What I Really Wish I Knew In 1B

I originally wrote this article for Volume 118, Issue 3 of mathNEWS.

Sleep is Important

It’s easy to get caught up in interviews, assignments, projects, midterms, and late nights playing board games. Don’t forget to sleep! As much as your friends may brag about getting through the week on three hours of sleep, you’ll be much more productive if your manage your energy and get enough sleep through the week.

Find Your Passion

You will find many opportunities to make decisions in your life. You might be choosing between sleeping or studying for another three hours, between a co-op opportunity in the San Francisco Bay Area or a co-op opportunity in Kitchener, or between pasta or breaded fish at the cafeteria.

So why are you wasting your time doing things you don’t like and that won’t take you a step closer to reaching your goals? When you put down this paper, go do something that will make your life better.

Don’t Date Someone From Your Cohort

If you are (un)fortunate enough to be in a program with a cohort, think very carefully before dating someone in your class. There are so many ways it could end horribly. I’ll let your imagination run wild here.

Volunteering

If you were one of the people who enjoyed volunteering in high school, don’t just give up on it now that you’re here! Even if you’re not in Engineering, WE-Connect, part of Waterloo Engineering Outreach, is involved with many events where you can get involved. Every year, volunteers are needed for the FIRST Lego League and the FIRST Robotics Regional Competition on campus. Become an Orientation leader. Start a business on campus. Run for student government. Get involved!

Internet

Whenever you go on Facebook, Twitter, or OMGUW, remember that you’re representing the university - whether you like it or not. We’ll have to see whether we’re going to clamp down and not put anything on the Internet, or whether we’re going to accept that people do stupid things and that it’s funny. Until then, think before you post.