So You're Starting Life Sci at Mac…
Hi first-years!! My name is Annie, a second year Honours Biochemistry student, and I am the LSS VP communications this year!
Now that we’ve reached the halfway point of fall term, hopefully you are all getting used to university life. To help make adjusting to university courses and scheduling a little easier, I reached out to my fellow upper-year LSS members and asked them to share their favourite tips, resources, and habits that they wish they knew about in their first year.
Whether you’re using this reading week to catch up on coursework, study for midterms, search for extracurriculars, or take a well-deserved break, here’s some advice to help you power through the rest of the year!
1. Do your iClicker Polls:
This might sound boring and obvious, but the first tip is to not skip your iClicker, Echo, or TopHat polls. Depending on your course, these can be an easy way to pick up a few extra marks throughout the semester. Even if they're only worth 2–3% of your final grade, those marks can make a difference when you're aiming for that next grade boundary. This also applies to any participation marks like quizzes, assignments, and homework.The best part? You get to practise applying what you've learned during lectures, identify concepts you might need to review, and earn participation marks at the same time. Make it a habit to attend lectures and complete your polls whenever they're offered. Your future self will thank you!
2. Make Google Calendar Your Best Friend
Use calendars to keep track of your lectures, labs, midterms, and due dates. Keeping track of multiple assignments for different courses can be overwhelming and having them visualized on a calendar can make your life much more organized!
You can also use your calendar to block out designated studying times and plan out how you want your week to look like. By breaking larger assignments into smaller chunks, it can seem much more manageable.
3. Check out OSCARlus and Mosaic
While school is probably your main priority of university, it doesn’t need to be your only focus. Use this time to look for extracurriculars, volunteering opportunities, and possible careers in or near McMaster.
OSCARplus is McMaster’s main platform for student opportunities, which include volunteering, career development, and academic events. Try and check the platform on a regular basis to see if anything piques your interest or could be beneficial to your long-term career goals.
Similarly, McMaster has on-campus job opportunities posted on Mosaic. Whether you want to be a teaching assistant next year, or work at DBAC, these positions open and close throughout the year. Make sure to check regularly to find opportunities to gain work experience while studying!
If you don’t plan on finding a job or volunteer opportunity this year, it's still a great idea to familiarize yourself with these platforms for future use!
4. Find Your Favourite Study Spots on Campus
Do you find yourself unable to focus and study in your room? Is the library always too loud and crowded, with all the best spots taken? There are definitely plenty of other places around campus to get work done!
Empty lecture halls and classrooms can be great alternatives when you need some peace and quiet to study before a midterm, or just to get out of your typical spots. When the weather’s nice, also take advantage of studying on the picnic tables or benches outside!
And studying doesn’t mean having to crunch over a desk for hours non-stop! Make sure to take breaks, grab a snack, and reset from time to time.
5. Get Involved with LSS Activities
One of the best ways to make the most out of first year is to network and create connections with upper-year students in your program. They can serve as academic mentors, become good friends, and open new doors for you.
The Life Science Society offers opportunities to connect with fellow students, upper years, and participate in social and academic events throughout the year. Whether it’s for academic support during exam season or to attend a fun social event, LSS events are great ways to make new friends, discover new resources, and learn from students that have recently been in your shoes!
Stay tuned for new events and information @maclifesci on Instagram!
Hopefully these tips can be helpful to you as you make your way through your first year of university. Wishing you all the best reading week and good luck with the rest of the year!
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