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Term 1A


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"WE ARE NOT A CULT!" -eng o-week


Welcome to Waterloo! Get ready to hit the ground running, as some profs go right into the content on day 1. Tutorials are (usually) cancelled for the first week and a chunk of the second week, so use that as time to get used to everything.


Tips


Part of Disorientaion Week.


  • Get enough rest.
    It's good for your mental health. Don't forget to shower.

  • Make some friends.
    Any university is only antisocial if you are, so try your best to reach out to anyone (there's loads of chances). Going through any program completely by yourself isn't the best of ideas.

  • CO-OP: Get started on your resume.
    Both streams have their resumes reviewed within the first month, and Stream 4s get to enter the job search within the first half of September.

  • Desperate for something else to do that leans into engineering?
    Join a design team, you can do anything from autonomous cars, robotics, and rockets (and you aren't limited by what you study!).


    • My Experience


  • Academics
    Blew most of my midterms, ended up coming back with a good average thanks to the generous finals marking, and using past exams to prepare.

  • Overall
    Coming here was a complete reset, and I liked the feeling. Knew no one in engineering (barely anyone from my high school came here, some tried but got hit by a certain infamous deferral), had to get used to a completely new world compared to high school, etc. Got used to the KW region, met some people here and there, pulled late night cram sessions and got into some clubs, but it honestly didn't feel like enough.

    Let the days fade into weeks, and weeks into months. After all of that, those 4 months will just one big (and maybe even traumatic) memory.

    • Classes


    Mental breakdown caught on the night before the MATH115 final.


    CHE100 - Chemical Engineering Concepts 1


    Course seems like it's all over the place until you get to the fun bit: mass balances. Deliverables can be hit-or-miss, midterm and final should give you enough time. Make sure to do the practice problems.


    CHE102 - Chemistry for Engineers


    It's just high school review, admittedly the most interesting when it comes to content. If you end up getting a cheat sheet, start writing on it. Course is light work with enough practice, though it can be tedious.


    CHE120 - Computer Literacy and Programming


    Word/Excel stuff that you've definitely seen before for the first weeks, and then you get hit with Python. The coding section starts off fine with the basics of programing (functions, loops, etc.), and can be tricky near the end. You also have a final group project where youhave to make a game out of Python, very fun and/or hard.


    CHE180 - Chemical Engineering Design Studio 1


    Designated bird course. It's a free >90 if you walk in, do everything, and leave. Has some skippable stuff here and there, but is still fun. The big event that this class builds up to isan open fair, where you get to present a soap that YOU make in a lab setting with your bare hands, and actively try to sell to anyone passing by.


    MATH115 - Linear Algebra


    Worst class of 1A. The more grounded concepts (imaginary numbers/modulus, RREF, eigenvalues, orthogonal diagonalization) are fine, but the proofs are disgusting especially when you're getting marked on them. Difficulty ramps up after midterms, so good luck.


    MATH116 - Calculus 1


    High school review + extras with some added integrals and applications near the end, course topics are very easy to take in. Fun course overall.