UofT Engineers, Aug 1 timetable out..*advice needed*How to have a life

[Essence89]

Looking at my timetable.....and it sucks... 30 hours of class a week...That leave no time or VERY little time for any kinds of activities....

how do u guys deal with it..and what activities do u participate in? I really want to have a social life this year lol :lol:

ps. I dont live on res..commute about 2 hours a day....sucks eh...

anyone have heavier workload?

[dokie]

just to let you know...30 hours each week in first year ain't that much.

on average engineering courses take up between 30-35 hours a week each term (for my first two years in undergrad)

I think for first year engineering at Queens, there were 30+ hours (we took 7 courses each term) at least...i choose the school cause I don't have to travel 2 hours each day back and forth so i can spend that time chilling out.....or studying my ass off. lol:D

I guess you've got two options:
1. you miss a couple class and ask for notes
2. Try not to go home during rush hour so you can spend more time on campus with your friends

[Rishi]

I hear you man, I got 7 straight hours on Wednesday (12-7). :(

[IBOPM]

Dammit, they made a mistake (I'm not referring to the conflict below). I have to wait 10 days for them to correct it.

teehee

http://i35.tinypic.com/2cgng5j.jpg

[tmpz]

Dammit, they made a mistake (I'm not referring to the conflict below). I have to wait 10 days for them to correct it.

teehee

http://i35.tinypic.com/2cgng5j.jpg

OMG... that's insane!!

[wirebound]

Lots of people work way more than 30 hours/week and manage to have a life just fine.

[Rishi]

Lots of people work way more than 30 hours/week and manage to have a life just fine.
When was the last time you studied for work? With 30hrs/week class time you could be looking at 50+ hrs/week of total work.

[desi_eng]

Skip some classes...you're bound to do it sooner or later...


o and post 4 HUNDO!!!!! :lol:

[wirebound]

When was the last time you studied for work? With 30hrs/week class time you could be looking at 50+ hrs/week of total work.

I get that, and 50 hour work weeks aren't exactly unheard of either - the motivating factor for those is pay though ;) What I'm trying to say is that a 30 hour work week will shortly become a fact of life, tied with longer hours and way more responsibilities both in the job and outside of the job ... its a hint of what's to come.

University is all about learning time management, and especially engineering schedules. Go to class, get into a good study group. If you're first year, maybe hang back a bit on the extra-curriculars and jump back into them later on. By third and fourth year, you'll have it mostly figured out and can jump back into those extras. Are you driving to commute or using public transit - a lot of reading can be done on the subway. If you're living at home, talk to your family about reduced responsibililites around the house. Lots of students still help with family businesses etc. and those often get them into trouble (especially first year). Just read cautiously at first and remember that you're paying a lot of money to be at school, and in the end it will all pay off but you need to commit the time to it and not necessarily to all the more appealing stuff in life.

[alv077]

2 hours at home for every hour in class.

Go live on res. That's the problem. Hours wasted commuting each day, not your schedule.

[flexwong]

Dammit, they made a mistake (I'm not referring to the conflict below). I have to wait 10 days for them to correct it.

teehee

http://i35.tinypic.com/2cgng5j.jpg

holy ****. i've never seen anything like that.

[IBOPM]

meh, it ain't that bad.

[Essence89]

meh, it ain't that bad.

lol thats sort of like my...start everyday at 9 but i end at 5...sigh....one hour lunches and thats it..

yes is lots of time wasted on the bus..but res cost alot of $$$$ and distractions on res is wayy more...

im pretty good at time management...but then is really hard to fit extra activities in between..i tried last year with 25 hours of class and i failed :lol:

[Rishi]

I get that, and 50 hour work weeks aren't exactly unheard of either - the motivating factor for those is pay though ;) What I'm trying to say is that a 30 hour work week will shortly become a fact of life, tied with longer hours and way more responsibilities both in the job and outside of the job ... its a hint of what's to come.

University is all about learning time management, and especially engineering schedules. Go to class, get into a good study group. If you're first year, maybe hang back a bit on the extra-curriculars and jump back into them later on. By third and fourth year, you'll have it mostly figured out and can jump back into those extras. Are you driving to commute or using public transit - a lot of reading can be done on the subway. If you're living at home, talk to your family about reduced responsibililites around the house. Lots of students still help with family businesses etc. and those often get them into trouble (especially first year). Just read cautiously at first and remember that you're paying a lot of money to be at school, and in the end it will all pay off but you need to commit the time to it and not necessarily to all the more appealing stuff in life.
I agree all around. The vast majority of university students have not held a job that involves significant responsibility - if they have worked full time, it was of the 9-5 variety. What my brother (who had awful time management skills going into university) learned on his co-op terms, where he landed surprisingly relevant and responsible positions, is how to cope effectively with 50 or more hour weeks. When he went back to school and a 20hr/week schedule, it was like a vacation.

[IBOPM]

HAHA YOU WORK 9-5?

I work from 7:50 - 4:45 with a half hour lunch. I also have a 2 hr commute one-way.

[alsamman]

http://i35.tinypic.com/2cgng5j.jpg

Damn...in the eyes of IBOPM, my timetable probably looks like that of an artsci's:confused:
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/4008/timetableam7.th.jpg (http://img376.imageshack.us/my.php?image=timetableam7.jpg)
TrackOne Eng

[Essence89]

god how i miss first year timetable =(

[bananaman]

Adrian, that's a dirty schedule.

[Rishi]

HAHA YOU WORK 9-5?

I work from 7:50 - 4:45 with a half hour lunch. I also have a 2 hr commute one-way.
Ouch, do you get OT pay for over 40hrs/week?

[IBOPM]

Ouch, do you get OT pay for over 40hrs/week?

No, the .5 hours are banked to be used elsewhere.

[Rishi]

No, the .5 hours are banked to be used elsewhere.
Do you mind my asking what your pay rate is? My summer job has good, stable hours (Ontario government) and is pretty interesting but the pay is **** ($11.10/hr). One of my friends has a much harder job (construction) but he makes more than twice as much as I do.

[xilinx]

haha...it's not too bad kids...i think it's more of an endurance thing than anything...anybody can work uber hard for like a week...but to keep at it for 8 months straight will be a challenge...

i hope you guys find all ur hard work rewarding! otherwise...maybe not worth all the effort =p

[IBOPM]

Do you mind my asking what your pay rate is? My summer job has good, stable hours (Ontario government) and is pretty interesting but the pay is **** ($11.10/hr). One of my friends has a much harder job (construction) but he makes more than twice as much as I do.

$19.25, and as you can see. I'm on RFD all day.

[n1cx]

http://img194.imagevenue.com/loc126/th_24288_f2008_122_126lo.jpg (http://img194.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc126&image=24288_f2008_122_126lo.jpg)

29hrs/wk. i thought i had it bad.

[Essence89]

http://img194.imagevenue.com/loc126/th_24288_f2008_122_126lo.jpg (http://img194.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc126&image=24288_f2008_122_126lo.jpg)

29hrs/wk. i thought i had it bad.

wow whats the third type timetable i saw for ECE 2nd year...how many are there :confused:

[DeltasInTheSky]

Can anyone tell me why so many people are tagging their friends as their schedule on facebook? I see it all over the place, they're not even tagging the class - they're just tagging the schedule.

[Essence89]

Can anyone tell me why so many people are tagging their friends as their schedule on facebook? I see it all over the place, they're not even tagging the class - they're just tagging the schedule.

probably because they have the same classes at the same time in the same sections...

to get an idea whos in ur class and whos not

[awestruck]

http://img194.imagevenue.com/loc126/th_24288_f2008_122_126lo.jpg (http://img194.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc126&image=24288_f2008_122_126lo.jpg)

29hrs/wk. i thought i had it bad.

At least they let you sleep in on Monday morning.

[divx]

HAHA YOU WORK 9-5?

I work from 7:50 - 4:45 with a half hour lunch. I also have a 2 hr commute one-way.

uw class starts at 8:30 but you have the extra commute, seems you have a tough life. With your class schedule, nobody can have a life.

[billdozer]

you'll get used to it.

[efil]

The praticals and tutorials alternate every two weeks. Most time are spent preparing for the lab, however.

[isom3tric]

Ugh that schedule reminded me of my first year, first semester. Start at 8am end at 5pm with 1 hour breaks. Plus my 2 hour commute. It was nasty.

I haven't got my schedule yet, hopefully its not that bad.

[skev13]

Dammit, they made a mistake (I'm not referring to the conflict below). I have to wait 10 days for them to correct it.

teehee

http://i35.tinypic.com/2cgng5j.jpg

Thats ******** - ECE's don't get any tutorials/practicals added - there are barely any spaces left for me to join a CHE353 Tutorial without causing a conflict.

BTW, since there are so many 2nd year ECE's here - anyone want books?

[Essence89]

Thats ******** - ECE's don't get any tutorials/practicals added - there are barely any spaces left for me to join a CHE353 Tutorial without causing a conflict.

BTW, since there are so many 2nd year ECE's here - anyone want books?

I want books =D...didnt start looking yet...what u got and what price..pm me =D

[billdozer]

IBOPM, need any textbooks?

[DeltasInTheSky]

Any idea if Industrial books are going to be the same next year. I really hate how they make us find out when classes start :mad: Last year, some books didn't come till the 3rd week in!

[IBOPM]

IBOPM, need any textbooks?

You have mech books?

Any idea if Industrial books are going to be the same next year. I really hate how they make us find out when classes start :mad: Last year, some books didn't come till the 3rd week in!

E-mail them. I did that last year. I can sell you mine too.

[DeltasInTheSky]

You have mech books?



E-mail them. I did that last year. I can sell you mine too.

Oh, so e-mail Jamison, et al. Or is there anyone in particular?

[night_sky]

An EngSci 0T7 Biomedical Option graduate here, and just wanted to throw my two cents to the OP.

I'm no stranger to those ridiculous schedules, but that didn't stop me from getting involved in several student clubs and things. Don't postpone everything until the last minute, and force yourself to look at each subject at least an hour or so EVERY WEEK - that's the important part, EVERY WEEK - in addition to whatever you have to put in for homework.

I've been a past VP of the Engineering Society. I was the sole executive of one of now-several engineering musical clubs, and I am still involved in several of them. I was also involved heavily in the engineering musical production called Skule Nite in many different aspects. The trick is to do things outside school that you like. I didn't necessarily limit the amount of time I spent on extracurricular activities, although in hindsight it may have helped a little.

Be sure to go to F!rosh Week, frosh, and find out what Skule has to offer you. Ask the leaders - leedurs - how they manage to do all that fun stuff, 'cuz most of the leedurs there are those who do well in school and still do fun stuff like, well, F!rosh Week.

When you come, you may also see me somewhere in the Con Hall...

[IBOPM]

Oh, so e-mail Jamison, et al. Or is there anyone in particular?

Yeah just e-mail where it says the course coordinator is. And btw, I can sell you that MIE240 book. As well as the economics course MIE253 (or was it 257?) I believe. Just msg me for books.

[DeltasInTheSky]

Yeah just e-mail where it says the course coordinator is. And btw, I can sell you that MIE240 book. As well as the economics course MIE253 (or was it 257?) I believe. Just msg me for books.

Will do :)

[n1cx]

Yeah just e-mail where it says the course coordinator is. And btw, I can sell you that MIE240 book. As well as the economics course MIE253 (or was it 257?) I believe. Just msg me for books.

i don't know if i'm blind or stupid but i can't seem to see the course coordinator/prof from rosi. care to give me a direction?

[DeltasInTheSky]

i don't know if i'm blind or stupid but i can't seem to see the course coordinator/prof from rosi. care to give me a direction?

You won't find much actually, they took down CCNET (links are offline). So you can't even browse the course sites anymore.

[night_sky]

Use the faculty's website. It's got tons of information that are useful to you. If it's the course coordinator you seek, look at the faculty's course timetable (Fall 2008 (http://www.apsc.utoronto.ca/timetable/fall.html) | Spring 2009 (http://www.apsc.utoronto.ca/timetable/winter.html)). Then, look up his or her contact information on the web. Easy peezy.

I'd also make use of whomever's the exec for your discipline club, or the Engineering Society itself - since you pay them both to provide you useful services. Ask them stuff. At the very least they'll point you to someone who'd know the answer to your question. You just have to ask the right questions, that's all.

[IBOPM]

Oh crap, I forgot CCNET is gone. I don't know what you can do then, lol. See others' suggestions above.

[UWO Engineer]

Dammit, they made a mistake (I'm not referring to the conflict below). I have to wait 10 days for them to correct it.

teehee

http://i35.tinypic.com/2cgng5j.jpg

Am I missing something? That timetable seems about right. My Tuesdays run from 8:30 in the morning until 10:30 at night with two 1 hour breaks.

Although I've never had a conflict....how do they fix that? Slot you in a summer course or

[n1cx]

nope his conflict is for courses that have alternate weeks. so there's no actual conflict.

[IBOPM]

indeed

[nabil1122]

nice timetable. I somewhat miss mine. lol. yay pey

[xeodragon]

that's a pretty intensive schedule!

[godsfantasy]

Lots of people work way more than 30 hours/week and manage to have a life just fine.

Those people do not have to deal with "home work". Experts recommend 3 hours of personal studying per hour of instruction, thus, these 30-hr timetables translates into 120 hour weeks. This would be just over 17 hours per day which, leaves you with less than 7 hours to do other things (sleep, eat, travel to/from school).

[sexyj]

Those people do not have to deal with "home work". Experts recommend 3 hours of personal studying per hour of instruction, thus, these 30-hr timetables translates into 120 hour weeks. This would be just over 17 hours per day which, leaves you with less than 7 hours to do other things (sleep, eat, travel to/from school).

do u attend school to study or attend school to do "other things"

u need to ask yourself that

[bluser]

umm lol the sleep scientists and the "experts" who recommend 3 hrs of studying/ hour of class need to have a chat to find out how that works out for engineers and other intensive programs.

[acetace]

I'm not in APSE however i can tell you... give up... you won't have a life and there's no way out... it comes with your program of choice

here's the reason why, engineering courses are not like arts and science course where it is offered most of time and you have the flexibility to arrange your own schedule to take your course whenever (as long as no prerequesit conflict)

to my konwledge engineering courses are set, year 1 you take these year 2 you take these, if you missed or flunk a course in fall, most likely it will not be offered in winter, you have a better chance in summer but i say don't count on it... there has to be enough demand for them to open a course in summer time, which means you will have to take the same course next year in fall.... which means you won't be able to take any courses next year because you don' thave the prerequisit.... get what i mean?

[IBOPM]

I'm not in APSE however i can tell you... give up... you won't have a life and there's no way out... it comes with your program of choice

here's the reason why, engineering courses are not like arts and science course where it is offered most of time and you have the flexibility to arrange your own schedule to take your course whenever (as long as no prerequesit conflict)

to my konwledge engineering courses are set, year 1 you take these year 2 you take these, if you missed or flunk a course in fall, most likely it will not be offered in winter, you have a better chance in summer but i say don't count on it... there has to be enough demand for them to open a course in summer time, which means you will have to take the same course next year in fall.... which means you won't be able to take any courses next year because you don' thave the prerequisit.... get what i mean?

Why are you assuming I will fail? I don't fail. And it never really is 120 hours btw. Even if its 3 hrs per class (which is complete BS). It should only be based on lecture hours. Not Tutorial/Practical(lab) hours. In fact, tutorial and practicals are the time where you basically absorb the information from the lectures. Engineering isn't hard, it's just that art-sci programs tend to have so few hours that everyone thinks that few hours should be the norm. Think about how many hours of class you had in high school. It's about the same and many ppl got high grades there.

[DeltasInTheSky]

Why are you assuming I will fail? I don't fail. And it never really is 120 hours btw. Even if its 3 hrs per class (which is complete BS). It should only be based on lecture hours. Not Tutorial/Practical(lab) hours. In fact, tutorial and practicals are the time where you basically absorb the information from the lectures. Engineering isn't hard, it's just that art-sci programs tend to have so few hours that everyone thinks that few hours should be the norm. Think about how many hours of class you had in high school. It's about the same and many ppl got high grades there.

I find that to be misleading. In high-school, sure we may have had the same amount of hours of class. But, I'd say maybe 40% of each period was instruction, the rest was just start your homework. Here, it's literally 100% instruction during a lecture. If there's two minutes left, profs don't mind introducing the next topic.

[malaujai]

Really though, PRA are often alternating, and tutorials are not always mandatory... 30 hour weeks usually end up being closer to 25 or so... I had almost the same amount of hours a week in first year than second year, but I felt much more relaxed in second year because a lot of those hours were alternating practicals... and a lot of my lectures were finished early in the day.

[Rishi]

I find that to be misleading. In high-school, sure we may have had the same amount of hours of class. But, I'd say maybe 40% of each period was instruction, the rest was just start your homework. Here, it's literally 100% instruction during a lecture. If there's two minutes left, profs don't mind introducing the next topic.
Except for English and Chemistry, I went to grade 12 classes once a week and even that was a waste of time. Teachers rarely use more than 15 minutes per period.