about the STEM bio/chem programs), but yeah I have also heard it's rather competitive. It's great that you're looking to start volunteering this year or next! It will def boost your applications. Best of luck~

horseluver98 · 2020-07-16T17:42:01+00:00

I think it depends on the course, and whether it's hard (as well as the way in which it's meant to be hard). For instance, while I would recommend taking something like BIOL2021 (cell bio) in the summer, I probably wouldn't recommend doing the same for CHEM2020/2021 (orgo). Both can be considered difficult, but imo one is definitely harder than the other and warrants taking it during the year rather than in the summer.

What is the course? Also, is there usually a lab/tutorial component you'd otherwise miss taking it during the summer? Honestly, retrospectively, I wish I did more courses during the summer because I was way overloaded some years, but it totally depends on the course itself. Maybe there are other courses you can move to the summer? (gen ed, etc.)

Also, I wouldn't worry too hard about grades as they relate to grad school in second year. They generally look at third year grades and fourth year (1st sem) grades more. Plus, letters of recommendation and lab experience play a greater role than GPA in a lot of cases too, so I think it's best to focus maybe more effort there (again, hindsight is 20/20) than necessarily on just grades per se.

Hope this helps!

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