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 Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.
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Clayton




PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:02 pm   Post subject: Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

It's getting close to University selection time, and already (and in the past as well) we're seeing people that are completely stressed out over getting into a University. The first thing you need to do, is step back, and calm down. Stressing over this will do nothing to help you. If you have an average at 80%+ you will most likely get into the program you selected at pretty much any school, with a couple of exceptions like med school at U of T or Journalism at Carleton. If you have that average, stop stressing, and just do the (e-)paperwork, submit it, and leave it be.

To put this into perspective, I will demonstrate an example that I have noticed here:

There are 3 students in my calculus tutorial that are consistently stressed out about the class. I know them all personally and all are brilliant mathematics students, capable of acing this course, and are certainly better than me. However, I have a considerably higher mark than all of them. Why? Because they either cannot or will not stop stressing about every single mark they can get. They literally start shaking during tests, and are furious with the TA when they find out they lost one point for some thing or another on that test. I on the other hand take things in a relaxed, composed manner, do the work, and remain stress-free.

The point is, worrying without cause is only going to hurt you, both in the short and long term. So don't.
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octopi




PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:47 pm   Post subject: RE:Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

Well said, I would just like to add,

It's important for students to keep in mind, that even if you don't have a mark in the 80's, you can still get into a school somewhere. My average was in the 60's, and I got into a school. Sure I didn't stay in that program, but once your in the school you have the opportunity to switch programs, personally I wasn't ready for university, and I ended up switching a few times before I found one I liked (Computer Science and Economics Dbl. Major)

Even if you don't get into school, there are still opportunities for you, such as starting a small business. (I'm in that process right now, and I really wish I wasn't in school as well, as its very difficult to balance both--you pretty much have to devote ALL your time to starting a business--even when your out with friends, you constantly thinking about how you can improve)

If your not ready for school, and you can afford it, perhaps you should consider traveling, it'll give you a chance to relax and figure out what you might want to do in the future, and it'll probably be the last time you actually have time to get away for more than a week.
rdrake




PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 5:05 pm   Post subject: RE:Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

Best of luck with this thread. I tried sharing my experiences and getting others to do the same, but it was promptly ignored by the people making hordes of threads asking about Waterloo.
Dan




PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 5:29 pm   Post subject: RE:Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

I agree with octopi, even if you get rejected from one school it is not the end of the world. Almost all universitys in ontario (if not canada) have great CS programs and if you put the effort in to it you will be just as well off as you would have been going to any other school.

Alot of users seem to be cought up in the waterloo hype. It's a good school with alot of rep however it's not the only school and just going to waterloo is not going to make you an expert in computer science. How much work you put in to your studys and your willingness to learn will matter honderneds of times more then the university you get in to.
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SNIPERDUDE




PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 5:31 pm   Post subject: RE:Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

Haha, I am officially the noobiest one in this thread.

Anywho relaxing can do wonders not only mentally, but physically too. These days people stress over far too much, it seems almost trivial really.

As for plans, I wished I had the time to travel. I was going to, but then I finally figured out what the heck I want to do (not computer science, I do that as a hobby).
Horus




PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 5:42 pm   Post subject: RE:Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

so ur saying with 80.6% avg i can make into waterloo.

If I didn't make it you owe me $1000000.

But i'm seriously freaking out... especially that I had promised my parents that i'll be in waterloo.

I'm trying everything I can to get accepted now by joining more clubs.

And I'm going to upgrade my old gr 11 computer project to make it better and send it to university.
Zeroth




PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 6:48 pm   Post subject: Re: Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

Why on earth does he owe you money? I'm getting sick and tired of people saying they deserve that, or you owe me this. Its frankly a juvenile attitude. Waterloo is a good school yes... but one thing that is always forgotten is one simple fact: University is not for everyone, and it is not the end of the world to not go to school.

Money is not and can never be an adequate measure of success. What about Donald Knuth? He makes pretty much his professor's salary, and royalties from his book. He's not rich, but he is successful, in that he's made a meaningful impact on the field and the people joining it. People like Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, etc, they all succeeded because of business smarts which are closely related to common sense.

Relax, take a deep breath, and stop being materialistic.

/The Final Word
implosion




PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:41 pm   Post subject: Re: Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

Don't forget, there are people on this site who still have no idea what they want to do with there lives. Like me, i know i want to go into technology but can't decide between: Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics or Software Engineering (the computer field is so wide). It is true that it's not the end of the world if you don't make it into a certain university but its strange, I'm not sure if this is for everyone but i understand it's not the end of the world and realize it, but can't get your head around it. I know its the stupidest thing to freak out about, but its just human nature for some. (just to back up the other side)

All in all, yeah i do agree we stress waaaayyyyy too much about it, but it is a big step in life, true? Going to a university and then realize your not in the program or w/e you wanted it sets you back a year or so and like $10.000. Also a lot what the people around you do affects your decisions.

I've realized now that its not the end of the world if i don't make it into waterloo and accepted it, but my other two options are McMaster and Toronto and still not sure if i am able to make it (math: 77. Chem:77. Phys.: ~70) and then to make it worse i don't know what i want to do with my life.

On another note, what do you guys think about Gr. 13.
Should they have kept it ? -- Students not being mature enough to go on towards post secondary or was it a right move ?
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Clayton




PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:57 pm   Post subject: RE:Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

Horus: I had considered a reply to your post, but have decided simply acting as though it doesn't exist will suffice. You are demonstrating the exact attitude that I am trying to show you is unhelpful in just about every imaginable way. Not to mention it's just outright rude.

@implosion: Yes, moving out for months at a time for the first time is going to be a big change. As to how much, I cannot attest, as I am used to spending extended periods away from home, never being home for summers due to extracurriculars, even more so because I would be staying in college residence during those times. However, there is still no need to get completely freaked out by the notion of entering this stage of your life. What you need right now more than ever is a rational thought process, making decisions based upon your needs and wants, not others.

On the subject of Grade 13: In my opinion, it should never have been removed from Ontario's school system. That extra makes a big difference, it allows time to think about future options, take those few classes that were put on a back burner to burn up those prerequisites for a possible future course etc. It also gives you a full other year to mature and grow. While it may not seem like much, it is. I see it all the time across campus. The difference between first and second year students can be astounding, and I believe it has to do with the average age of first year students being a full year younger.

/rant
Tony




PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 12:05 am   Post subject: RE:Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

@Horus: I'm largely with Clayton on this one. You are heading in the wrong direction.

As for grade 13 -- it's a tough call. Personally I couldn't wait to get out of high school. Though I could agree with Clayton that a bulk of the students could have used that extra year of a controlled environment to grow up a bit.
Latest from compsci.ca/blog: Tony's programming blog. DWITE - a programming contest.
SNIPERDUDE




PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:51 am   Post subject: RE:Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

As for grade 13, I'm not too sure. Tony brings up a good point about getting the heck out of there, but then after grade 12 most people have no clue what to do, or feel too pressured to make such a huge step. I personally took an extra semester just to cool down and think about my future (working the second semester for the funds). I can really say that it has helped significantly. Not only that, but one's maturity is more developed at that point. Which just reminded me of another major point I've noticed, by pushing everything back it has made an extremely hard transition academically for requirements. I was really into math when they made this huge shift, so I really felt like I missed an entire year when I went on to the next course. So, I guess the 13th year would be greatly important, although we may not want to at first.
changturkey




PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 2:56 pm   Post subject: Re: Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

I am in my 5th year currently. Both pros and cons. Personally, I would have left, but another year is not the end of the world.
Horus




PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 2:59 pm   Post subject: RE:Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

I apologize for being rude, I didn't mean to, I'm just seriously freaking out over my marks.

It's 80.0% avg now (it was 80.4) cause I messed up this test (not because i'm freaking out, it's because I didn't study enough)

Last year I had high 70s avg at the beginning of school, it dropped to low 70s at the end just because I didn't really care.

So if I chill now i'll end up like last year.

I know those great universities are not for everyone but they are for the ones who try harder than others.

In other word, I can't just sit back, I have to try harder if I want to get into Waterloo.
Zeroth




PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 3:09 pm   Post subject: Re: Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

There is a big difference between relaxing, and apathy. I personally have a big final on wednesday. Lots to cover. But I'm relaxed. I enumerated what I knew, and what I didn't, and have been working consistently to fill in the gaps. I take constant breaks so I don't get tired. I keep focused. But I also don't get worried. I am relaxed, and 100% in control of my learning progress. I've found, from personal experience, this works so much better than furiously and vigilantly studying, while freaking out. The stress has been shown, experimentally, to lower your capability to learn and to remember.
Tony




PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 3:10 pm   Post subject: RE:Take a Deep Breath and Calm Down.

Yes, but you have to try harder in areas that matter. Concentrate your efforts on having a solid average in core courses. Not on building up a list of clubs you claim to belong to (because really, you could write down anything) or putting effort in a non-required course that you are already doing well in.
Latest from compsci.ca/blog: Tony's programming blog. DWITE - a programming contest.
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