What's your program and why?
08-15-2011 at 08:40 PM
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#1
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What's your program and why?
What is your program and why? How proud are you of your program? What do you have in store for the future?
I myself was in Humanities in my first year, but now I am in Theatre & Film temporarily. Around March I am going to hopefully transfer to Multimedia, since that's what I was told I could do when I went to see the Humanities Advisers.
All in all, I can't say much. With regards to Humanities, I think it's a very broad program that allows for a lot of choices, and during welcome week, the representatives were very fun and welcoming, and almost instantly I became extroverted, and this is coming from someone who is rather introverted.
Now, as for the future, I am not quite sure to be honest. It's somewhere between Web Design and Digital Art in general, and Game Design in terms of digital concept art and whatnot. I really can't say much at the moment. I am also taking Japanese on the side in hopes I could maybe do something with minor (or even major?) Asian gaming companies, which includes Nexon. You never know - it's a possibility, albeit a long shot.
I know this is a somewhat weird thread, but it allows people to get to know each other as well as have some insight into programs other than their own.
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08-15-2011 at 09:20 PM
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#2
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The Welcome Wagon
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I signed up in Humanities in my first year and I am now in Linguistics program. The reason I chose Linguistics as my program because I love learning languages. This what attract me to sign up for Humanities in the first place because of the language courses offered.
At first I wanted to have French as a major. Mainly because I wanted to become a French teacher. I was inspired by my French teacher in highschool to go in this path. I have been taking French since grade 4 (Core French) and I wanted to continue it in university. Unfortunately, I didn't do so well in first year French and I decided to stop taking it. During my first year, I've been having second thoughts about choosing French as my major. I wanted to be more open to take other languages. I read about linguistics in the humanities website and that's when it hit me to pursue Linguistics as my major. This is also the reason why I took Japanese as another language to learn, not just because I love anime.
Geography is a potential minor. I have no idea why, I just found this program interesting. French might also be my potential minor, but I haven't decided yet
For the future, I am not sure actually. I'm just going for my interest right now, not a certain job. I've been told by many people that I should work for the government or become a diplomat or something. I never know what career I'll end up in
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Last edited by akikokoyoki : 08-15-2011 at 09:42 PM.
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08-15-2011 at 09:21 PM
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#3
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Professional Fangirl
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loooool this is gonna be long.
I was in Life Science in first year, and I had always felt that Science was the only place for me because going into anything else would be a waste of time and intellect. I grew up on the idea that if you're smart, you go into science, and you become a doctor.
I realized in first year that a lot of subjects in science didn't really interest me at all. Things like Chemistry and Physics were irrelevant to my life. I would be occasionally interested by the things taught in class and I would appreciate them and ponder them at the time, but I didn't take anything away from it when I left the classroom.
In short, I was bored. Nothing clicked for me. When I did labs or read studies in those courses, I didn't understand the significance of data. I couldn't easily grasp what was being proved or why it mattered.
Psychology was the only subject that really seemed to answer my curiosity in a way that left me thinking about things long after I left the classroom-- on the bus, while brushing my teeth, before I went to sleep, etc. I decided that I needed to pursue it, because it was the only subject where I knew I wouldn't be easily bored. It uses the scientific approach that I'm comfortable with, but I have no trouble understanding the significance of studies and asking further questions.
I'm minoring in bio to help me fill in the bigger picture for a question I'd like answered; what is it that makes us so different from each other? We share the same gene pool, we have the same bodily structure; as humans we are basically the same. Yet, what is it that allows us to have dreams, goals, to think about emotions and so on?
I wish there wasn't the mentality that Psychology is a "soft science". There is data to analyze, and there are biological and evolutionary aspects. I wish my parents, and the public in general, would understand that Pyschology is not just Dr. Phil or being a psychiatrist. I want to research, or get a pHD, or become a doctor. None of my future paths have been restricted because I left a "traditional pre-med" field.
Last edited by anon491 : 08-16-2011 at 02:24 PM.
Reason: typo x|
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08-15-2011 at 09:22 PM
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#4
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I am in the business program. Why? You already know
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08-15-2011 at 09:26 PM
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#5
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King of Microwaves
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Manny123
I am in the business program. Why? You already know
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If it's money, you are attending the wrong university.
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08-15-2011 at 09:35 PM
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#6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by akikokoyoki
I signed up in Humanities in my first year and I am now in Linguistics program. The reason I chose Linguistics as my program because I love learning languages. This what attract me to sign up for Humanities in my first because of the language courses offered.
...This is also the reason why I took Japanese as another language to learn, not just because I love anime.
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Oh wow, sounds really nice. I am also taking Linguistics, btw, out of sheer curiosity. It'd be interesting to take it alongside Japanese.
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08-15-2011 at 09:41 PM
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#7
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The Welcome Wagon
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AdelaisAer
Oh wow, sounds really nice. I am also taking Linguistics, btw, out of sheer curiosity. It'd be interesting to take it alongside Japanese.
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I did take Linguistics with the Japanese course. Japanese is the only language I've learned that follows SOV (subject, object, verb) not the typical SVO (subject, verb, object) like in English. Pretty much the stuff I learn in the linguistics applies to the language courses I've been taking in terms of sounds and sentence structure.
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08-15-2011 at 09:48 PM
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#8
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Commerce because my parents made me.
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Glenn <3
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08-15-2011 at 09:50 PM
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#9
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I love topics like this. They're so engaging and insightful.
Year 1: Business
I grew up with a love for the sciences, and took all my sciences throughout high school. But my grandfather ran his own business while working as an executive in another company and I always had a strong sense of admiration for his work ethic and how he ran his company like clockwork. Most things in life are sold around business; even a scientist requires an understanding of business to be the most successful they can be.
I'd heard about a lot of people who were less than satisfied with their BSc's job prospects. I realised I didn't want to graduate after 4 years and pursue business while abandoning Science, so I gave it a shot. A very brief shot. I realised that the programs, the focus and the long term prospects were not as fulfilling as bond lines and pKa's so I shadowed Life Sci.
Year 2: Chemical Biology
Chemistry is considered one of the "harder" sciences, and like most people, I never grew up thinking I would be good at it. In Grade 11, I struggled over the concept of a "one mole" for weeks, so I didn't exactly see a future in it. Then Grade 12 went a lot better, but I figured I just did a lot of practice and that was what helped.
First year Chemistry was interesting. It was challenging and somewhat new for me. It was also a bit overwhelming to learn these concepts so quickly in such a large detached lecture hall. I did average on the midterms, and struggled with some other concepts. Again, I did not expect this to be my saving grace.
Until I decided to pull my shit together for the exam and worked through everything I could for about 3 weeks. Then I wrote the exam. And I found that things made sense. Even new questions were not that bad, because if I came back and tried again, they fell into place.
1A03 was one of my best grades in first year. And when 1AA3 began, I realised that I truly loved the subject. So I figured I would major in Chemical Biology but...
The focus of the program was not what I wanted. I wanted to learn a bunch of Chemistry, a bunch of micro/cell Bio and then apply it to the physiological scale. However, Chemical Biology has a very "micro" focus and the Chemistry is not as inorganic as I would want.
I wanted to learn the crazy reactions with metals, watch substances change states, get a chance to see liquid He, that sort of stuff. This was not the right program.
Why not Chemistry?
Hand problem.
Year 3: Biology
I finally settled on Biology because it allowed me to understand more about life. Being a patient for a good amount of my childhood and continually interacting with the healthcare system today, I wanted to gain a true understanding of the way my body worked, but also how life works as a more vast concept.
However, I would love a program where I could do a double major with a minor. Because then I would major in Chem and Biology (independently), and minor in English.
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08-15-2011 at 09:53 PM
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#10
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Tooth Fairy
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Honours Biology (Previously Life Science I) cuz mama made me.
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McMaster University, Honours B.Sc. in Biology '13, Minor in Psychology
University of British Columbia, DMD '17, Doctor of Dental Medicine
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08-15-2011 at 09:55 PM
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#11
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AdelaisAer, alyssarr, AmyLia, AnguishedEnd, britb, Chevalier, dreamer21, Faer, Galleria, gmoney, J. Dorey, JonC89, mike4, nerual
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08-15-2011 at 09:56 PM
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#12
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I found Psych interesting and I didn't hate first year Bio... yea, did really put much thought into it above that
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Masters Biochemistry
Honours Biology and Psychology
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08-15-2011 at 10:03 PM
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#13
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I find it weird that some people take certain programs just because their parents tell them to. You really ought to take something you want rather than something other people want you to. *shrug*
My mother kept pushing me to take Psychology, Chemistry and/or Biology, but I told her I decline and won't go to McMaster if I have to take something I find zero interest in. Eventually she told me I can take what I want because it's my life, but she is not too proud of it.
But honestly, I love Multimedia, Languages, Linguistics, Cultural Anthropology, and Philosophy. That's what I love doing and that's what I'll take.
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08-15-2011 at 10:12 PM
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#14
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I originally planned on going into Honours Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, but I chose Honours Social Psychology because I was interested in psych and sociology and also found psych 1X03 more interesting than psych 1XX3. I also liked the idea of being able to take multidisciplinary courses in the program as well and it gives me a range of options for jobs/careers after I graduate.
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08-15-2011 at 10:22 PM
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#15
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Year One:
Life Science because I was rejected by Health Sci
Year Two:
Biochemistry because I was rejected by Health Sci
AdelaisAer, anon491, camais, Chevalier, enarab, Entropy, Faer, Galleria, gmoney, jrodftw, L'Étoile, Manley, MichaelScarn, MirandaC, sycoman, UlteriorMtve, Vaidawg, yummy!
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