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Making friends?

 
Old 07-31-2010 at 04:10 AM   #31
reeves
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JEFF_CHAN View Post
It was weird at first until you remember everyone goes to mac and is roughly the same age as you (except Reeves) =/
Wtf.

But with my youthful good looks and natural immaturity, I blend in well.
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Old 07-31-2010 at 07:50 AM   #32
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Quote:
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I'd also heavily recommend getting involved with SOCS (Society of Off Campus Students). A membership is only $5 during Welcome Week (the price goes up afterword), and even if you later decide that its not your cup of tea, you still get awesome discounts at places all around Hamilton

SOCS is pretty much the residence experience for people who aren't living in res- you'll meet plenty of people in your year and program, and people from other programs and years as well. When it comes time to pick your major, that's a huge benefit. Chances are there's someone else whose already picked that path and can tell you all about it. There's also tonnes of awesome events, but for me the thing I always found most enjoyable was just hanging out in the SOCS lounge (its located in the student centre, right above Union Market). At first its a bit intimidating- it seems like everyone already knows everyone. But people are really friendly there, and its super easy to become one of the regulars.


Also, MacInsiders has get togethers from time to time, and I swear we're all really cool people. Come and meet people that way!
How can I get membership? Obviously I'd prefer the WW rate but if that's only available to first year students I won't complain.
Old 07-31-2010 at 10:15 AM   #33
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I'm pretty sure the rates are for all students, not just first years (we don't want to discriminate against upper years, since I'm pretty sure the majority of off campus students are upper years ).


I'm still waiting on getting a message back, but I'm relatively sure we'll be selling memberships in the SOCS office Musc B108 throughout Welcome Week, if not we'll have a table somewhere else. I'll let you know in better detail as soon as I find out!
Old 08-01-2010 at 08:32 AM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sew12 View Post
I think while there are exceptions to the rule regarding both people who sit in the front and people who sit in the back they're not entirely untruthful.

People aren't just saying those things to say it. From experience there are a lot of self-important, know it all, suck up types who sit in the front of lectures. They ask numerous questions to the prof before, during and after lecture most of which waste lecture and serve only to make themselves look smart. With certain Profs you can feel them internally rolling their eyes at such people, and actually outright trying to shut them up so the entire class can move on. These people are annoying and will continue to annoy you throughout University because unfortunately they aren't stupid, will do all the work and will pass and move on into upper years.

Of course some other people are completely normal and just like to sit near the front or back of the lecture hall.

Just saying.



So if I was planning to sit right in the front and ask the professor questions (which I wasn't aware we could, but that's not the point), I'd be looked down upon as a know-it-all suck-up?
Old 08-01-2010 at 09:12 AM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Faer View Post


So if I was planning to sit right in the front and ask the professor questions (which I wasn't aware we could, but that's not the point), I'd be looked down upon as a know-it-all suck-up?
I wouldn't consider those people as suck-ups. I would however be like, "Seriously, stop wasting the classes time with all your questions. I paid to be taught by the professor, not to listen to questions the entire time". That being said, 1-2 questions is fine and understandable.
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Old 08-01-2010 at 09:57 AM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Faer View Post


So if I was planning to sit right in the front and ask the professor questions (which I wasn't aware we could, but that's not the point), I'd be looked down upon as a know-it-all suck-up?
Not necessarily a know-it-all suck-up, but a sure-fire way to annoy the rest of the class is to continually ask questions. Like Jeremy said, 1-2 is fine, but if there's something you really don't get and need more help with, go to office hours!!! Even people asking a million questions before/after class is annoying, because there are other people who only need one quick question but must wait 10-15mins for the prof to re-teach you something. And depending on the kind of questions you ask, people will end up either thinking you're an idiot (if you continually ask questions that the prof has already addressed in class), or a know-it-all suck-up (if the questions are always way beyond what we need to know).

If you don't understand something, there are office hours and the help centre in the basement of Thode (for some courses) where you can rehash the lecture material all you want without anyone thinking you're an idiot. These resources are here to help you, so you should take advantage of them so you can learn the material well without wasting the rest of the class' time. Everyone has the right to learn, but that doesn't mean people who understand a concept should have their time wasted by people who don't. Of course, a couple of questions in class is fine (you're likely not the only person who doesn't understand something), but as Jeremy said, people are paying to listen to the prof, not a bajillion often-irrelevent questions. There's also the online class discussions (Avenue to Learn, this year) where you can post as many questions as you want and hopefully people will answer. Usually there's a few dedicated people in the class who will answer your questions, along with TAs and profs.

If you're asking questions way beyond what is needed for the class, you just make it sound like you're way smarter than everyone else and the basic course material is a waste of your time. If you genuinely know a lot about a topic, and are curious about something that falls beyond course material, try to hold off the questions until office hours or on the internet discussion forums.

Also, you don't need to be sitting right in the front to ask questions, but it does help Most profs will take questions from people regardless of where they're sitting, although there are usually more questions from the people sitting in the front few rows--the stereotypical 'keeners'. That said, you can sit in the front row and not open your mouth for the whole term, or sit in the back and still be very outspoken in class.
Old 08-01-2010 at 10:04 AM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nerual View Post
And depending on the kind of questions you ask, people will end up either thinking you're an idiot (if you continually ask questions that the prof has already addressed in class), or a know-it-all suck-up (if the questions are always way beyond what we need to know).
I just really wanted to reiterate this point. Asking questions all the time can make you look like a complete idiot if your questions don't make sense. I vividly recall this one kid from first year who I shared many classes with who thought he was being intelligent while asking questions, but everyone thought he was an idiot because his questions never made any sense/were stuff that was already covered.

As a particularly egregious example, he asked if a grizzly bear and a panda bear could mate in Biology 1M03, while being completely serious. Even if you think your questions are intelligent, its probably safer to ask in private.
Old 08-01-2010 at 10:07 AM   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marlowe View Post
I just really wanted to reiterate this point. Asking questions all the time can make you look like a complete idiot if your questions don't make sense. I vividly recall this one kid from first year who I shared many classes with who thought he was being intelligent while asking questions, but everyone thought he was an idiot because his questions never made any sense/were stuff that was already covered.

As a particularly egregious example, he asked if a grizzly bear and a panda bear could mate in Biology 1M03, while being completely serious. Even if you think your questions are intelligent, its probably safer to ask in private.
I remember too My favourite example, also from bio 1M03:

"would survivors of tsunamis have tsunami-resistant babies?"

Quite possibly my favourite moment in that class

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Old 08-01-2010 at 12:32 PM   #39
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Not everyone who sits in the front and happens to ask questions will be immediately seen as an annoying moron. Like its been said it depends on the quantity, quality and relevance of the questions.

The people I'm talking about are the people who are clearly just raising their hand so they can kiss the prof's ask some more and prove how superior their intelligence is to the annoyance of the rest of the room. Their questions often veer off-topic and thus waste class time.

Straight up stupid people who ask ridiculous questions are sometimes welcome for the lolz.
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Old 08-01-2010 at 01:01 PM   #40
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This discussion on question asking brings to mind an important point.
If a prof skips over something, doesn't speak a word or phrase clearly enough, or appears to contradict himself and you get confused - Ask.
The moment you feel stuck you need to ask yourself whether this is something you're stuck on because you haven't been keeping up with the work (best not to ask the question then) or because it seems like a poor explanation or confusing. Then go for it.
Remember that, even though university does have a lot of smart people, each prof's lecture style is unique and may not be best suited to the material. No harm in asking him to repeat himself or if something doesn't make sense - chances are many others feel the same way but just don't want to ask.
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Old 08-01-2010 at 03:39 PM   #41
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Yeah, profs do make mistakes and give the wrong information or a confusing/contradictory explanation, if this is the case then there's nothing wrong with asking for clarification. Just use your judgement Don't blindly believe that the prof is right, but if something doesn't sit right with you or you think it contradicts, it might be more prudent to double-check the facts and approach the prof later/post your question online, so you don't avoid embarassing yourself or the prof. Catching the error is important though, so that the rest of the class learns the correct material.
Old 08-01-2010 at 06:06 PM   #42
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Old 08-01-2010 at 06:12 PM   #43
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I can't recall the number of times I've fallen asleep despite being in the first few rows.
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Old 08-01-2010 at 07:39 PM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JEFF_CHAN View Post
I can't recall the number of times I've fallen asleep despite being in the first few rows.
Same thing happened to me, now I avoid sitting in the front rows for fear of the professor XD
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Old 08-01-2010 at 07:43 PM   #45
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OMG I sat in the EXACT same spot as the 2nd row sleeper but I'm not going to say which class for fear of incrimination.
I tried SO HARD...but I couldn't stay awake.
The lights were dim and I was sick. Oh not a good choice.
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