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University Timetables: Basic Rules for Freshmen (1 Viewer)

Fightin Streets

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For Comm at UNSW, the basic idea is that you start with your core courses, then go to your flexible core courses, then to your core courses for your majors (which you may have already done) and then your majors. Occasionally you can actually mix this up, but there's no real point in doing so. You should be starting on your core courses for your majors by the beginning of the second year.
Thank you.

To clarify, I have scheduled for the 4 core courses this semester. That is the best way to do it?
 

Dombrovski

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University Timetables: Basic Rules for First Years
Fixed. We aren't American.

But yes, as it was mentioned, be wary of prereq subjects. They will come back to bite you if you aren't careful :mad1:
 

nottellingu

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6) Leave several hours of gaps and lectures between tutorials. This allows from precious cramming time if you happen to have two exams in one day, as you can skip the lectures if needs be. That said, however, don't have more than two hours of uninterrupted break at a time. You'll just get bored.
Does your exam timetable depend on tutes *slightly confused*
 

moll.

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Does your exam timetable depend on tutes *slightly confused*
Most of the time. We have in-class tests for most subjects. Once or twice I've been unfortunate enough to have two on the same day.
 

annabackwards

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thank god moll.

i was gonna write one but woulda raged so hard at it's basics that I'd stop half way.

ForENGINEERING kids.

1) You will no doubt have long long days up to 6+ hours. This will almost always be a mix of lectures and tutes. The best idea (imo of course) is to ALWAYS cram these days together (i.e. cram all your labs+tutes together) so that you have other days for lectures. In engineering, you can think of lectures as breaks but that always depends on you and the lecturers. If you feel comfortable in your abilities to self learn, try to make days where it's lectures only and days where it's a mix of most of your tutes/labs mixed with your lectures.

2) Use Rectangles, it can be found Rectangles

It is a lifesaver if you're too lazy to make your own timetable, you can twink the settings the way you want it (days off etc.)

3) Make your timetable ASAP cause ALOT of kids will be wanting the same timetable you do, so just try and try again (especially if servers are down).

4) Please use your handbook relevant to the year you started as this will answer most "WHAT DO I DO" questions about courses. Also, it'll provide timetable information about those courses.

5) ALWAYS CHECK WHETHER A SUBJECT IS OFFERED IN SEM2 BECAUSE IF IT'S A CORE SUBJECT AND IT'S ONLY OFFERED IN SEM1 AND YOU MISS IT. BAD LUCK TO YOU, YOU HAVE TO DO IT NEXT YEAR. This is applicable to ENGG1000 as an example.

6) Treat your lectures as breaks, give 1 hr gaps between tutes and what not so you can actually eat because you will have long days. If you have a day with all lectures, this will be a LIFESAVER during STUVAC or studying towards exams because it more or less is a day off.

7) In terms of starting time, optimal is probably 11-12, but you finish at 5-6. It all depends on whether you're a morning person or not.

That's all I can think of for now.
I <3 you ^_^

Before reading this timetable, i incidentally made Wednesday my day full of lectures with most of my tutes after 12 (i'm not a morning person) :D
 

rx34

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So spread out tutes=win?
Spread out tutes= win. So you can do your homework in that hour before your tute begins. Trust me, some tutors are absolute bitches and will blast you if you don't do your work.
 

Absolutezero

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Everything is dependent on the course you are doing. Try and talk to previous students who have done the course. They'll be able to tell you more than any guide.
 

copeys

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Could you give me a recommendation on my draft timetable??

I'm doing civil at UNCLE.
The Friday I am not going to do (hate fridays lol, and also it is my catch up day = bludgy. Also, Friday does not have anything anyway.

BLUE=Tute
YELLOW=Prac
PINK=Lecture

On the thursday, I can't seperate the 2 tutorials or move that lecture or tutorial on the afternoon.

Also, the monday with the 2 different colours is a bi-weekly rotating class.

Thanks!
View attachment 20222
 

nottellingu

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What do you do im med sci chemistry labs?
Im trying to leaves my tutes in the middle so i can attend them all the time.
This is leaving me with lectures/labs at the start and end. Is this a bad idea?
How important are these labs?
 

itsnotmine

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does this really apply to med students?

i got almost no choice at all for time slots... so many lectures arrrgh
 

Kujah

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ok, so there appears to be a lot of confusion on this forum about timetables and the best way to have them. Below is a list of a few things about timetables which i learnt the hard way. Now, some of these may differ depending upon individual circumstances, especially if you don't do a basic degree such as commerce, arts or law like i do or if you live on or near campus. However, i would say the basic rules are still the same even if you do a speciality degree (medicine, engineering, science etc). If uni students have anything extra to add, please do so.

1) you may think you can make it to a 9am tute or lecture, but you can't. Unless you live really close to or on the campus you will have to be up before the sun.

2) it is always best to minimise the amount of days you have to go. This also minimises travel costs and time, which really stack up over the course of a semester.

3) as an extension to 2), you also don't want to be there 2 days or less. You miss out on all campus life and you end up with 12 hour days. Three days a week is what you should be aiming for.

4) try and space the days out, leaving days at home in between. This allows for precious study days at home before exams. The ideal timetable should be mondays, wednesdays and fridays.

5) never, never, never, never ever put lectures on a day without tutorials as well. You think it'll be fine, but by week 4 you'll end up just skipping that non-compulsory day and hence miss out on 50% of your course.

6) leave several hours of gaps and lectures between tutorials. This allows from precious cramming time if you happen to have two exams in one day, as you can skip the lectures if needs be. That said, however, don't have more than two hours of uninterrupted break at a time. You'll just get bored.

7) try to avoid putting lectures at the end of a day or (especially) at the beginning. You will just get lazy and end up skipping them.

8) one of the best tips i have: Pay attention to when the other lectures for that course are. If you get a shitty timetable cos one of your lectures is at an odd time, then you can always just rock up to one of the other lectures at a more convenient time. Very seldom are they actually at full capacity. This only partly works if your lecture is divided up in to two blocks, as occasionally the lecturers work at different paces and you can get confused. However, it's still better than coming all the way to uni just for a one hour lecture.
(y)
 

tommykins

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I for one like having lecture only days. Gives a good break for study
 

rx34

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I'm doing commerce and I prefer to put a tutorial for each day I go to uni. This allows me to do the work the night before. Whereas if I do 3 tutorials in one particular day, the night before would be a crazy and hectic one (staying up to 3am doing work).
 

Kaatie

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has anyone from newcastle done their timetable yet? if i do my timetable am i stuck in that course and that uni, no second round offers?
 

annabackwards

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Spread out tutes= win. So you can do your homework in that hour before your tute begins. Trust me, some tutors are absolute bitches and will blast you if you don't do your work.
Ah, i managed to do that without realising it :D
 

tommykins

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Why would you do it an hour before your tute? Lol
 

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