Jill's Study Blog

2 weeks into Univeristy, and I have the flu. Not a little cold, not a sore throat, -the flu. Fainting when I stand up and barely being able to roll over in bed flu. Does this suck? Absolutely. And do I know how to handle it? Not at all.

Yesterday I had the symptoms, but I went to class anyway. I did my best to take care of myself and still do my work, but it was quite difficult. This morning I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a train. I couldn’t move and I missed all 5 of my scheduled classes.

What have I learned? Well...

1. The second you start to feel burnt out, address it. Do not work in pain! Take a shower, drink some liquids, have a nap. Taking a small break at the beginning will prevent you from having to take a long break in the future.

2. Stay hydrated! Dehydration can be confused with fatigue sometimes, stay in tune with your body.

3. Don’t feel guilty about taking care of yourself. The work you are doing is not your best work, nor will you retain much, if there is strain on your body. By taking a break you are benefiting your school work.

4. Commit to getting better just like you’d commit to a class or studying. Don’t flip flop between “maybe I’ll have a nap... or maybe I’ll just read a little... or maybe I’ll just sit on my phone confused”. If you’re concerned about using your time effectively, the best thing you can do is just make a choice and stick with it.

5. Sleep heals. Seriously. The worst thing you can do when you’re sick is stay up late.

In conclusion... stop feeling guilty and just take care of yourself. Be kind to yourself. Working yourself to the bone when your body can’t handle it is not a cute aesthetic, it’s not healthy, and it’s not in your best interest.

Take care!

Choosing a university can be tough. I personally struggled for a while, stuck between two amazing schools with no idea which one was right for me. Ultimately, due to my logic-based nature, I met my conflict with an algorithmic approach. Below is the method I used. I am sharing it in hopes that it may be useful to someone else.

First, I came up with a list of my top values/considerations in a school. These can range from logistics like commute time to price, or social aspects like homecoming and school spirit. The list I compiled personally was the following:

1. Reputation 

2. Scholarships

3. Program

4. Campus

Once I had complied my list, I assigned a level of value to each category on a scale from 1-10. The category that was the most important to me would be ranked very highly, whereas the category that was flexible would be ranked lower. Think of 10 as your “non negotiable” value (for example: you are willing to compromise and go to a school with a poor reputation if the scholarship money is really good, but you are not willing to go to a school that doesn’t offer a lot of scholarship money- so scholarships are ranked a 10 in importance). This will appear like this:

1. Reputation (7)

2. Scholarships (7)

3. Program (10)

4. Campus (6)

I then proceeded to score each of my universities on a scale from 1-10 for each of these categories, after researching and touring them (for example: McMaster scores a 9 in reputation because it’s ranked 5th in the country, but a 7 in campus because it always seems to be under construction). A completed score assignment card may look like this:

McMaster

1. Reputation (9)

2. Scholarships (9)

3. Program (10)

4. Campus (7)

After I had finished scoring the university, I would multiply the two numbers I had assigned to the categories. So it would be (value)x(score)= category mark. 

The outcome would have resembled this:

McMaster

1. Reputation (7)x(9)=63

2. Scholarships (7)x(9)=63

3. Program (10)x(10)=100

4. Campus (7)x(6)=43

I would then add up each of these values:

63+63+100+43 =269

This equation would determine that on my personalized scale, McMaster scored 269 out of a possible 300 points. I would then rank all of my other university options on the same scale, and their scores would indicate to me which school matched my preferences to the highest degree.

The best part of this formula is that it is highly customizable, you can add as many values or as many schools as you want. The results are not the be-all-end-all answer to your “where should I go” question, but they are indicative of the most logical option, and they give you something to consider if you feel lost.

In the end, you will know what school is right for you. This is just a way to quantify your needs and put things in perspective. This approach can also be used to tackle many other decisions in life: from what major to do, what vacation to take, or what relationships to pursue.

Best of luck in your decision making,

I’ve always been very certain of what academic path I want to take. I’m lucky that I have such a clear vision of the career and education I desire, and to be starting my undergrad at my dream school this year is so exciting! My 10-year plan is this:

Undergraduate Degree: Obtain a bachelors degree in Honours Economics with a minor in Geography and Sustainability from McMaster University.

Juris Doctor: Obtain a law degree from New York University.

Career: Work as a corporate lawyer who litigates in relation to relestate and policy changes that pertain to environment.

Today I had my first day of Univeristy classes. I had lectures scheduled today for 4/5 of my courses, so I was bombarded with a lot of information all at once.

When I finished class for the day I wanted to sort through my syllabuses, my notes, and organize myself using the new information I got. I’m not sure if anyone else likes to have everything written in one place, but it makes me feel 10x more organized!

Here’s a quick video of me setting up my outlines for the semester.

It’s mid frosh-week, and as I’ve become settled into the dorm life style, I thought I could share what I have learned over the past few days.

When I packed I made a list on google sheets with multiple categories (clothing, toiletries, utilities, dishes, school supplies, weather gear, etc.) and I found that laying out exactly what I needed to bring before I began packing helped me think of things I may have forgotten otherwise. Despite my best efforts, there were areas in which I did not pack accordingly. Keeping in mind that all schools vary in their structure, this is my top 5 list of things to consider if you are moving into residence:

1. Bring a small card holder or flexible wallet and lanyard. Many residence buildings require key cards, student cards as ID, and physical keys to open your room. You will not want to have to carry a wallet/backpack/purse everywhere you go, so invest in a way to store these items compactly.

2. Bring slippers and a bathrobe. Sometimes you may just want to travel down the hall or the lobby, and putting on sneakers or boots will be unnecessary. Slippers or crocs are a great multi-purpose piece of footwear, and a bathrobe is great for wearing on your way to the showers and for when you are cold in the mornings.

3. Bring reusable water bottles. These are key for when you’re travelling around campus, and they prevent you from having to pay the ridiculous cafeteria prices.

4. Have a small backpack/purse that is easy to carry around. You don’t want to bring your whole knapsack every time you need to pick something up from the campus store or bring a jacket with you.

5. When packing a snack bin, don’t forget liquids! Juice boxes, juice, iced tea, sparkling water, etc. will all be your best friends (especially during the hotter weather). 

I’m sure as the semester goes on I will have more packing insight, but as of right now I have determined the most useful things are what helps you travel around campus with minimal bulk and maximum convenience. Just something to keep in mind!

My name is Jill, and in a few short days I begin my first year at McMaster University. I am a whirlwind of emotions as I pack up my room at home and prepare to move hours away, with the most prevalent emotion being fear of public showers (with a close second being sadness about leaving my dogs behind). I am the first person in my family to ever enrol in university, making this process all the more new. Sorry, did I say new? I meant terrifying.

I’m not suited for youtube, but I wanted a way to document my academic journey, which is what led me to my decision to set up a blog where I can share my experiences, photos, and tips as I progress throughout my freshman year.

With that said... I better get back to packing.