Login

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

March 29, 2024, 06:45:10 am

Author Topic: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal  (Read 3826 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

jkay__

  • Forum Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 74
  • This is how much I remember: 3.141592653589793238
  • Respect: +29
7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« on: December 21, 2019, 02:02:26 pm »
+14
Been on AN for like, 3 months by the creation of ths journal, so hopefully my attempted inclusion isn't too extra.

Who am I? Why am I doing this?
I finished VCE in 2019, commencing my studies at The University of Melbourne from 2020. I love Maths (which does not reflect in my VCE results), and I'm not that bad at computers, so due to being untalented in many other areas, I couldn't see how these two specialisations couldn't be a more perfect fit.

I wrote this post for several reasons - possibly helping like-minded individuals who don't know what to do, reviewing subjects for anyone who might be interested in them along with looking back on my journey 4 years later, whoo.

I had been interested in majoring in Actuarial Science for the longest time, all the way from Year 10, and thought that my career pathway had basically been decided. This picture-perfect dream I had however was shattered gradually over the course of Year 12 and had become something irreparably tragic, culminating in my current faint resentment of the major. However, this is absolutely just me being melodramatic, and anyone who signs up for the major - I have huge respect for. It isn't a bad major at all, and there is a HUGE chance that my entire impression of it is biased and off the mark. I'm not an Actuarial student, so anything I say, please take with a grain of salt. Please refer to this thread for a former Actuarial student's thoughts on the Actuarial degree.

As someone who envisioned that Actuarial was the only pathway out for him - my hopes were utterly crushed over the year. I had lost my vision, and I did not know what to do, like at all. Very naturally (and with the advice of my Specialist teacher, along with Unimelb students), my thoughts floated to Data Science. It was not a bad degree at all, and it had the essence of what I wanted to do, which was Mathematics. However, after looking around even more, I was told to do Statistics + Computer Science. Like the indecisive and fickle kid I am, that's where my heart immediately went to, and I have been set on it for the past few months. Numerous people have said it is challenging (fun) and employable to a more drastic extent than anyone doing Actuarial or Data Science, as if I wanted to, I can choose to go into either industries, or I can also branch off to Computer Science, or so on.

It's Summer holidays now and I'm quite happy with the choice that I've made. However, I know that VCE is a busy time, and so many people (that I know of, at least) have no idea what they want to do. Hopefully with this journal, I can emulate the ones who have inspired me in the past, and guide anyone lost through the pitfalls of choosing what to study, perhaps.

I'll be reviewing all the subjects I do both here and in the Subject Reviews & Ratings megathread, and here's hoping that I'll be able to help, even at the most, one person on how Maths/Compsci is like, or how this degree is, etc.

Bachelor of Science (Computing and Software Systems) / Diploma in Mathematical Science @ UoM
Have not yet started specialising in Statistics & Stochastic Processes (Diploma)


Study Plan:
Here's what the plan would look like in a spreadsheet. Blue cells hold the major cores/electives, green cells hold the subjects needed to receive the Diploma of MathSc, orange cells hold Compsci electives and grey cells hold the Breadth subjects (scroll down for explanations of what each are)
(would love feedback on the study plan, if I should re-order some subjects or if I'll die doing these subjects, etc  ;D)

Timetables:
Year 1 (2020)


I'll add my timetables after each semester

Thoughts and Reviews:
Pre-Uni thoughts and impressions
My impressions on this degree have been utterly defiled due to my curiousity of wanting to know and prepare for everything beforehand. Every single person I have talked to have stated that maths at Unimelb is incredibly impossible, and for a lack of a better word, absolutely fucked. However, these assertions of the subjects being impossible have just given me reassurance that I'm at the right place, and I'll most likely continue with my love-hate relationship with Mathematics. These "fucked" subjects (for those who care) are MAST10009 (Accelerated Mathematics 2), MAST20004 (Probability) and MAST30025 (Probability for Inference). Unimaths in general is hard, I guess. And what? What if it's hard? Would you go into a Medicine degree and complain about workload, when it's renowned for being difficult?

The answer to that question is yes, I'm just prepared and am preparing you all for incessant whining on this journal if it does turn out to be difficult, my premature apologies.

This incredible image of University that has been painted for me acts only as fuel to motivate me further, and remind me that University is not High School, where cramming might work for a bit in Year 1, but then massively backfire on you if your work ethics, and independent ability to set up schedules are incredibly lacking (the gist of what I've been advised to do). I talked to a student (Unimelb Class of 2019), who had prescribed me with 8 hours of study a day for first and second year, and 12 hours of study a day for third and fourth years. Whilst this sounds mathematically impossible factoring in classes, I'll try to achieve that goal to the best of my ability.

Then there's social life. I'm planning on going to the sci/eng camps (where I've heard some incredibly FUCKED up shit happens), and enjoying myself. I'll also join a few clubs here and there, but currently, it seems like I'll be living and breathing Mathematics for my time at Unimelb, which 'm not complaining about. There's also raves and clubs, which I guess I could make some time for. That said, I'll be limiting myself to one night out per semester, whether it be dinner out with friends or going to clubs (this excludes dinner with Academic acquaintances, if that situation ever arises). Why party during the year when we get so much time in the summer holidays (unless you do a summer term subject)? I've just heard too many stories of VCE high achievers (I'm not included in this category, rip) going into Uni and messing about because they think they could do well, and then ending up with 42 WAM, and I definitely know that some of my friends (also not high achievers, rip) who will definitely fall into this trap and completely flunk first semester.

I definitely feel safer writing this here though, as I cop fat roasts if I tell any of my friends that I'll have no social life during my stay at Unimelb LMAOO (or maybe I'll also cop some Ls on AN too). In fact, as I heard AM1 is incredibly hard relative to Specialist, I already started a bit of preparation for it, which won't even scratch the surface, but it's better than playing CSGO all day, I reckon.

I'm also having a Year 12 student for Specialist next year. He sounds like he has so much potential, so I hope I don't mess this up LOL
Index of Subject Reviews
I'll be linking my reviews (journal posts) as an index for every subject that I undertake, with the pathways (prereqs) possible for each subject.

A / C indicates that doing only one of the subjects is enough to meet the prerequisite for any subject.
A + C indicates that both subjects are needed to meet the prerequisites.
A + (B / C / D) indicates that subject A is compulsory, and any one of B, C or D can be chosen to meet the prerequisite.
A + B / C + D indicates that A + B is one pathway into the subject, whilst C + D is another pathway.

Computing and Software Systems cores/electives (COMP, INFO, SWEN)
These are the subjects that I undertook to satisfy the prerequisites in Computing and Software Systems part of the major, and any other electives taken to expand my Computer Science knowledge.

COMP10001 - Foundations of Computing
COMP10002 - Foundations of Algorithms → FoC / Programming Test prereqs
INFO20003 - Database Systems → FoC / FoA / VCE Algo / Programming Test prereqs
SWEN20003 - Object Oriented Software Development → FoA / VCE Algo prereqs
COMP20003 - Algorithms and Data Structures → 2 Math subjects + (VCE Algo / FoC / FoA) prereqs
COMP20008 - Elements of Data Processing → FoC prereq
SWEN30006 - Software Modelling and Design → ADS + OODS prereqs
COMP30027 - Machine Learning → FoA + Elements of Data Processing prereqs
COMP30024 - Artificial Intelligence → ADS prereq
COMP30022 - IT Project → Database Systems + (Software Modelling and Design / Web Information Technologies) prereqs
COMP30020 - Declarative Programming → ADS prereq
COMP30023 - Computer Systems → Algorithms and Data Structures (ADS) prereq
INFO30005 - Web Information Technologies → Database Systems + (EDP / OOSD) prereqs
COMP30026 - Models of Computation → ADS prereq
Statistics & Stochastic Processes Major cores/electives (MAST)
These are the subjects that are absolutely necessary to specialise in Statistics & Stochastic Processes for the Diploma in Mathematical Sciences.

MAST10008 - Accelerated Mathematics 1 → Raw 38 Specialist prereq
MAST10009 - Accelerated Mathematics 2 → Raw 38 Specialist prereq
MAST20004 - Probability → Calc2 + LinAlg / AM1 + AM2 prereqs
MAST20005 - Statistics → Probability prereq
MAST30025 - Linear Statistical Models → LinAlg / AM1 + Statistics prereqs
MAST30027 - Modern Applied Statistics (elective) → Linear Statistical Models prereq
MAST30020 - Graph Theory (Major elective) → (Real Analysis / AM2) prereq
MAST30001 - Stochastic Modelling → (Real Analysis / AM2) + Probability prereqs
BSci electives
BSci electives are any other subject that's in Bachelor of Science.

PSYC10003 - Mind, Brain and Behaviour 1
SCIE20001 - Thinking Scientifically
MAST30034 - Applied Data Science → Linear Statistical Models + Machine Learning prereqs
Breadths Subjects for BSci
Breadth subjects are any subject that lies outside of your degree (so for me, any subject that are not BSci electives).

UNIB10006 - Critical Thinking with Data (University Breadth)
MUSI20150 - Music and Health (BArts)
EDUC30072 - Positive Careers and Leadership (??)
MGMT30019 - The Future of Work (??)
Index of my thoughts on each semester
Year 1
Sem 1
Sem 2

Year 2
Sem 1
Sem 2

Year 3
Sem 1
Sem 2

Year 4
Sem 1
Sem 2

I'll be updating this post periodically
« Last Edit: March 04, 2020, 08:27:25 pm by jkay__ »
Secondary Education (VCE)
2018  | Psychology |
2019  | UCAT [87th %ile] | English | Mathematical Methods | Specialist Maths | Accounting | Chemistry |
ATAR | [95.90] |
2020~2023 | BSci (Computing & Software Systems) / Dip. MathSc (Statistics & Stochastic Processes) @ UoM

flightlogs

  • Adventurer
  • *
  • Posts: 8
  • Respect: +1
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2019, 04:30:30 pm »
+3
was randomly browsing through recent posts and the mention of stochastic processes caught my eye and i'm super impressed. idk shit about maths but my dad always talks abt it... OP u are venturing into some deep maths territory, mad respecttt. from one class of 19 grad to another, congratulations on finishing your VCE and having solid plans for uni! and as a sydney student, i'm super curious to see how UoM is for you 👀 i love melbourne so i'm excited to hear abt it :-) keep in touch x
humanities baby. (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧

jkay__

  • Forum Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 74
  • This is how much I remember: 3.141592653589793238
  • Respect: +29
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2019, 01:44:04 pm »
+3
was randomly browsing through recent posts and the mention of stochastic processes caught my eye and i'm super impressed. idk shit about maths but my dad always talks abt it... OP u are venturing into some deep maths territory, mad respecttt. from one class of 19 grad to another, congratulations on finishing your VCE and having solid plans for uni! and as a sydney student, i'm super curious to see how UoM is for you 👀 i love melbourne so i'm excited to hear abt it :-) keep in touch x

You too brother, it's been a wild ride for the past year but it's done and we made it, gang
You might be the first Sydney student I've actually talked to, you going Uni of Sydney? Tell me about that too if you're goin xoxo share our experiences

is stochastic that impressive?
Secondary Education (VCE)
2018  | Psychology |
2019  | UCAT [87th %ile] | English | Mathematical Methods | Specialist Maths | Accounting | Chemistry |
ATAR | [95.90] |
2020~2023 | BSci (Computing & Software Systems) / Dip. MathSc (Statistics & Stochastic Processes) @ UoM

caffinatedloz

  • VIC MVP - 2019
  • Part of the furniture
  • *****
  • Posts: 1461
  • Respect: +856
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2019, 01:46:02 pm »
+4
Really enjoyed following your VCE journey and looking forward to future updates. I think that your layout for this journal is great!

jkay__

  • Forum Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 74
  • This is how much I remember: 3.141592653589793238
  • Respect: +29
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2019, 11:22:39 pm »
+2
Really enjoyed following your VCE journey and looking forward to future updates. I think that your layout for this journal is great!

Ay Laura, nice to see you again, what's been good?

I honestly hated my VCE journal (it was an eyesore), but I got to thank based Sine for inspiring me on his layout lol
Secondary Education (VCE)
2018  | Psychology |
2019  | UCAT [87th %ile] | English | Mathematical Methods | Specialist Maths | Accounting | Chemistry |
ATAR | [95.90] |
2020~2023 | BSci (Computing & Software Systems) / Dip. MathSc (Statistics & Stochastic Processes) @ UoM

Sine

  • Werewolf
  • National Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *****
  • Posts: 5135
  • Respect: +2103
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2019, 12:32:45 pm »
+3
Ay Laura, nice to see you again, what's been good?

I honestly hated my VCE journal (it was an eyesore), but I got to thank based Sine for inspiring me on his layout lol
glad to help!

hopefully, you are more active on your journal than I was :)

KatherineGale

  • Trendsetter
  • **
  • Posts: 110
  • Respect: +92
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2019, 09:24:44 pm »
+2
Hi jkay__

MUSI20150 - Music and Health sounds really good. I'd be interested to find more out about it and how you find it. Did you choose it (as an elective) and if you did, what drew you to it? I'm also really interested to follow your journey and see what you think of the mind, brain and behaviour unit - it sounds fascinating.

jkay__

  • Forum Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 74
  • This is how much I remember: 3.141592653589793238
  • Respect: +29
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #7 on: December 25, 2019, 01:35:50 pm »
+1
Hi jkay__

MUSI20150 - Music and Health sounds really good. I'd be interested to find more out about it and how you find it. Did you choose it (as an elective) and if you did, what drew you to it? I'm also really interested to follow your journey and see what you think of the mind, brain and behaviour unit - it sounds fascinating.

Someone I know who graduated from BSci this year told me that it's an easy subject to do, so I chose it as a Breadth (I wanted to lessen the workload as much as possible for Year 1 Semester 2 due to Accelerated Mathematics 2). I'm a musician anyway, so it'll be fascinating seeing how music relates to the mind and so on (even moreso freshly coming out of Mind, Brain and Behaviour 1), but I'm also thinking of doing Mind, Brain and Behaviour 2 and Korean 2 if Sem 1 goes well!
Secondary Education (VCE)
2018  | Psychology |
2019  | UCAT [87th %ile] | English | Mathematical Methods | Specialist Maths | Accounting | Chemistry |
ATAR | [95.90] |
2020~2023 | BSci (Computing & Software Systems) / Dip. MathSc (Statistics & Stochastic Processes) @ UoM

MB_

  • MOTM: MAR 19
  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 277
  • Unspecified and mysterious
  • Respect: +60
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2019, 03:29:36 pm »
+2
Someone I know who graduated from BSci this year told me that it's an easy subject to do, so I chose it as a Breadth (I wanted to lessen the workload as much as possible for Year 1 Semester 2 due to Accelerated Mathematics 2). I'm a musician anyway, so it'll be fascinating seeing how music relates to the mind and so on
I'd also take a look at Music Psychology as a breath subject, I haven't personally done it but have heard good things about it.

Quote
(even moreso freshly coming out of Mind, Brain and Behaviour 1), but I'm also thinking of doing Mind, Brain and Behaviour 2
Both MBB1 and MBB2 are quite interesting like much of the further years psych subjects.
2015-16: VCE
2017-: BSci UoM - Maths & Psych

KatherineGale

  • Trendsetter
  • **
  • Posts: 110
  • Respect: +92
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2019, 12:44:50 pm »
+1
Someone I know who graduated from BSci this year told me that it's an easy subject to do, so I chose it as a Breadth (I wanted to lessen the workload as much as possible for Year 1 Semester 2 due to Accelerated Mathematics 2). I'm a musician anyway, so it'll be fascinating seeing how music relates to the mind and so on (even moreso freshly coming out of Mind, Brain and Behaviour 1), but I'm also thinking of doing Mind, Brain and Behaviour 2 and Korean 2 if Sem 1 goes well!

Great idea to lighten the workload a little, particularly since, as you said, you have a unit that'll likely consume a lot of time/effort.

I get it :) I'm leaving my options open for Trimester 2+3 too, in case the workload and method of learning doesn't agree with me,  haha. I guess we'll see - even though we're still a couple of months away from starting, I have a feeling it's going to go really quick!

tiredandstressed

  • MOTM: DEC 20
  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 248
  • pretty without the r (he/him)
  • Respect: +167
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2020, 11:36:29 pm »
+3
Hey!!
I did MUSI20150 I am planning on writing a review on it soon (just been rrly busy these holidays) but if you have any questions feel free to pm me!
Its a great subject but its had alot of changes so all the old reviews are actually out-dated so im hoping to post a review soon!!
The assessment is really chill with only 2 contact hours (WHICH U DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY GO TO- and trust me for a biomed student with 20+ contact hours this was a blessing) its a good subject, with minimal effort I scored a H1, but that does not mean it's an easy H1 defs have to make sure you don't leave the final essay last minute!
Otherwise, I'll be posting a comprehensive review so hopefully, that helps everyone out!
Best of luck with ur future studies!
VCE '17-'18
2017: Biology, Psychology
2018: English, HHD, Chemistry, Methods
2019-22: Bachelor of Biomedicine (Honours) @ UoM
My guides:
A quick guide to language and argument analysis
HHD sample questions
HHD 2019 Comprehensive examiner report analysis

jkay__

  • Forum Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 74
  • This is how much I remember: 3.141592653589793238
  • Respect: +29
Re: 7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal
« Reply #11 on: March 04, 2020, 08:25:16 pm »
+2
It's Wednesday, and I really wanted to type my uni experiences somewhere and I figured out that I had this journal (been receiving shit from my Monash friend LOL, he's still in holidays though)

While I'm writing this, I will most definitely fuck up my honorifics whilst referring to my lecturers (I know that calling someone Doctor, Professor is a major thing), so please do not judge me too hard.

Just finished my second day of Uni (first day Monday, then ABSOLUTELY nothing on Tuesday :)) ). Everything before today has been introductory lectures (and my COMP10001 class still an introductory lecture to an extent), but now I can really feel the work pressure kicking in.

AM1 (MAST10008) is definitely the subject that I'm most hyped to be starting (although after doing a bit of Grok, COMP10001 is catching up in being fun), as I've done a bit of Uni linear algebra in Year 12. The atmosphere in AM1 lectures is very "professional" if you'd call it that? Our lecturer, Alexandru Ghitza, honestly looks like he's had 5 hours of collective sleep over the entire year, but I can see that he's incredibly knowledged, charismatic and experienced. Given the things I've heard about him, I'm excited to spend the next semester under his care for my introduction to Unimaths and I hope that his teachings will keep my passion going on.

Speaking of great lecturers, I really cannot skip out on COMP10001's one and only, Tim Baldwin. His enthusiasm is contagious and I really hope that this continues to spark my love for programming throughout the Semester. It was really sad to see him get down when everyone started packing their stuff early when he was finishing up, but like Mr Ghitza, I'm happy that he's the one taking care of what will be a foundation subject in my MAJOR. Perhaps I can say that his enthusiasm is a powerful one-line statement in the program that's my degree? (thank god for grok)

That leaves Mind, Brain and Behaviour 1, and Critical Thinking With Data. Both of these subjects have been very promising so far, with Associate Professor Meredith bringing in a dog to spice up the lecture (she was talking about it a bit though, but I couldn't hear much). I'm honestly very excited for Psych, as I enjoyed it in VCE. With Ms Julia for CTWD, I've heard many great things about her as a tutor, but with the head lecturers for CTWD getting swapped out every year it seems (different lecturer last year), I'm not too sure, but from my observations she's making a fantastic effort to make it enjoyable, and as this subject compliments my degree (to an extent), I'm excited to follow it thorugh and see what comes out of it.

The campus is SOO big, but only my second day and I"m actually getting quite used to everything now (I just have directions relative to the MSD). Even though Tutorials haven't started yet, I'm still talking to a lot of people and a lot of my old school seems to be going Unimelb.

Probably should have posted that when my first week was over, but starting uni was very exciting and I'd like to get this out of my system to not have it distract me during studying, lol.

also hhhhh not going foam and glow lul
Secondary Education (VCE)
2018  | Psychology |
2019  | UCAT [87th %ile] | English | Mathematical Methods | Specialist Maths | Accounting | Chemistry |
ATAR | [95.90] |
2020~2023 | BSci (Computing & Software Systems) / Dip. MathSc (Statistics & Stochastic Processes) @ UoM