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Author Topic: TurtleQuest's University Journal  (Read 1138 times)

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TurtleQuest

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TurtleQuest's University Journal
« on: January 08, 2020, 06:15:32 pm »
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So a bit about myself:

VCE 2018-2019
-Biology, Chemistry, Mathematical Methods, Japanese SL, Music Performance, English

This year I will begin studying a bachelor of Biomedical Science at Monash (first year).

I am enrolled in:
BMS1011 - Biomedical Chemistry
BMS1021 - Cells, tissues and organisms
BMS1031 - Medical biophysics
CHM1051 - Chemistry 1 advanced
BMS1042 - Public health and preventative medicine
BMS1052 - Human neurobiology
BMS1062 - Molecular biology
CHM1052 - Chemistry 2 advanced

I'm honestly excited to begin uni and start this new part of my life and do the things I've always wanted to do.
One thing that really appeals to me is being in an environment with other likeminded people who are interested in what they're learning and are supportive and friendly to one another. So I hope I can be friendly and helpful to anyone in or out of uni too in the new year.
I think I'll use this journal as something to look back on and look at my life from a more outward perspective instead of being so bogged down in it. This is my first proper post on these forums (despite having an account for some years) so I'm a bit cautious but I presume with more posts and more journal entries it will become a habit and more normal.

So far I've already begun teaching myself some physics and a sprinkle of some biochemistry. Mostly out of self-interest, to test waters and prepare myself but also because I have nothing else to do. If anyone knows good resources for self-study I would be grateful for anything.
I'm really interested in self-improvement, so I hope that with each coming year I will be able to work harder and improve my resourcefulness.

Not sure what I want to do post-uni but something science/health related whether a researcher, doctor, lab tech, physio, nurse, academic... who knows. The reason I want to do it is hard to explain but in short it has to do with wanting to give back.
Excuse long rambling style.

And if anyone else is doing biomed hit me up, I'd like to know your thoughts or experiences.

K888

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Re: TurtleQuest's University Journal
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2020, 07:26:12 pm »
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+1 for becoming a physio ;)

I'm excited to follow your updates, TurtleQuest! The transition to uni can be challenging so please be kind to yourself this year!

Bri MT

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Re: TurtleQuest's University Journal
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2020, 07:30:15 pm »
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In my experience at uni having likeminded people around can definitely help a lot :D

When I did CHM1051 & CHM1052 I found that labs were a pretty good place to make friends. I found that the content in these wasn't too harsh or anything, but since you didn't do physics you might find the first week of CHM1051 pretty overwhelming (Goes over things like the photoelectric very fast, or at least I did back in 2018) but after that it'll get easier for you.

With regards to self-improvement, I found that seeing others' goals and progression through interacting with their journey journals has helped me as well as writing things and looking back on them 6-12 months later. Sometimes it's hard to see your own development until the words past-you wrote are right in front of you.

best of luck with your journey!

Love your username btw :)

Billuminati

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Re: TurtleQuest's University Journal
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2020, 08:09:22 pm »
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Hey there, I was in your exact shoes a year ago, starting off in first year biomed. Huge respects BTW for doing chem advanced, I was too lazy for those 4-hour labs myself and opted for the regular stream :P. It's a great decision to get a headstart in physics, when I went to my first BMS1031 lecture and workshop without any physical background, I had a panic attack, indeed they'll start showering you with physics the instant you arrive there. Don't worry about it too much, because the unit coordinators do try and accommodate people who haven't taken high school physics, however do expect BMS1031 to take up a lot of your time in first semester. In terms of biochem the metabolism stuff is really interesting, but your first month will essentially be a review of VCE organic chem. I'd say the biggest obstacles to doing well in 1st year biomed would be BMS1031 (horrible labs), BMS1021 (amount of content you need to memorise) and BMS1052 (even more content than 1021 + crappy attitude from a certain lecturer).

It's refreshing to see people who see biomed with an atmosphere of friendly rivalry, but I must warn you that some biomed people can take competition way too far. I've had people who deliberately taught me wrong facts, stole my calculator (on my first day of uni in fact) and trash talked my grade on a mid sem after taking advantage of my kindness of helping them. I was paranoid for the entire first semester and shut myself off socially. Please don't be like me, you'll see upon reflection that the overwhelming majority of interactions in biomed are very positive. A good way to see who your real friends are is to be wary of people who ask for your ATAR/lab scores/WAM/GPA all the time, they're likely to be fake friends who use you for free tutoring. If they ask you your WAM on results day, you can distance yourself from them by claiming to have received low grades. On a brighter note, you can also use free tutoring to increase your own popularity if you're good at a subject, I got to meet my real friends, some from biomed and some from science, by helping them with CHM1022.

You can check out my reviews attached below for the units I took to get a feel of what's coming this year, it's both challenging and exciting. If you ever get stuck on something or want to ask about campus life, you can chuck me a PM since explaining something to others is also a good way to revise for the GAMSAT for me. See you around campus this year <3.

CORE
BMS1011 (biochem): https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=43048.msg1148973#msg1148973
BMS1021 (bio):  https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=43048.msg1148974#msg1148974
BMS1031 (physics): https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=43048.msg1148975#msg1148975
BMS1042 (epidemiology+stats): https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=43048.msg1148977#msg1148977
BMS1052: (neurophysiology): https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=43048.msg1148978#msg1148978
BMS1062: (molecular bio+biochem): https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=43048.msg1148979#msg1148979

ELECTIVES
CHM1011 (physical chem): https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=43048.msg1148976#msg1148976
CHM1022 (organic and inorganic chem): https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=43048.msg1148980#msg1148980
« Last Edit: January 08, 2020, 08:14:35 pm by Billuminati »
VCE 2016-2018

2017: Biology [38], Further Maths [44]

2018: Methods [37], French [38], Chem [40], English [44]

UMAT: 56/43/80, 57th percentile (LLLLOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLL)

ATAR: 98.1

2019-2021: Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Monash (Scholars), minoring in Chemistry

GAMSAT September 2021: 65/67/86, 76 overall (98th percentile)

2022: Chilling

2023+: Transfer to teaching degree

Ionic Doc

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Re: TurtleQuest's University Journal
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2020, 09:52:08 pm »
0
Hey TurtleQuest,
I'm in year 12 currently but am also interested in doing Biomed after high school.

So I can't wait to hear your experiences about the course and transition into uni.

See you around the forums.  :)
2019/2020 - Psychology | Biology | Chemistry | Methods | Further | English
2021 - Science @ Melbourne University