Hmm...
- On skipping lectures: while it's true that some lectures are terribly boring and scheduled at hours that really should be left for sleeping, skipping is generally not a great idea. Example: first question of the chem final was apparently an example done in class. Had I been awake, or in class at the very least, I probably would not have wasted 10 minutes staring at the question.
In the other scenario where video or powerpoint of the lecture is posted, I still don't think it's worth skipping. For one you are likely going to procrastinate catching up on videos and cause yourself some amount of confusion at subsequent lectures (if you decide to show up to those). Secondly it's also excruciating painful having to watch lecture videos/ppts. Overall it's really not worth it @_@" Unless it's first period after cramming for ESP, then by all means sleep in. - On problem sets: do them, especially if they're for marks. It's also perhaps the only regularly scheduled work you'll do (practice problems, pfft what are those).
- On studying for exams: group studying is rather effective for 2 main reasons. One is having someone to clarify any last minute misunderstandings (or teach it to you for the first time), and the other is to keep you sane. Honestly I would not be able to study all my waking hours (minus some time for eating and sgs) without friends.
Some other useful things to have is music (to concentrate), chocolate (to keep you happy), mints (to stay awake), and coffee (also to stay awake). Oh and for most courses, even if you know nothing at all, almost guaranteed a pass if you do enough past finals. In other words, 不用搞懂，搞定就够了。 - On actually writing the exams: my new strategy is to quickly do all of the questions in one go, and then going back and carefully checking my arithmetic. At least for semester 1, all of the exams were difficult in the sense that you don't have enough time. None of the questions (with the exception of a part b on linalg, and some chem ones that I just don't get wth it was asking) were actually conceptually difficult. It's more of a "oh for this type of question you use these formulas in this sequence", which you will know how from problem sets/previous finals. I rather have marks taken off for missing negative signs than for running out of time and leaving a straightforward question blank.
- On waking up for 9am lectures: mornings are a miserable time & not much can be done about it. Some strategies that worked are
- Packing bag & picking outfit the night before. The less you have to think/remember in the morning, the better.
- Be able to wake/get up at the first ring of the alarm...or have a roommate that can. Snooze is for noobs :]
- Open curtains and absorb the sunlight, natural lighting helps with waking up?
- Reeeeally minty toothpaste & cold water to wash face.
- Espresso. Already growing immune to its effects fml.
- On eating "healthy": good luck on that. Res food really doesn't help in this aspect. In fact cereal, bananas and smoothies are quite adequate meal replacements.
- On standards of doing well: a common thing I've heard about uni prior to entering is that your marks will drop around 20% from highschool. It's not quite true... it's more accurate to say that the range of your marks will increase. My marks range for major items go from 55-100, whereas in hs I try to keep it in 90-100 (with some inevitable 80s). In addition, striving for perfection becomes really not worth it. Good enough is certainly good enough. The time you save can be much better spent socializing or sleeping.
- On extracurriculars: quite true that there's only going to be time for 1 or 2. And it still holds that they're not really worth it unless you're on the executive team. Meetings will be scheduled either really early or late, both of which is rather inconvenient. But of course the benefits are great experience and good opportunity to meet people whom you would otherwise not interact with.
- On profs/TAs/office hours: funny fact, none of my profs sem 1 have been research profs, so can't comment on the stereotype. Otherwise, I feel that getting to know your TA is much more beneficial (and less awkward) than your prof. At least remember their email so any last minute questions right before the assignment due date/test can be answered.
My opinion on office hours are quite biased since I've only ever been to my calc ones (which were seminars). They were held twice a week to review important concepts (eg. trig or integration techniques), though I went for lin alg help xD It was effective though, having the prof/TA explain 1 on 1 is far more efficient than consulting the textbook, especially for theory based questions. At the very least it shows their efforts to be available to the students.
So this ended up taking a lot longer than half an hour, and I feel like I've been stating the obvious.
