The First Month

It’s currently 11:11 PM on Saturday, September 30th, and I am happy to be here. My first month has been busy, filled with new experiences, and a whole lot of studying. Everyone here is incredibly smart at what they do and there is always something you can learn from talking to others. My cohort is filled with many talented people and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have felt growth every day thus far and continue to learn in lectures and from the environment around me.

I’m taking 6 classes this term:

  • CS 137
  • MATH 115
  • MATH 117
  • MATH 135
  • ECE 105
  • SE 101

Initially, I have to say that all my professors have been great thus far. Besides the fact that I'm slow and university moves fast, I have felt okay about my success in the classes. Out of all the areas that need to improve, I would definitely say that it would have to be my math skills as the regular Ontario curriculum doesn't leave you with the best start for university.

I would advise using the UWaterloo Courseware to fill in the gaps that high school has missed. If you are not from Canada or take classes at an academically reputable high school, you probably are in a much better spot than I was going into university. But at the end of the day, it’s mostly about how much effort you put into doing the work and staying focused while studying.

Oh yeah, orientation was alright. It was mainly composed of various events and activities, but I found talking to various people the most rewarding aspect of it all. It was a great atmosphere:

Orientation UWaterloo Engineering hardhat ceremony

I hope to do some more writing in the following weeks yet I will probably be busy studying for my first midterms next week. University is a very fast experience. Every day contains a new task to complete and this all has to be done while balancing the various aspects of life. While overwhelmed at first, today I feel more accustomed to my new environment. While nothing is really “trivial” there does not seem to be anything that I cannot tackle (well at least not until midterms).

Anyway, have a good one.