A particle in a Hadron collider - jinx_58's university journey journal

jinx_58

Howdy Howdy peeps!

For those of you who don't know, I completed QCE Year 12 last year with a 91.75 ATAR. Here's my year 12 journey journal: https://discussion.atarnotes.com/d/7214-the-expedition-through-qce-for-a-good-atar-jinx-58

Now, from the 27th of Feb, I'll be studying Engineering at the Queensland University of Technology. I got in through the early offer scheme, so it was a nice peace of mind before the ATAR's came out. I actually have a better title this time for my journey journal so that's also pretty awesome haha.

In first semester, we all take the basic engineering subjects, then in second semester we choose our major- or minor - specific subjects. I don't entirely have a clue as to what major I wanna do so we vibin'.

My subjects:
EGB101: Engineering Design and Professional Practice
EGB102: Fundamentals of Engineering Science
EGB103: Computing and Data for Engineers
MZB125: Introductory Engineering Mathematics (The easier math because I only did methods and not spesh)

Regarding my timetable, I have a day off on Thursdays so that's pretty awesome. I also have days where classes end at 6pm :') 😳

O-Week
I've signed up for events and jazz so that's cool, some lectures and I'm planning on joining Volleyball club (if there is one) and book club.

Other life things:
I learnt how to catch a bus for the first time last week so that was pretty awesome
I've got a casual job, once a week at Kumon
Still applying for other retail jobs n jazz
Maccas rejected me like 5 times (I think I'm overqualified lol)
Coles also rejected me haha
A bunch of places rejected me lol

Starting up new habits and stuff is so hard. I've been trying to pick back up on Python coding through this app called Mimo (its awsm you should try it), and trying to exercise somewhat consistently (at home, too broke for the gym lol), and practice keyboard, and its proving to be a challenge, especially exercising haha.

I'm not sure how busy uni'll get so I'm not sure how regularly I'll update this journal😅

Song of the week: Tell Me I'm Alive - All Time Low

Peace out,
-jinx_58

chocomilkenthusiast

jinx_58

Hey! What marks did you get to get an ATAR of 91.75 (if you don't mind sharing). I'm aiming to try and get above a 90, so I just want to set some achievable goals eeeee

jinx_58

Aight so today was the first day of O-Week. I'll hopefully update this post specifically as each day goes.

Monday: It was pre mid, I saw at least one person from every school I've been to, except my first primary school (Went to 3 different highschools and 2 primary schools). Overall, got some numbers, met new people, especially those doing engineering so yeah it was cool. The freebies were awesome, there were also some local bands playing so that was pre sick too. Caught the bus for the first time to the city so that was cool, walked 2km for the first time in my life, missed a bus home, caught the one after it (on the same route). My legs ache because I'm a weakling lol. Oh yeah, I fully panicked when I missed the first bus home haha. Its really interesting how people in your life just exist, and how much of an impact they have on ur day. Yeah, so that's bout it for now.

Wednesday: Had a Library session on how to use the library and how to navigate the place (because its much bigger than high school). Then I had this MZB125 (math) workshop about what sorta stuff to expect this semester in this subject, how to approach learning and stuff like that. Fun fact: my mum and I ended up making rice pudding. It was pre good.

Thursday: Had the undergrad engineering welcome so attended that, which was pretty alright. Met new people and learnt more about my degree.

Need to learn how to note-take on my laptop lol.

Peace out n thanks for stickin around like rice pudding,
-jinx_58

_sophiestudies_

jinx_58 My legs ache because I'm a weakling lol.

Oh my legs were the exact same today after my first day of orientation. All it took was walking up one flight of stairs and my friend and I were like "ooft this is really sad".

jinx_58

Week 1 Sem 1
Today was the first day of classes and it wasn't too bad. I had a morning lecture and an afternoon workshop (tutorial) so that was pre chill. I had 4 hours in between which I used to catch up on the work I missed.

So turns out I had a solid 15 vids to watch before starting my coding class and the first 5 weren't the most useful. We're learning basic Python programming and how to use it to process data which sounds awesome. I did Python, HTML and CSS in grade 10, learnt latex for notion and picked up Python again last year. Thankfully I understand what's going on so far and I hope it continues that way.

For my math subject, I had this extra workshop in the arvo so I could do math better because I lowkey gave up on the diagnostic test 👀 and these extra classes really help out. Today we just did this test which recapped what we learnt in methods last year.

Some life things:
I packed my own lunch today
I got lost today on the way to uni hahahaha but I figured it out (don't blindly trust google maps, it really messes u up like wayy too much, follow da signs)
I figured how to note-take properly (I think lol)
I wanna sleep (and its just Monday 🥲🥲)

Peace out!
-jinx_58

jinx_58

chocomilkenthusiast
English: 77
Ancient History: 86
Chemistry: 93
Physics: 84
Methods: 67
Religion and Ethics: A

-jinx_58

jinx_58

Week 1 Sem 1
I think its better if I update weekly

Tuesday
I met people, and have solid friends so that's pre sick. I had lunch with 4 people and it was really cool, getting to learn about each other. I had 2 classes today which were pretty chill so that was nice. Doesn't mean I didn't get homework though lol.

Wednesday
It was a pretty mid day. Only had one class because pracs only start next week so I got to come home early.

Friday
Had three classes, two were back to back. We revised over significant figures, scientific notation, that sorta stuff. And in my last class we did a math worksheet. It was revision of year 11 methods (which I did terrible in) but I think I'm getting the hang of things.

Work wise, I still have a few tasks to complete to prepare for week 2, so imma do em now.

Emotional rant-ish
One thing that most don't tell you about uni is having lunch on your own. If you're used to sitting with a group of mates in high school, when you have lunch at uni, the loneliness really washes over you. I personally realised how much of an awesome group I was apart of and I miss it so much. Its always nice to have company when having lunch. It also feels illegal to use your phone in class lol.

Also, its soo freakin obvious which ones are first-years and which ones are not at uni. Its just so obvious lol. I hate to say it, but I feel like I'm in year 7 again :')

Peace out,
-jinx_58

jinx_58

Week 2
Damn, another week flies by. Wow.

This week was pretty chill and it wasn't too hard.

Math
My math subject is lowkey giving me a hard time, because I barely passed year 11 methods :'). We have worksheets we have to complete, and the best 8 outta 12 count toward our final mark. We also have an exam but idk when that is lol.
I'm not really sure if I'm allowed to chuck the questions I'm having trouble with so I won't, but there are STEM support services and stuff so I might go check it out. I also learnt what my tutor's name was and she's such a nice lady.

Engineering Design n Professional Practice
We have a reflection sheet due, on like our group skills and stuff. Its weighted 20% of our grade n stuff which is pre alright. Need to edit n submit it tho haha. We're also building a bridge prototype and we created our groups, so really looking forward to the design aspect of the bridge.

Coding
Its going pretty chill, our lectures are like Q n A sessions and I have to watch 10 videos before Monday. We've started our assignments and its due in week 6. Its already giving me errors, but the relief when it gives you a different error from before hits diff dude, like if you get it, you get it.

Physics
Been keeping up with textbook readings, and so far its just Unit 3 Physics and Unit 4 Methods revision so its not too bad. Our tutor is pretty chill and the final exam is multiple choice so that pretty awesome! That's really about it lol, with weekly questions so yeah. Idk if we get graded on the weekly questions tho, need to ask my tutor.

Have an awesome weekend,
-jinx_58

jinx_58

Week 3
(Currently in week 4, just forgot to do a week 3 update haha)
Last week was a little nutters haha

Math
We learnt about vectors, with i's and j's this time. And it's a little bit more difficult than Physics last year :') My worksheets are due every Friday so I submitted mine yesterday and so far its chill. I don't fully understand anything at the lecture, but the worksheets help. Thankfully I still have pdf's of the specialist textbooks from year 11 n 12 so that's been helping.

Engineering (the subject)
We have a group project of building a bridge across the Brissy river and I somehow became team leader lol. We're supposed to do a scoping study and thankfully they gave us a template. But yeah figuring out specifics takes a bit of time.

Coding
Honestly, the subject is kinda annoying tbh. The videos teach us something but not enough to do the assignment. So I have been asking other people to explain the question, and I chuck it into code, hoping for the best.

Physics
Kinda behind on this one, I need to go over the tutorial notes for this subject because I didn't fully understand some things. The textbook is quite helpful though.

I'll hopefully be back for week 4 updates,
-jinx_58

jinx_58

jinx_58
Sup dudes

Missed the week 4, 5 and 6 update bc my time management sucks

There was this coding assignment that was also draining, so heads up to anyone who wants to do Engineering, especially year 11's and 12's, learn Python. It'll save hours :')

Aside from that, everything is kinda chill. I need a better note-taking method for lectures and its so easy to fall asleep after the first hour. It mid-sem break (for a week) right now so I've been trying to catch up on lectures.

With math, the basics of matrices make sense, but whatever I learnt in that last lecture didn't. Tried doing that second worksheet for Matrices and I'm so lost. I've got this whole plan on notion but oh well, we'll see how it goes.

Life update wise, I got a retail job so that's pretty awesome and its been going pretty awesome so far.

That's really about it haha.

Peace out,
-jinx_58

jinx_58

Sup peeps, I believe its week 7.

For our physics subjects, its been slightly nuts because I'm just not good at understanding what forces are always in play so I've been trying to understand what's going on. I rewatched the lecture and tutorial for weeks 5 and 6 so I could further understand and it really seems to help. Also, reading the textbook and taking notes before the lec also helps me understand what's going down in the lecture and tutorial. So that's pre cool, kinda glad I took high school physics. The next assignment has been released so I need to go work on that.

For math, its just differentiation so thankfully not too terrible so far. Matrices really confused me for last week's worksheet though haha. The one thing I need to try n understand differentiation of vectors when given an x and y component. I'll hopefully figure out eventually.

For the general engineering subject, we're down to 4 people because one dropped out for perfectly reasonable reasons and we were all understanding. So, building the bridge is actually kinda fun, we sat down and had a proper team meeting and now we're all actually clear on what we're doing and our group vibes are pretty awesome too.

We don't talk about our coding subject, because we're expected to do stuff but we're not given a solid framework and this confuses me. For context, we're using Pandas to clean up and format data. I still don't fully get it but hopefully I'll figure it out.

Song that I've been vibin' to lately: Lost Along the Way - All Time Low.

Also to all yall year 12s, good luck dudes and you've got this! 🙂

Peace out,
-jinx_58

Just a side note, I've started to try and live in the moment and to let the emotions and stuff wash over me. I felt like I was always on the go and everything and it just wasn't the best mindset haha. So, finally doing so really helps me form more deeper and defined memories. Remember to love yourselves!

jinx_58

I was supposed to post this Sunday night haha but the website spazzed out so here it is:

It has been quite a while since I last updated y'all because this sem has been WILD. It was the last week of classes last week so next week exam block begins.

A lil summary:
For my general engineering subject: We built a protype bridge that lifts up and we did so awesome that we got 7/7!! It was so cool and honestly such an awesome experience. We also had a report so that was handed in and our group of 4 did really really well. Done with this subject and no assessment left!

For physics: Hahaha lol. I may be lowkey losing it over this subject ngl. Its deffos an extension of QCAA physics but gosh its kinda challenging to wrap your head around ngl. And then there's fluids n pressure. The exam for this is next Saturday so with me luck peeps. Our assessment consisted of these 'assignments' which we were given a week to do which is a set of question that we can do open-book. Then we had two practicals and we had to fill out the provided worksheet. The exam is weighted 50% so I hope I do well enough to pass haha.

For math: Eveyrthing's been pre chill and the sample exam doesn't seem too hard so the final exam shouldn't be either? I feel like they're gunna throw a curveball at us just outta nowhere lol. Its basically methods and a bit of specialist from last year so the content itself isn't too bad; its just remembering the content and applying it to problems.

For coding subejct: I'm finally done with this subject, and it was terrible. I'm not sure if I'm terrible at coding or if I'm jus terrible at learning it lol.

Welp asides from that, I have a list of skills to pick up lol:
How to CAD
How to get better at Python code and if it is possible, probably pick up C as well.
Managing time better
Need to catch up with a few mates

Thas all from me, until after those exams!

Best of luck to everyone,
-jinx_58

Billzene

jinx_58 As a uni boomer, when the mock exam is too easy, it means 1 of 2 things, that the actual exam will be extremely difficult or it will be super easy, maybe even easier than the mock exam itself. There are no in-betweens in my observation for suspiciously easy mock exams

jinx_58

Howdyyyyyy I'm back and feeling much more mentally refreshed haha.

So exams are over, and I think went okay.

Weirdly enough, year 12 really gave me that "Live n let go" attitude about exams because I can't change what I wrote lol/

Math wasn't as bad as I thought it was gunna be, it was a lot like the practice exam they gave us so that was very sweet.
Physics was a solid meh, I'm just looking to pass so we vibed haha. Saturday exams are not a W btw.

Overall, I just have some life things to do over the next month, so I might see yall then!

I've decided to major in Computer and software systems but I'm not sure if I'm gunna stay in it so I chose a civil subject, 2 software subjects and the reg math subject everyone does.

-jinx_58

jinx_58

Lol I'm not the best at time management so here I am 1 week after sem 2 began lol.

So, I was kinda confused on what major to pick and what I did was I picked 3 "computer and software" subjects and 1 civil subject. I sat in my first civil subject class and it hit me like a truck that I don't ever wanna do civil, because I just can't see me doing that in 5 years (no hate on civil). Hence, I've decided to go with the full software set and so far, its chill (because its week 1 lol).

Here are the subjects/units I'm doing this sem and what I need to do to prepare for the classes I have:
Units
MZB127 - Engineering mathematics and statistics
Description: Title is self-explanatory, just some more calculus and statistics

Need to watch weekly pre-recorded videos and fill the given worksheet
Attempt the tutorial questions
Write down any questions I may have and contact someone regarding it asap

CAB201 - Programming Principles
Description: Learning Object-Oriented Programming in C#

Watch pre-recorded videos before going to lecture and follow along on Visual Studio Code 2022
Attempt tutorial questions/exercises (if I have time)
Write down any questions I may have and contact someone regarding it asap

EGB120 - Foundations of Electrical Engineering
Description: Title is again self-explanatory, DC circuitry and expanding on that cool stuff

Fortnightly online quizzes
Pre-recorded videos each week
Fortnightly practical, so need to prepare for each one
Look over tutorial PowerPoints

IFB240 - Cyber Security
Description: Learning how cyber security is vital for everyone and the lack thereof can really screw up life for individuals and groups

Weekly recorded lecture videos
No physical lecture
Tutorial

If anyone is interested in doing software engineering, or engineering at qut, just shoot me a message if you have any questions 🙂

Holiday goals:

On the sem holiday, I jotted down a buncha things I wanted to get done. I can now say, I did catch up with a few mates, learnt how to CAD, and picked up C# via codecademy. I didn't improve on Python however, C# is not too difficult (yet). I have one more lesson till I complete the full codecademy course but other than that, its pretty chill. I think I learnt how to manage my time better using a notion/google calendar system lol.

Oh yeah, one more thing, GPA wise, I'm sitting on a 6.75 so I'm pre happy with that.

Just a life snippet, google photos loves to remind you what you were doing this time last year so I found photos I forgotten I'd taken last year and I'm lowkey proud of myself for making it through. So to all you year 12s, good luck, even when the going gets tough. You'll be right, you'll make it through, and you'll look back on it as a memory.

Also, I need advice, does anyone know where I should start looking for internships? Specifically like first-year software engineer ones, because I asked around and companies look for experience, not really at your grades. So if I could get some experience under my belt, that'd be pretty awesome so I can understand how what I learn relates to what I actually do in the field.

If you made it this far, thanks dude!

jinx_58

TLDR: I'm doing software engineering at qut 🙂

Billzene

jinx_58 Have you tried your uni’s career portal? Most unis have a forum where companies post internship availabilities

jinx_58

Billzene
I have no clue if our uni has a career portal lol, I probably should check that out haha

Thank you 🙂

jinx_58

Howdy all, and surprise, another irregular update haha.

I hope everyone's doing well and vibin to whatever song that's playing in your head rn.

This one's gunna get a tad emotional, jus a heads up, because uni really challenges you and I think its important I make this journal entry because 1) I can look back on it and 2) People can learn from my experience and understand its okay to feel that way.

I've just realised that I deeply lack hands-on skills. And a lotta engineering is hands on. Its great (sarcasm). I feel so stupid compared to everyone else, and physics wasn't something I was always good at, but thoroughly enjoyed. I'm not considering dropping engineering, never. I just wish I was smarter because most my peers know what they're doing. They understand the practicality of a situation, hence the physics.

Ngl, its like a small reminder in my head everyday that I'm not good enough, I don't deserve to do engineering and I don't belong here.

I just wish I'd learnt half these skills like breadboarding, soldering etc etc beforehand. I wish I was given the opportunities to do so. I wish I'd decided, "yo lets explore all these electrical things because I've always wanted to open up a computer," but I wasn't exactly allowed. I wanted to learn what are the components and how everything links up. I remember opening up pens and being abolstuely thrilled figuring out how it worked. This stuff always fascinated me, but because I didn't know what to do or where to start and from year 10 and onwards lost the time, I'm pre stuck rn.

I've been given a few tips by others (feel free to shoot any my way) and I hope that I'll be able to pick up these skills at one point.

Wish me luck,
-jinx_58

AngelWings

jinx_58 I felt the exact same way upon graduation but with practical biological skills, which was probably exacerbated by my own choice to do a theoretical Honours project (I don’t regret it whatsoever, but feels like I shot myself in the foot sometimes). Things that should’ve been skills or techniques I felt I should’ve done earlier in my degree just didn’t always exist, and I’ve had to find experience or teach myself basic skills in my own spare time. (I work in biology too, so kind of critical.)

Anyway, know you’re not alone in this aspect; there will be others in the same boat. It’s never too late to learn or improve yourself, and now that you’re aware of it, you can ask others who are more knowledge/ experienced to tutor you.

sonia

jinx_58

Hello, I have no idea what your talking about but I'm graduating in 2024. I've only been on atar notes for like a week, and I noticed that you had an atar journey journal. I think thats a pretty good idea and I would like to make one, for myself because I need to know that this studying is actually worth it. Thanks, Sonia

jinx_58

AngelWings

Thank you so much, I really needed to hear this.

I really appreciate it 🙂

-jinx_58

jinx_58

sonia
Deffos go for it dude. Definitely make a journey journal, because I look back on my year 12 one sometimes and it reminds me to keep going ngl.

-jinx_58