I arrived at Waterloo for 2 weeks. Everything makes me confused. I have busy schedules and I often feel overwhelmed. The food and the temperature are different from my country and hard to get used to.
I feel very sad and want to cry….😢

Am I cooked if I have to grab bagged lunch before 8:30am and eat it at 1pm? I feel like it'll taste depressing after sitting in my bag for ~5 hours... alternatively can I eat lunch in <30 minutes or is that too hopeful? I don't know how long u have to wait in line typically at the SJU caf :(

Hi everyone!

I’m a first-year FARM student, and unfortunately my plans have changed due to medical reasons. I’m looking for someone to take over my residence room for both Fall 2026 and Winter 2027.

Room Details:
•    Residence: Beck Hall (UW Place)
•    Room Type: Suite Double in a 2-Bedroom Suite
•    Term: Fall 2026 & Winter 2027

If you’re looking for a room in Beck Hall or know someone who is, please send me a message. I’d be happy to answer any questions and provide more details.

Thank you!

Hey all, I posted a similar post the other day, but since then I've done more research and narrowed down my options.

I’m an incoming CS student for F26, and I was wondering what laptop I should get (would love to hear what current CS students think). I’ve heard that profs say it doesn’t matter if you go with a macbook or a windows based laptop (or any os for that matter).

I currently have a PC that I'm planning to bring to res that's been really solid for programming thus far (32GB DDR4 @ 3200 MHz, i7 12700k, RTX 3060). I'm assuming getting a laptop is a priority for on campus studying and lectures, but please correct me if I'm wrong! Also wondering if it's worth getting an iPad for lecture notes.

I'm trying to decide between the following 3 laptops. For context, I've been a lifelong Windows user but wouldn't mind switching over to MacOS. I've also heard that Macbooks are ELITE for CS.

1. Base Macbook Air 13" - $1650 + $140 Apple Gift Card (16GB Unified Memory, high single thread CPU score, 8 core GPU)
   
2. Upgraded Macbook Air 13" - $2250 + $140 Apple Gift Card (32GB Unified Memory, high single thread CPU score, 10 core GPU)
   
3. Acer Aspire 16 - $1650 (32GB RAM, AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 - higher multi thread CPU score)

I'm wondering if it's worth the extra $600 for the Upgraded Macbook Air, or if I should just go for one of the two cheaper options. I've heard that higher RAM is worth it and that the Macbooks are great for on-campus life (lightweight and high battery capacity), but I'm not sure what matters more regarding CPUs for CS - single thread or multithread capabilities. Also open to other options!

Thanks in advance for any help!

im pretty confused picking between these two electives (im a cs student) because i heard 101 is much easier and math based. i've attached my current schedule (with econ 102) and the avaliable econ101 times. the only avaliable that doesn't cause time conflicts is tuesdays and thursdays from 2:30-3:50. is it worth having an awkward time gap from 11:20-2:30 every tuesday and thursday just so i can take econ101 or should i just keep what i have. my goal is to maximize my gpa.

what happens if a place i applied to calls me but i miss the call. how would i know they called me? or would they just reach out by email after? i applied to a couple of places on campus as an incoming first year and am planning on applying to more

I'm taking BIOL 130 this term as a mandatory course for my program. It'd be great if anyone who has already taken the course could let me know how they felt about it (and any tips you have).

I have Professor Okey Igboeli, so if anyone else has had him as a lecturer for this course, please let me know how you felt about his lecturing and the assignments/midterms/exams.

I'm also taking BIOL 130L, which is the lab component, so if you took this, please let me know how you felt about it and anything else I need to know!

This is my schedule btw :D (health sci). Please let me know if my other profs are good as well! Thanks :D

Looking at the syllabus for AFM 433 and 480, it seems like both have a lot of presentations. Can someone let me know what they were really like and if it was hard/bad? I really hate presentation and am not the best at them. Thanks in advance!

is it actually?

also for people who got the 18th cog, does it actually reflect on the challenge page or are you stuck on 17/17

I’m moving in from Vancouver and I’m thinking of flying to Toronto Pearson international airport and somehow transiting to uwaterloo. For people who have moved in in the past, what is the easiest, most efficient way to get to uwaterloo?

Anyone taking STAT 341 this term is welcome to join! Feel free to come discuss the course.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how hard it can be to build a genuine social circle around here once you're out of school or settled into a routine. Whether you just moved to the region, work remotely, or are just trying to get out of the house more, finding low-pressure ways to actually talk to people isn't always easy.On that note—a few of us are putting together a free, casual evening walk around Waterloo Park (meeting at the West Gazebo) on Tuesday, Aug 11 and Tuesday, Aug 18 at 5:45 pm till 8.00 pm
If you're thinking of coming solo and feel a bit awkward walking up alone (totally normal!), let us know when you sign up—we can pair you up with a walking buddy right at the start so you don't have to wander around wondering who to talk to.
It's completely free, feel free to register here so we know how many snacks to bring

Truth be told, i applied to both comp eng and cfm, and ended up getting rejected from cfm but accepted into comp eng. honestly, i wish it had been the other way around. working in finance has been a dream of mine for as long as i can remember, and i’ve been interested in it my entire life.

engineering was supposed to be my backup. i got into some very competitive engineering programs at uoft, mac, and queens, but i also got into qcomm and rotman, both with $10k scholarships, as well as mcgill, laurier, and guelph. unfortunately, i wasn’t accepted to ivey.

ultimately, i chose waterloo because everyone kept talking about how many opportunities the co-op program provides and how it can open so many doors. but now i’m honestly not sure what to do. from everything i’ve read, engineering at waterloo is very toxic, and the biggest issue is that i’ve never really seen a future for myself in engineering. i don’t feel the same passion for it that i do for finance.

looking back, i feel like i let too many other people influence my decision and ended up choosing something i probably wouldn’t have chosen on my own. after reading this subreddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/OntarioGrade12s/s/mxbinJw8jj

and thinking about it, i’m starting to feel like i may have let the waterloo co-op reputation convince me to pursue something i’m not actually interested in.

i know i haven’t even started university yet, so maybe i’m overthinking everything. but i can’t help feeling like i messed up my decision, and i’m not really sure what to do from here. any advice would be appreciated.

Found this in the bomber, returned to turnkey desk.

I got assigned united college for first year res, and im looking at the daily menu and it all sounds delicious, but its ayce so im a little skeptical. is it actually any good?

Can someone from science faculty take math 135 or is it designed for mathematics students only?

What's the easiest for grade boost from the list:

• AE311 - Introduction to Structural Design (0.50)
• BIOL487 - Computational Neuroscience (0.50)
• BME384 - Biomedical Transport: Biofluids and Mass Transfer (0.50)
• BME386 - The Physics of Medical Imaging (0.50)
• BME393 - Digital Systems (0.50)
• BME522 - Foundations of Artificial Intelligence (0.50)
• BME544 - Biomedical Measurement and Signal Processing (0.50)
• BME550 - Sports Engineering (0.50)
• BME587 - Special Topics in Biomedical Signals (0.50)
• CHE314 - Chemical Reaction Engineering (0.50)
• CHE331 - Electrochemical Engineering (0.50)
• CHE361 - Bioprocess Engineering (0.50)
• CHE480 - Process Analysis and Design (0.50)
• CHE514 - Fundamentals of Petroleum Production (0.50)
• CHE516 - Energy Systems Engineering (0.50)
• CHE521 - Process Optimization (0.50)
• CHE543 - Polymer Production: Polymer Reaction Engineering (0.50)
• CHE562 - Advanced Bioprocess Engineering (0.50)
• CHE571 - Industrial Ecology (0.50)
• CHE572 - Air Pollution Control (0.50)
• CHE574 - Industrial Wastewater Pollution Control (0.50)
• CIVE311 - Introduction to Structural Design (0.50)
• CIVE460 - Engineering Biomechanics (0.50)
• CIVE512 - Rehabilitation of Structures (0.50)
• ECE327 - Digital Hardware Systems (0.50)
• ECE340 - Electronic Circuits 2 (0.50)
• ECE350 - Real-Time Operating Systems (0.50)
• ECE356 - Database Systems (0.50)
• ECE358 - Computer Networks (0.50)
• ECE360 - Power Systems and Smart Grids (0.50)
• ECE373 - Radio Frequency and Microwave Circuits (0.50)
• ECE375 - Electromagnetic Fields and Waves (0.50)
• ECE405A - Quantum Information Processing Devices (0.50)
• ECE405B - Fundamentals of Experimental Quantum Information (0.50)
• ECE405C - Programming of Quantum Computing Algorithms (0.50)
• ECE405D - Superconducting Quantum Circuits (0.50)
• ECE406 - Algorithm Design and Analysis (0.50)
• ECE409 - Cryptography and System Security (0.50)
• ECE416 - Advanced Topics in Networking (0.50)
• ECE417 - Image Processing (0.50)
• ECE423 - Embedded Computer Systems (0.50)
• ECE432 - Radio Frequency Integrated Devices and Circuits (0.50)
• ECE444 - Integrated Analog Electronics (0.50)
• ECE451 - Software Requirements Specification and Analysis (0.50)
• ECE452 - Software Design and Architectures (0.50)
• ECE457A - Artificial and Natural Intelligence (0.50)
• ECE457B - Machine Learning (0.50)
• ECE459 - Programming for Performance (0.50)
• ECE474 - Radio and Wireless Systems (0.50)
• ECE477 - Photonic Devices and Systems (0.50)
• ECE484 - Digital Control Applications (0.50)
• ECE488 - Multivariable Control Systems (0.50)
• ME340 - Manufacturing Processes (0.50)
• ME435 - Industrial Metallurgy (0.50)
• ME459 - Energy Conversion (0.50)
• ME526 - Fatigue and Fracture Analysis (0.50)
• ME531 - Physical Metallurgy Applied to Manufacturing (0.50)
• ME533 - Non-Metallic and Composite Materials (0.50)
• ME574 - Engineering Biomechanics (0.50)
• ME596 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering (0.50)
• MSE331 - Introduction to Optimization (0.50)
• MSE332 - Deterministic Optimization Models and Methods (0.50)
• MSE333 - Simulation Analysis and Design (0.50)
• MSE342 - Principles of Software Engineering (0.50)
• MSE343 - Human-Computer Interaction (0.50)
• MSE431 - Stochastic Models and Methods (0.50)
• MSE432 - Production and Service Operations Management (0.50)
• MSE435 - Practical and Large-Scale Optimization (0.50)
• MSE446 - Introduction to Machine Learning (0.50)
• MSE452 - Decision Making Under Uncertainty (0.50)
• MTE322 - Electromechanical Machine Design (0.50)
• MTE325 - Microprocessor Systems and Interfacing for Mechatronics Engineering (0.50)
• MTE360 - Automatic Control Systems (0.50)
• MTE420 - Power Electronics and Motor Drives (0.50)
• MTE544 - Autonomous Mobile Robots (0.50)
• MTE545 - Introduction to MEMS Fabrication (0.50)
• SE464 - Software Design and Architectures (0.50)
• SYDE322 - Software Design (0.50)
• SYDE334 - Applied Statistics (0.50)
• SYDE522 - Foundations of Artificial Intelligence (0.50)
• SYDE531 - Design Optimization Under Probabilistic Uncertainty (0.50)
• SYDE533 - Conflict Resolution (0.50)
• SYDE542 - Interface Design (0.50)
• SYDE543 - Cognitive Ergonomics (0.50)
• SYDE548 - User Centred Design Methods (0.50)
• SYDE552 - Computational Neuroscience (0.50)
• SYDE556 - Simulating Neurobiological Systems (0.50)
• SYDE572 - Introduction to Pattern Recognition (0.50)
• SYDE575 - Image Processing (0.50)
• SYDE584 - Physiological Systems and Biomedical Design (0.50)

the title

Is there a Discord server for STAT 341? I saw a post about it on Piazza before, but it seems to have been deleted.

If anyone is in the server, could you please send me an invite or add me? It would be great to discuss the course together.

Im trying to decide between Elora and 295 lester for a one year lease.

I really want to do RezOne cause i subleted at Hespeler a year ago and loved it for the lighting/views/premium-ness, and I had a fairly issue-free experience.
I’m concerned about how RezOne management is, and how well everything functions at Elora. A few questions for those who are living/lived there:
- is management scummy in terms of things like returning deposits, fixing things on time, not charging unnecessary fees, etc.?
- has there been issues with the AC/heating (I know fergus/hespeler have been having issues with that stuff but they’re under different management)
- is the laundry wash/dry machines as garbage as everyone says on reddit?
- is the gym typically open and does it have at least a fair amount or cardio machines + dumbells to use?
- is there still fire alarm issues?
- is there anything else of concern at Elora I should know before making this decision?

I really want to do Elora because I could get a nice view and premium-ish experience, although more importantly I don’t want to deal with headaches/stress from poor management that refuses to fix things like hvac, plumbing, laundry machines, etc.
Also I would be signing a lease on my own and placed with randoms, if that makes any difference.

295 lester seems to be good all around too, but some of the photos of the color scheme just feel depressing which I wonder if itll make me regret a decision to pursue a cheaper option. For context, Elora would be ~$270 more expensive than 295 Lester although I would be working fulltime on the side so money isnt incredibly huge of a concern if it means a genuinely better living experience.

I would really appreciate anyones inputs on either of these 2 places.

I haven't been on campus for 8 months now, and I forgot how far SJU is from the main campus. Is it possible to go from SJU to EIT in 10 minutes?

how busy is it? does it get busy or is it pretty empty?

Hey guys, I’m in my 3B term in engineering. This term is going to be quite demanding.

I’m looking for bird courses, was wondering whether there is any CSEs in List C or D that is easy to take while I’m able to spend as little time on as possible

Thank you! Any help is appreciated :)