Tech 101 Q&A Panel
Are you a first year at the University of Waterloo who’s interested in tech? Do you have questions you wish you could ask senior students?
You’re in the right place!
The Tech 101 Q&A Panel was an event held by Tech+ on Sept 11, 2020, aimed at incoming first years to provide some insights into life at University of Waterloo. With five fantastic panelists, we asked questions in three areas: Academics, Co-op, and Life Outside of School.
The panelists:
- Andy: Computer Science, 4B
- Annie: Urban Planning and Math, 3B
- Nayef: Mechatronics Engineering, 4A
- Sakina: Computer Science, 4A
- Theresa: Management Engineering, 4B
We’ve written up the answers here, so those who did not have the opportunity to attend can also gain this knowledge!
Thank you Andy, Annie, Nayef, Sakina and Theresa for allowing Tech+ to share your experience! We greatly appreciate your participation in our first event of the term!
Academics
What is one study strategy you’ve found to work best?
Andy: Studying with 1–2 other people. I’ve found that when I study alone, I lose motivation and start slacking off, but studying with too many people is a constant distraction. Finding your own study circle and making sure you stay focused and on topic is crucial.
Theresa: Understanding how you learn. I’m a visual learner, and I find I study better by myself. Find what works for you!
Nayef: I agree with Theresa, it’s definitely important to figure out how you learn best. I’ve found that reading over the textbook or course notes is more effective for me than going to class, but that may not be the case for everyone.
Sakina: I would say it depends on the situation. It’s good to get a study group for working on assignments, but studying for finals is best done alone.
What are your thoughts on your program now that you’ve been in it for several terms? What do you like/dislike about it?
Theresa: I started in Computer Engineering, and switched to Management Engineering. Management is a very flexible program — some people take more mechatronics electives, some people take more design-focused ones. It’s really what you make of it!
Andy: I’m in CS, and I like the flexibility with scheduling courses. Some course content is outdated, but you’re able to explore a lot of topics and try many fun electives, as opposed to engineering programs that are more rigid.
Sakina: I’m also in CS, and I agree, it’s very flexible and you can do a lot outside of class as well. A dislike — there’s a lot of learning on your own in upper year courses.
Nayef: I’m in Mechatronics Engineering, and the first three years are very rigid, which can suck if you’re more interested in software but have to take ECE courses. I considered switching into CS a few times, but ultimately decided to stay. In fourth year you do get a lot of freedom to customize your schedule, though! The cohort system is fantastic: you’re with a group of people who are all going through the same classes, and can bond with them easily.
Annie: I started out in Urban Planning, which has fairly rigid and somewhat outdated required courses. I considered switching out, but I had a lot of my degree requirements already completed, so I decided to add a Joint Math major instead of completely changing my program.
What was your biggest academic challenge in first year, and how did you overcome it?
Annie: I struggled with overcoming the “I can do it later! This topic isn’t that hard! I’ve done this before!” mentality, coming out of high school. It took some time for me to understand that the stuff I was learning in university was new, and I might not grasp it as fast as I was used to. The solution for me was to give myself plenty of time and put in the work necessary to learn.
Sakina: Going back to what we touched upon in the beginning, figuring out how I learn was the biggest challenge for me, especially in math courses. I learned that reading the textbook was not as effective as doing practice questions.
Theresa: I entered ECE with no programming experience, so I struggled with constantly comparing myself to my peers. Eventually, I overcame this by realizing that everyone has a different skill-set: being different is what makes you stand out. Understand where your strengths lie!
Nayef: I tried to do too much in first year. It’s good to get involved in extracurriculars, but make sure your academics are okay before overloading yourself. As for comparing yourself to your peers, it can get toxic; learn to accept that you might not be at the top of the class (and that’s okay!).
Andy: For me, it was the realization that assignments aren’t meant to be done in a single session. It’s important to start on them early — at least, take a look and let your mind start mulling the questions over. Don’t leave them to the last minute!
At this point in your university career, how significant are grades to you?
Andy: I’ve chosen to go into industry, so grades don’t matter at all. I still work hard and aim for good grades so I don’t feel like I’m wasting tuition, but most companies don’t care as long as you have good experience. However, before you have that experience, grades do matter.
Theresa: Jumping off Andy’s point, I have friends who have failed courses or whole terms, and have still gotten great jobs. Failing a course does not determine your future, you can still be really successful.
Annie: In Planning, there’s no side projects like there are in software, so the only way to show knowledge in Planning is getting high grades — thus grades do matter, before you have job experience. I’m considering going to grad school at some point, so grades are starting to matter again, and I wish I’d put more effort into easier courses earlier on in university.
Nayef: I agree with Annie — I wish I had cared more in earlier terms to keep up my GPA for potentially going to grad school. In general, try to maintain a minimum average (around 80% for Engineering), as falling below that can close a lot of doors — e.g. going on exchange for a term, some scholarships. Anything above is up to you, but know what that minimum cutoff is for your program.
Co-op
What advice would you give to a first year applying for their first co-op job, especially if they don’t have much programming experience? What about applying externally, outside of WaterlooWorks?
Theresa: I had no programming experience in my first term, and the advice I’d give is to be open to different types of positions. My first co-op job was on a training team developing technical content, which was marketed as a business job. However, I was able to do some web development there too. There’s a lot of tasks available at start-ups, so if you indicate your interest in a particular area, you can often try things outside of your actual job description.
Annie: I took my first CS course, which taught Racket, the term before my first coop — so I was applying to jobs with three weeks of coding experience! The advice I would give is to learn a few basic things, and then just keep applying. I wrote a lot of cover letters for my applications, the gist of which was “I don’t know much, but I am very willing to learn and pick up that experience”, and did eventually get a job.
Andy: Don’t be discouraged! The process will be stressful and can cause you a lot of anxiety, but everyone is going through the same thing. Just keep trying, and build up some immunity to feelings of failure. Be aware of your capabilities but still reach for jobs you don’t feel quite qualified for — although, avoid feeling entitled to any particular job. Also, take advantage of internships marketed towards 1st and 2nd years, like Microsoft Explore, Google STEP, and etc.
Nayef: It’s good to apply for a few “reach” jobs — you’ll have no idea if a company likes your skill-set if you don’t apply. Bigger companies have more opportunities for junior developers, because they have the capacity to train them. To contrast, smaller companies want people to be productive immediately.
Have you had to make any tough choices with regards to co-op? How did you make your decision, and what was the outcome?
Nayef: There was one time I had a midterm worth 50% of my grade on the same day as an interview for a company I really wanted, and I had to choose which one to study for. I decided to focus on the interview, and luckily, there was a snow-day — so the midterm got rescheduled! Sometimes it’s worth prioritizing co-op over school!
Andy: I got to work at a prestigious company for my first co-op term, and was offered a return offer. I debated it for a long time, and I was afraid I wouldn’t find another job, so I did go back for another term. Looking back, I would’ve chosen differently. As long as you can be honest to yourself that you can learn something new or do something different, go back and do another co-op term. If you think it’ll be more of the same, keep it in mind as an option for a full-time job, and apply to other co-op jobs in the meantime. Co-op is six free chances to try a new job with no strings attached. It’s a lot easier to try new jobs in co-op than in industry: in industry jobs, you’re stuck for 1–2 years, but a co-op term is just four months.
How did you pick what area you want to work in within the tech field?
Theresa: I’m a very social person, so working as a developer was difficult. I was really excited to learn about the product manager role — it was exactly what I was looking for! In general, look at your interests and skills, and find what matches up in the tech space.
Nayef: If you’re not sure what you want to focus on, try a bunch of things, and try to specialize later on. Don’t stick to a particular area before you know what else is out there!
Andy: I found that iOS development gave me the satisfaction of building things I could directly see on my screen. There’s a low supply of iOS developers, and high demand, so I was able to benefit a lot from that, and I really enjoy it, too. So, once you find what you like, go in-depth in that field. That’ll make you stand out and help you succeed.
If you have side projects, how do you pick an idea to work on? How much do side projects matter?
Sakina: Side projects have been helpful. I get ideas from seeing things in my life that I don’t like, or want a solution for. Hackathons are good as well, since you take 24–48 hours and complete a project in that time. At Hack the North, I talked to a company and what they were interested in, and I got inspired from that conversation.
Nayef: I second doing hackathons. Once I did 8 or 10 in one term! It helps you get a lot of projects on your resume, and learn new tech. There’s also mentors who are there to help you, and you can ask them many questions.
Theresa: To contrast, I don’t really have side projects. I always felt like I needed them, but could never find something I was passionate about enough to develop a project out of. Instead, I’ve found tech-related hobbies — for example, I was a TA for a C++ course. Putting that on my resume shows I can communicate complex ideas in a simple fashion, which is great for PM jobs.
Andy: My side projects come from things I’m passionate about, or ideas I can directly benefit from. For instance, in high school I hated paper planners so I made a planner iOS app. Being passionate about a project gives me motivation to keep working on it — I’m still adding features to that planner app, and it’s been 5 years!
Life Outside of School
Do you have any tips for time management and maintaining work-life balance, especially when everything’s remote?
Annie: I felt a bit overwhelmed in the Spring 2020 term: I felt an urge to spend all my time on school since I didn’t want to fall behind. Definitely communicate with your instructors if you’re having trouble with the course, they might be able to help. Also, remember to take breaks! Get up, move around, and let yourself rest a bit before starting a new study session.
Theresa: Adding on to that, set aside time to do non-productive things. Basically, block in time for things you enjoy doing, not just schoolwork.
Andy: A good task planner will help you manage your time better. A lot of people struggle with having a bunch of work piled on, and they start jumping between different tasks — but context-switching is hard. Instead, start blocking out specific chunks of time for classes, assignments, etc. It also shows you how much free time you have.
Nayef: It’s definitely challenging to stop working, and taking breaks is key. Many people have picked up new hobbies like running or playing guitar in the last few months — they give your mind a break.
What’s your favourite extra-curricular you’ve been involved with?
Andy: Do I get bonus points if I say Tech+?
Sakina: WiCS (Women in Computer Science) — it’s been great for making friends.
Theresa: I really enjoyed being a TA, it was fun to meet first years. Also I like rock climbing — it’s a popular hobby among CS and Engineering students so it’s easy to make friends, too.
Annie: My favourite is ultimate frisbee — it’s an activity for the sole purpose of having a fun time, not building up my resume.
Nayef: Also ultimate frisbee! It’s a good way to make non-CS/Engineering friends.
How have you found the social environment at the University of Waterloo? Is it easy to make friends in classes? How’s the dating life here?
Annie: People say you can’t make friends in large classes, but you just need to reach out to the person next to you. It’s not hard to talk to people, just put yourself out there. No one’s going to to judge you for wanting to make friends.
Theresa: In Management Engineering, there’s a small cohort so we have a group chat for the whole class. We’ll share memes, help with understanding concepts, even organize class parties. Also, I suggest making an effort to meet people who aren’t in Engineering/Math.
Andy: In terms of dating life, dating apps can work! A few of my friends and I have met significant others on Tinder, so it’s not just a hookup app. There’s this weird idea that no one at the University of Waterloo dates, but that’s perpetuated by a loud minority — it’s very possible to find a partner here.
What are some must-know things about Waterloo, the city? Best bubble tea shop?
Theresa: I love Gol’s Noodle — it’s got really good Chinese hand-pulled noodles. As for best bubble tea, I’d say Noon Moment, it has a lot of good vegan options too!
Andy: Go to Uptown in the summer! It’s a great place to explore food options and the city in general. As for bubble tea, Coco Bubble Tea is my favourite.
Annie: Coco’s is the cheapest bubble tea place, but Sweet Dreams is good to hang out with friends.
Nayef: Seconding the Gol’s and Coco’s recommendations! Also, there’s a lot of cool running and biking trails, especially by Columbia Lake. Take your time and go explore, don’t just stay on campus.
The Q&A Panel was thus concluded, and was followed by breakout rooms, in which participants could chat to the panelist(s) of their choice.
We at Tech+ hope you enjoyed reading this article and learnt a bit more about life at the University of Waterloo. As always, we welcome any feedback and you can reach us on various social platforms.
We wish you all the best with the upcoming term!
