<p>What exactly goes on in discussions? Do we have to be on time for them? I have a feeling I might be late for my math discussions...</p>
<p>Usually in math discussions, the GSI will ask if there are any questions, and if there are, he/she will lecture on those topics in an attempt to make them more clear. If there are no questions (which happens a lot), the GSI will probably proceed to lecture on something he/she finds to be important. Some GSI’s like to give practice problems for the class to do on their own, but others just like to lecture the whole time.</p>
<p>It’s normally not a big deal to be late, but some GSI’s like to collect homework, and start quizzes at the start of discussion. If that is the case, being late is a bad idea. Like in my Math 54 discussion last semester, two of the days we had a homework due at the start of discussion and the third day we had a quiz at the start. So being late was not an option. But in my Math 53 discussion the semester before, quizzes and homework were both at the end of the discussion, so being late had no real effect. It just depends.</p>
<p>It’s a one hour orgy fest.</p>
<p>People are late all the time to discussion sections. Personally, I always try to avoid it though because everybody sees you when you walk into a small room 5 minutes after the GSI starts talking. How embarrassing… They usually understand though- Berkeley’s campus is <em>$^&</em>$ ginormous.</p>
<p>^what is so embarassing about that? lol. i don’t think anyone really cares if you walk in late, i was late a couple times to some of my discussions…nobody even looks up haha.</p>
<p>just be chill with your gsi.</p>
<p>the LARGE majority of cal students don’t give 2 *****s about discussion, so gsi’s will get on their knees (oh how i wish this was true for some of the cute girl math gsis…<3) for you if you can stroke em right. </p>
<p>gsi’s <em>own</em> your grade in a math class, so just make sure that even if you’re not their favorite, you’re at least on their good side…</p>
<p>I’ve already signed up for my discussion time. Is it possible to change the time?</p>
<p>Once your Phase II starts, if there is an open slot in another discussion, you can use the “switch sections” button on Telebears to switch. There’s no risk involved, which is nice.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>Till when can you drop a class? I have a funny feeling I’ve overloaded my freshman schedule. :/</p>
<p>friday of 5th week.</p>
<p>unless it is an EDD - early decision date - class which means the very high demand stuff like Chem, Bio . . . those have a drop deadline of the end of the second week.</p>
<p>Ok so I have a random question. I signed up for math 53, and I currently have the schedule such that the discussions for it come at MWF 9am, right after my MWF 8am physics lecture. I see that singh mentioned that sometimes they like to collect homework? So would it be a better idea to move the discussions to a later time of the day, so that maybe if you didn’t do/prepare whatever for the discussion, you have time before the discussion to get it done? (Common occurrence in high school). Cuz having the discussion at 9 am leaves NO time before in that day to do anything if I forgot to do something. Right now, for MWF, it is 8am physics, then 9am math discussion, then NOTHING for 6 hours (maybe 1 class in between) then physics lab/discussion at 4pm. So I feel like why not move it AFTER the 6 hours so taht I have the option of using those 6 hours to cram hw, studying for quizzes, etc in right before the discussion? Or am I completely misinterpreting the purpose of discussions?</p>
<p>Eh, I think it’s more important to prevent gaps in your schedule. It’s so annoying to have to leave campus and then come back later.</p>
<p>solution 1: do what you said and cry at the gap + late classes
solution 2: just take it at 9 and finish homework the night before. math 53 isn’t too bad, concepts-wise, and you’ll soon find that solutions to the textbook problems float around quite visibly on campus.</p>
<p>homework is set out in advance, not handed out during lecture and expected immediately afterwards. You would have done that homework prior to arriving for the lecture.</p>