Advice/WhatToDo/WhatNot for 1st year UNI ppl

[QuantumJG]

Do not get into debates with the lecturer during the lecture
Everyone will rage at you

Lol. My friend tried to raise an argument with our physics professor about something and it ended up badly for him (mind you he is a real egotist).

don't sit in the front and put your hand up during lectures, you'll look like a fool

Well I sit in the front and in my calc 2 (first subject to get over 90% in - hopefully it's not the last) lectures I would usually answer questions asked by the professor to speed things along - yes I once was called a know it all - because sometimes nobody will answer and I hate the delay.

[Fyrefly]

Okay, so just to clarify: we can't talk at all during lectures? Because according to humph:

If you don't understand a particular point that the lecturer has just made, then you can ask him to clarify it (though in big lectures this can be a pretty intimidating thing to do).

But according to edmund:

- Stfu in lectures  Lips Sealed
- If you don't understand something, write it down and ask someone at the end of the lecture

Does this depend on the size or tone of the lecture, at all?
Would it also be advisable to avoid compulsively answering every question in a tute?

Yes, it depends on the size and tone of the lecture... most lecturers will usually discuss their preferences for discussion/questions/silence during their first lecture when they introduce themselves. I answer questions in lectures, but I generally don't ask them... I approach the lecturer afterward, which I've found they've all been happy with so far. If you're going to ask a question during a lecture, just make sure it isn't a dumb one.

And yeah... don't answer everything in your tute... that's just annoying.

[ninwa]

Some tutors will actively take off marks if you dominate the tutes. Apparently they like to foster discussion, or something...

[QuantumJG]

Some tutors will actively take off marks if you dominate the tutes. Apparently they like to foster discussion, or something...

I'll take that into account.

[midas_touch]

- It is ok to talk in lectures, just as long as you keep it down to a minimal level, and you dont disrupt others that want to listen to the lecture. However, do not do anything stupid, like throw paper planes, otherwise you will be kicked out of the lecture (speaking from experience).
- There are no attendance records for lectures, so u can go to all, or none of them if you wish.
- However for most tutes, they take down your attendance record, so that if you just fail a subject, good tutorial participation can bump you up to get a pass.
- Don't get sucked into joining clubs/societies you know you wont commit to for the entire year.
- DONT dress inappropriately. Casual only, i.e. don't dress like your going out for a night on the town, and also dont come to uni in you PJs, I've seen people who have done that (coming from the residential colleges). Just dress like you normally would if your meetng up with friends, etc.
- Don't give any eye contact to the socialist alternative/other political activist people, any remote sign of eye contact will trigger them into action.
- If you are socially inclined, there are a wise variety of social events throughout the year offered by the various faculty clubs like balls, booze cruises, pub crawls and end of exams parties.

[Cthulhu]

- It is ok to talk in lectures, just as long as you keep it down to a minimal level, and you dont disrupt others that want to listen to the lecture. However, do not do anything stupid, like throw paper planes, otherwise you will be kicked out of the lecture (speaking from experience).

This.
Also don't be scared to go and talk to the lecturers after a lecture or go and see them in their office. They will usually give you times that you can go and see them in their office after lectures and they're honestly not that scary. I've had some good conversations with lecturers about things that don't even relate to the topic I originally went to discuss.

[Glockmeister]

- Don't get sucked into joining clubs/societies you know you wont commit to for the entire year.

That said, a lot of people do actually do that, because they have no idea what they'll want to get into during their first year at uni. If you have student union membership, (at least at Monash), a lot of the clubs are actually free to join.

[squance]

- It is ok to talk in lectures, just as long as you keep it down to a minimal level, and you dont disrupt others that want to listen to the lecture. However, do not do anything stupid, like throw paper planes, otherwise you will be kicked out of the lecture (speaking from experience).

This.
Also don't be scared to go and talk to the lecturers after a lecture or go and see them in their office. They will usually give you times that you can go and see them in their office after lectures and they're honestly not that scary. I've had some good conversations with lecturers about things that don't even relate to the topic I originally went to discuss.

In first year, after a maths lecture, I once approached a lecturer about a question and she snapped at me and implied that I was dumb

After that instance, I never approached a lecturer after a lecture ever again

[Edmund]

- It is ok to talk in lectures, just as long as you keep it down to a minimal level, and you dont disrupt others that want to listen to the lecture. However, do not do anything stupid, like throw paper planes, otherwise you will be kicked out of the lecture (speaking from experience).

This.
Also don't be scared to go and talk to the lecturers after a lecture or go and see them in their office. They will usually give you times that you can go and see them in their office after lectures and they're honestly not that scary. I've had some good conversations with lecturers about things that don't even relate to the topic I originally went to discuss.

In first year, after a maths lecture, I once approached a lecturer about a question and she snapped at me and implied that I was dumb

After that instance, I never approached a lecturer after a lecture ever again

Perhaps you were giggling in her lecture 

[iamdan08]

- Don't give any eye contact to the socialist alternative/other political activist people, any remote sign of eye contact will trigger them into action.

So very, very true! Give them nothing...they prey on easy targets (first years)!

[dejan91]

- Don't give any eye contact to the socialist alternative/other political activist people, any remote sign of eye contact will trigger them into action.

So very, very true! Give them nothing...they prey on easy targets (first years)!

Yes, they do! At info day I was approached by an activist, and so I decided to play it dumb just to see how much he could bear to listen. So when he came up to me asking me if I wanted to support their Marxist views, I went on to ask him what Marxism was. Then I asked what left-wing politics were. Then if capitalism was right wing politics. This was followed by a "ohhh, I see, thanks" and I walked off. I honestly think he mentally face palmed twenty times during our conversation.

[crappy]

i was approached by some gay activsts at clayton. They asked me whether i believed everyone was equal.  I go ya but sorry i dont like the penis and walked off.

haha that happened to me too

[Cthulhu]

- Don't get sucked into joining clubs/societies you know you wont commit to for the entire year.

That said, a lot of people do actually do that, because they have no idea what they'll want to get into during their first year at uni. If you have student union membership, (at least at Monash), a lot of the clubs are actually free to join.

I hear MUMS is free to join. (UoM club)

[QuantumJG]

- It is ok to talk in lectures, just as long as you keep it down to a minimal level, and you dont disrupt others that want to listen to the lecture. However, do not do anything stupid, like throw paper planes, otherwise you will be kicked out of the lecture (speaking from experience).

With respect to talking.

If you want to be intune with the lecture, sit at the front since the talking isn't as loud there, whilst up at the back it will be noisy. Mind you guys that if you are going to sit in the front, DO NOT talk. Also please I'm begging you guys that if you want to snooze in a lecture, go to the back, I didn't like trying to learn about vector spaces whilst some guy was snoring.  :tickedoff:

- It is ok to talk in lectures, just as long as you keep it down to a minimal level, and you dont disrupt others that want to listen to the lecture. However, do not do anything stupid, like throw paper planes, otherwise you will be kicked out of the lecture (speaking from experience).

This.
Also don't be scared to go and talk to the lecturers after a lecture or go and see them in their office. They will usually give you times that you can go and see them in their office after lectures and they're honestly not that scary. I've had some good conversations with lecturers about things that don't even relate to the topic I originally went to discuss.

In first year, after a maths lecture, I once approached a lecturer about a question and she snapped at me and implied that I was dumb

After that instance, I never approached a lecturer after a lecture ever again

What was her name (*hopes to avoid her*)?

Don't let that discourage you from asking questions afterwards. EVERY lecturer I had last year was more than happy to clear up any misunderstandings.

[QuantumJG]

- Don't give any eye contact to the socialist alternative/other political activist people, any remote sign of eye contact will trigger them into action.

So very, very true! Give them nothing...they prey on easy targets (first years)!

Yes, they do! At info day I was approached by an activist, and so I decided to play it dumb just to see how much he could bear to listen. So when he came up to me asking me if I wanted to support their Marxist views, I went on to ask him what Marxism was. Then I asked what left-wing politics were. Then if capitalism was right wing politics. This was followed by a "ohhh, I see, thanks" and I walked off. I honestly think he mentally face palmed twenty times during our conversation.

This reminds me of one time when me and my friends just decided to have some fun with an activist group (It was voting time). Anyway one graduate student came up to tell us about her party and then my friend is like 'your that group that blew x amount on that crap! Thanks, but no thanks'.