I'm going to be commuting to Mac, about an hour in good weather. Yes, I know that sounds crazy but I had to make a compromise with my parents...it's a long story. I'm in iSci so I have really limited electives, and all the ones that I think I'd enjoy second term are evening courses (ending 10:00 at the latest, but some are only once or twice a week).

Any fellow commuters out there who could give advice? iSci starts at 9:30 every day, so it would be a long day, I'd be getting home late, and my parents don't want me on the road that time of night. Should I just pick an earlier elective that I don't like as much? Is there somewhere I could crash once a week instead of driving home? Just forgo taking an elective second term?

Take the go train and bring a book with you. Also drink pop right before taking the train so you don't fall asleep and miss your stop.

It takes me 40-60 minutes to commute and I live on the Mountain.

Originally Posted by Icecream

It takes me 40-60 minutes to commute and I live on the Mountain.

Same. No time to read/do homework or anything cause you have to catch the connecting bus. It sucks.

To the OP: I was in the same situation with my parents, they were concerned about me bussing home late after evening midterms and such. I just decided to forgo taking evening classes in first year until I became more used to bussing home late. Now that I have experience with it my parents aren't so concerned about me taking late classes (as annoying as they are)

Also keep in mind that you do have to go to class the next morning/get your homework done in time and such, so pick your next day's courses wisely.

Places to crash:

. The student centre at night, on the upper floor couches. It's not uncommon
. Asking friends if they will let you sleep on their couch how ever many times a week you need to.



Your situation is a bit difficult. Your days are long. I would never ever suggest taking an elective you don't like simply because the timing is convenient, however. What I can suggest doing is (and someone correct me if I'm wrong here in thinking this is a viable option) not taking a full course load. That is, save some for summer school.

It takes me 30 minutes to commute, but I ride the GO bus and we take the 407. Commutes are best for catching up on reading (for class or otherwise), or just for unwinding. Best place to zone out.


Ugh, i hate doing this, but try and find electives that are not in the evening. Unless you're hot headed and extremely passionate about your subjects to the point where nothing can stop you in excelling at it (few are like this when it concerns evening classes), your best bet would be earlier electives.


Maybe you can give us an idea of what you're interested in so we can suggest classes?

Originally Posted by AelyaS

Your situation is a bit difficult. Your days are long. I would never ever suggest taking an elective you don't like simply because the timing is convenient, however. What I can suggest doing is (and someone correct me if I'm wrong here in thinking this is a viable option) not taking a full course load. That is, save some for summer school.

Ugh, i hate doing this, but try and find electives that are not in the evening. Unless you're hot headed and extremely passionate about your subjects to the point where nothing can stop you in excelling at it (few are like this when it concerns evening classes), your best bet would be earlier electives.

Maybe you can give us an idea of what you're interested in so we can suggest classes?

Completely agree. I had one day with a 10:30 class and then a night class this past year and I hated it. Mind you, I also lived on campus. I thought it would be fine, and it was for the first couple of weeks, but after a while, it became a little difficult, so imagine someone who has to commute. That's just my opinion though. I like Aelya's idea about not taking a full course load if summer school is an option for you. If not, I really advise you not to take a night course. But like Aelya mentioned, maybe we can give you more options in terms of courses if you tell us what sorts of subjects interest you?

I had a full year course that ended at 10 too and another mandatory night course first term. I really wanted to do the course, and it is actually how i ended up convincing my parents to let me live off campus, although i had to comprise to staying at a place on the mountain. Personally, for me it backfired. It would take 40 minutes to get home, if i caught buses back to back and not including waiting time beforehand. Due to the way my bus schedule was I would end up missing my bus when I got downtown and would have to wait a whole hour. I learned a lot throughout this experience about just knowing how to look after myself as Hamilton downtown scares me more than Toronto. If you are commuting by GO transit, it is not bad as I am doing that for summer school right now.

However, I would more be worried about how tired you will be. Coming from engineering, I respect iScis. I do not know what your schedule will look like but I had class from 8:30-2:30 no breaks and that included a lab and tutorial that I had to pay attention in. then one more class. Then class again from 5:30-10 with ½-hour break. I really hated Wednesdays and started to skip the 530 class because by the time I got to my evening class I would be tired as we pretty much always had midterms on Tuesday (only 2 weeks once midterms started, we did not have a Tuesday or Thursday midterm.) Moreover, it sucked because while everyone was starting to study for Thursday midterm, I would be too tired and I really could not study on the commute.
One good thing was a couple of times I crashed by my friend’s house. ..Benefits of having most of your friends as SOCS (Society of off campus students). However, you see people crashing at the student centre all the time.

Just curious what course, and does it end at 10 due to a tutorial?

I have 2 night classes and its going to be my first time commuting.

I also have 8 30 am classes, :'(

My sympathies go out to those residing in Hamilton as opposed to those who aren't. Your commutes are painful. HSR rides are hell

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll do my best to find a day elective, but I might just not bother with one second term. Of course then I'd end up in summer school, which would be awkward commuting for just the one course...

Just curious what course, and does it end at 10 due to a tutorial?

I think there were a couple, but the ones I have written down are ANTHROP 1Z03 (core 7-10 Mondays only) and HLTH AGE 1AA3 (tut 6-7, core 7-10 in a row on Thursdays).

Maybe you can give us an idea of what you're interested in so we can suggest classes?

I can try, but my electives are severely limited with the iSci schedule (http://www.science.mcmaster. ca/isc...edule-2011.pdf). These are my possibilities: http://www.science.mcmaster. ca/isc...or_2011-12.pdf I'm taking MATH 1B03 first term so I just need something for second (and consequently, third term courses are ruled out). Aside from science, I'd like to try a language but the only one listed there for beginners is Russian, which is first term. I enjoy music, literature, anything science related, and philosophy/anthro type courses dealing with our origins. I know the environmental science courses fit, but unless someone wants to give them a really positive review and change my mind, it's the one area of science I dislike and I'll be getting some enviro in iSci anyway.

I was thinking COMP SCI 1FC3, and the core fits, but I think the tutorials were posted after that list was made and I can't find a tutorial that fits. CMST 1A03 would fit but I can't figure out what it is from the course description.

Another option, I don't know how possible it would be, but there are a couple second year courses that would fit, that I'd enjoy, and have no prereqs aside from "registration in level II". Particularly CLASSICS 2YY3 and ENGLISH/CSCT 2MM3.

Health age is offered during the day , term 1 at 8:30. For the extra hour early, i think its better than taking it at night. I feel for you, the course i really really wanted to take just couldn't fit into my schedule and isnt offered during the summer. I dont see anyway of doing it anymore as i am most likely going to do the only elective i have for the net three years while i do 2nd year chem this summer so i can qualify for summer osap.

I probably just completely ignored that option when I looked it up. Definitely not a morning person and I'd have to leave super early...it wouldn't be worth it to me, I'd miss/be late for half the classes, be barely functioning, so I wouldn't get much out of it.

Originally Posted by missscarlett

I can try, but my electives are severely limited with the iSci schedule (http://www.science.mcmaster. ca/isc...edule-2011.pdf). These are my possibilities: http://www.science.mcmaster. ca/isc...or_2011-12.pdf I'm taking MATH 1B03 first term so I just need something for second (and consequently, third term courses are ruled out). Aside from science, I'd like to try a language but the only one listed there for beginners is Russian, which is first term. I enjoy music, literature, anything science related, and philosophy/anthro type courses dealing with our origins. I know the environmental science courses fit, but unless someone wants to give them a really positive review and change my mind, it's the one area of science I dislike and I'll be getting some enviro in iSci anyway.

I was thinking COMP SCI 1FC3, and the core fits, but I think the tutorials were posted after that list was made and I can't find a tutorial that fits. CMST 1A03 would fit but I can't figure out what it is from the course description.

Another option, I don't know how possible it would be, but there are a couple second year courses that would fit, that I'd enjoy, and have no prereqs aside from "registration in level II". Particularly CLASSICS 2YY3 and ENGLISH/CSCT 2MM3.

Take the second year courses!

Why wouldn't they work? If they fit, they fit!


WHY IS THIS THREAD STILL OPEN OH MY GOD TAKE THE SECOND YEAR COURSES

SLJDHFLJDSHFLJFGHFGH

Originally Posted by AelyaS

Take the second year courses!

Why wouldn't they work? If they fit, they fit!


WHY IS THIS THREAD STILL OPEN OH MY GOD TAKE THE SECOND YEAR COURSES

SLJDHFLJDSHFLJFGHFGH

those courses require one to be at least a second year student

Originally Posted by MacPack

those courses require one to be at least a second year student

....in my excitement i forgot she wasn't even a first year



-cough-


Now back to this issue of your classes. As of right now, from what we know of your schedule, summer school definitely seems like it should be an option.