Making friends (2 Viewers)

[tomodachi_]

It's computer science. Tell me how many movies you've watched which has a girl geek who sits around all day programming.


Comp sci kids are notorious for being basements. K17 is a literal basement in the comp sci building I believe, where guys park at 6am and game or do god-only-knows-what for the next 12 hours.

Sure, some aren't like that. I know one girl who does comp sci and isn't basement, and she actually met her boyfriend in K17 - but the stereotype is "guys who sit in the basement, literally, all day playing games and giving weird looks to any girl who happens to wander in".

I've never seen a movie where any geek sits around programming?
and lol they're just keeping the stereotype alive for cs students aren't they! whatever i'll just promise myself i won't become a basement person. i don't play computer games anymore and it was mainly just sims and tetris haha

Can normal people turn into basements from doing compsci or were they already before uni?

 

[Shadowdude]

You'll need to watch more movies then.


And if you want to hang around with those guys who hang around in the basement - I'm sure you'll end up as basement too. Of course there are always people who break the stereotype.

 

[GoldyOrNugget]

is cs sexist?

That's an odd question. As a discipline, computer science isn't sexist (how can it be?). However, casual sexism is unfortunately quite common in the programming world. As people become more aware of the problem (which they are; search "sexism programming" on Google and you'll find dozens of recent articles), it will gradually decrease. Also, for social reasons, you'll find that men are more likely to choose STEM subjects. This isn't as much a sexism issue as a culturally-ingrained stereotype (men are better at sci/maths whereas women are better at arts).

 

[brent012]

Tell me how many movies you've watched which has a girl geek who sits around all day programming.

Angelina Jolie in "Hackers" off the top of my head.

Anyway OP, stop stressing. Ultimately you must have wanted to do Computer Science at uni, you have accepted an offer for it so just take everything else as it comes.

 

[tomodachi_]

My brother is like almost a basement but he can't be coz we don't have a basement and I'm fine so i dont think i will become one.

That's an odd question. As a discipline, computer science isn't sexist (how can it be?). However, casual sexism is unfortunately quite common in the programming world. As people become more aware of the problem (which they are; search "sexism programming" on Google and you'll find dozens of recent articles), it will gradually decrease. Also, for social reasons, you'll find that men are more likely to choose STEM subjects. This isn't as much a sexism issue as a culturally-ingrained stereotype (men are better at sci/maths whereas women are better at arts).

yea i always see that stuff on like the news but i've never felt like it affected me. hopefully times are gradually changing more for the better i guess

Anyway OP, stop stressing. Ultimately you must have wanted to do Computer Science at uni, you have accepted an offer for it so just take everything else as it comes.

Im not really stressing i just have a lot of questions to ask which is normal for me.

 

[Capt Rifle]

lol try to blend in with them, become one with them...

 

[MrBrightside]

I've never seen a movie where any geek sits around programming?
and lol they're just keeping the stereotype alive for cs students aren't they! whatever i'll just promise myself i won't become a basement person. i don't play computer games anymore and it was mainly just sims and tetris haha

Can normal people turn into basements from doing compsci or were they already before uni?

Ohh, that's what they all say... look at them now

 

[RANK 1]

just go to the unibar, you're bound to make at least one friend there

 

[tomodachi_]

Ohh, that's what they all say... look at them now

hey I'm good at keeping promises!

just go to the unibar, you're bound to make at least one friend there

ok
hahahhaa your signature..

 

[Cyberbully]

i guarantee at least one troll/cyberbully will befriend you this year.

 

[UNSW COMPUTING]

Come along to our O-Week (http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/help/students/oweek.html) and join the CSE Student Network (http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/help/students/student_network/mentee/). I think you'll find that CSE is one of the most social Schools at UNSW. Our Clubs, CSE Soc and CSE Revue are very active, and have won awards (like the ARC Club of the Year).

 

[Null]

I won't deny it, the kids at the CS lecture on open day didn't seem like the most socially comfortable people. However I'm sure there are plenty of others who don't fit the stereotype. If all else fails hit me up and we can go find some other fun people at the unibar!

 

[RazorICE]

tomodachi, relax. While CSE does have a lot of antisocial basement-dwellers and is very gender imbalanced, there is an extremely large social circle (with a ratio of girls that is significantly higher). Of course, the literal basement that is the student lounge in K17 doesn't help with the image, but what most non-CSE people don't know is that there is a large and open student-only office available in the basement which is filled with students (both CSE and not) every day of the week.

Our constituent society is considered one of the most active in the uni and runs free barbecues every single week, as well as at least one free event every week. They also offer a (highly succesful) camp for first year students enrolled in a CSE course (this includes engineering students taking COMP1911/COMP1917) - last year there were close to 100 attendees!

Meanwhile, the School of Computer Science runs the somewhat lame-sounding "Student Network" - I assure you it is by far the easiest way to quickly make a ton of friends in CSE (the next easiest way being the student-run First Year Camp, but that only happens around Week 3/4).

Finally, there's CSE Revue, which is an annual comedy sketch show produced entirely by students. This isn't some small little thing either, it's a big-budget (costing $50,000 to put on), ~300-person undertaking, each and every year. The best thing about getting involved in Revue is that it's open to anyone, so you meet a ton of non-CSE students as well. Revue also forms a tight-knit group with the other two major Revues (mostly with Med Revue but also with Law Revue). As a result of this, you get to be social regularly with students from all over the uni.

Basically, if you're really worried about making friends, just do the following:
1. Join the Student Network - I guarantee it's worth it
2. Go to the First Year Camp - especially great if you're part of the Student Network since you'll have already met a ton of people going
3. Go to CSESoc events and BBQs
4. Take part in the Revues

 

[tomodachi_]

Awesome thanks for the advice everyone. i really appreciate it
Also what are the camps like?

I won't deny it, the kids at the CS lecture on open day didn't seem like the most socially comfortable people. However I'm sure there are plenty of others who don't fit the stereotype. If all else fails hit me up and we can go find some other fun people at the unibar!

haha cool i'll keep that in mind

 

[4025808]

Good thing is that if you're actually a female, guys will actually approach you.

So you'll actually be able to get friends more easily, or hooking up with someone

 

[tomodachi_]

Good thing is that if you're actually a female, guys will actually approach you.

So you'll actually be able to get friends more easily, or hooking up with someone

lolol C: but even in comp sci? kidding i know now that not all comp sic kids are anti social!

 

[RazorICE]

Also what are the camps like?

Basically an easy way to get to know a ton of people's names really quickly, get drunk and have some fun during uni (it runs from a Friday to a Sunday, generally at the end of Week 3). What we find happens is that immediately after camp a huge group of students who all know each other forms and sits together in the lectures and share in-jokes and whatever else. I highly recommend going to camp, being able to nod and talk to a bunch of people afterwards is awesome (and it's cheap anyway, ~$70 for everything included for 3 days).

 

[tomodachi_]

Basically an easy way to get to know a ton of people's names really quickly, get drunk and have some fun during uni (it runs from a Friday to a Sunday, generally at the end of Week 3). What we find happens is that immediately after camp a huge group of students who all know each other forms and sits together in the lectures and share in-jokes and whatever else. I highly recommend going to camp, being able to nod and talk to a bunch of people afterwards is awesome (and it's cheap anyway, ~$70 for everything included for 3 days).

Yuss!! sounds so good but I'm still 17 until july this year.........

 

[RazorICE]

Yuss!! sounds so good but I'm still 17 until july this year.........

Don't worry. Quite a few people don't drink, me included. Still shit tons of fun, especially as you get to remember all the stupid stuff people did. I accidentally started a 2-hour long impromptu karaoke party while sober. :/

 

[ismeta]

Yuss!! sounds so good but I'm still 17 until july this year.........

I'm 17 until June Sober friends. (Although I don't like drinking anyway.)