Community Resource List (Google Doc)

Feel like I need to disclose some of the details of the PhD program here to potential students, (or you can treat this as a vent). These details are not usually told to the potential students before they take offers so I may end up in trouble.

For starters, how much your research interest fits in a group is definitely the priority. However, other than this, several factors that are unique in this program should also be taken into consideration, because it will for real affect your mental health and graduation progress.

UMN Chem has a notoriously heavy TA workload for PhD students. The majority of them will be GenChem TAs for at least 2 years (originally depends on your advisor's funding). This is a class universally hated by TAs and undergrads because of its structure and unforgiving grading system. Usually, as a GChem TA, you are supposed to teach 2 labs (24 students, 2h 50 mins each). After the class, you will be grading various lab assignments (normally (2 or 3)*48=96 or 144 of them each week). I spent about 2 hours each week to do that at first but now I'm faster. At the same time, you are supposed to hold 1 office hour and 4 tutoring hours each week. In the middle and at the end of the semester, you will be grading lab reports (another thing universally hated by TAs and undergrads). For the first submission, you probably need to spend more than 10 hours on grading them. Considering things like responding to emails, sending out emails, changing slides, attending TA meetings, I would say you probably need to spend around 14 hours each week solely on TA stuff (Lab reports not included). This may be tangible, but this fall they are going to make TAs teach 3 labs each week (note that in most universities chem TAs only teach 1 or 2 labs), so you might want to multiply 1.5 to time consumption of all the grading stuff as well. I know a lot of 3rd-year students who should have been supported by RA stipend are dragged back to be TAs by the department this fall and several of them are already very stressed out about their research progress. Now this happens, imagine the pressure they will have as well as the influence on the graduation progress.

Now, about why I don't think GChem is a good class for undergrads. For the lab, students are required to come up with a lab plan on their own and in the end write one or two lab reports in the form of a research paper. Maybe some students can learn something from this, but I have seen a lot of students who still don't really understand what they are doing after the project is over if the TA does not give them more information (which basically falls back to the traditional recipe-based lab classes). On the other hand, I just don't really think it is a good idea for students who just graduated from high school to handle things like spectroscopy, considering the paired lecture class in which they just do exercise sheets and get feedbacks from AI bots. I doubt they will ever change this cuz they have been doing this for years.

Hey everyone!

A couple of students and I in CSE built this website that is intended to help underclassmen find study groups for hard classes

Basically, we kept running into the problem where we'd be struggling in a class and know there had to be other people struggling too, but there's no way to actually find them unless you already know people in the class or wait until exam week, when everyone's freaking out.

So we made this website where you can add your classes and find other people who are studying. It's kind of like asking in a GroupMe, but designed specifically for this. We started with CSE since that's what we're in, but it works for any major.

It's only for umn.edu emails, and meant for UMN Twin Cities students

Insta for more updates! StudyBuddiesMN

We're launching on September 3rd! But if you want to check it out before then: https://studybuddiesmn.com/

If you have any questions/concerns you can email: [studybuddiesminnesota@gmail.com](mailto:studybuddiesminnesota@gmail.com)

So a couple of weeks ago I waived the Student Health Benefit plan because I’m still on the insurance from my parents, and I put in all of the insurance info in the waiver for the Student Plan. Yesterday I come to find they charged me for it anyways! I emailed the health office but I haven’t had any response and I can’t afford to just lose $1700 out of the blue… any insight? (I’m a first year)

I have a spot at Stadium Village Flats to sublease for the year. It’s a 2x2, you share a room and a bathroom. All male roommates. Rent is 440 dollars + Utilities.
Reach out if interested!

I have an earlier move in time selected, but due to certain circumstances I’m no longer able to make the selected time. My move in day is tomorrow and there won’t be anyone to contact. Is there a way I can show up late, or at a different time? Will they allow this or will I now be allowed to move in?

im new here, is there any busses that go to the state fair from campus? I dont wanna drive there

I'm a UW-Madison student and I have a friend at the U who's trying to tell me Dinkytown is better than State Street. I've never been so I can't comment on that but I figured I'd ask to see what other UMN students think about it

Hey guys.

I was checking out on-campus jobs, and I came across a student job at Carlson doing mail/receptionist stuff and classroom/atrium setup. It’s $15.25/hr and the hours are supposed to work around your class schedule.

For anyone who’s worked this job before, did you like it?

What’s the workload/downtime like?

Is it social, and would you recommend it?

Thanks.

Whats a super chill course that counts towards as an upper division credit

So I know I’m not allowed to have a candle burning, but would I be able to bring a candle warmer with an unlit candle (or wax warmer) into the dorms?

Subleasing my fully furnished Dinkytown apt — need it gone fast, what’s worked for you?

Everything’s included (furniture, kitchenware, etc.) so it’s basically move-in ready. Looking for advice on what channels/groups actually get quick responses around here — also happy to share details if anyone’s interested or knows someone looking!

What are some fun side quests to do on campus ???

Hi, so I’ll be starting at the u this fall after having done two years at normandale. I guess what I’m wondering how the vibes are as far as making friends/connections go? It’s a pretty broad question but I’m just so anxious abt it, I consider myself to be decently outgoing person, but I’m just so anxious about making friends since I will be a commuter and I’ll only have 1 on campus evening class due to working full time. Like I’m just not sure what to do and how to feel lmao. And the people I do know who go to the U, I feel like a nuisance if I even ask abt tagging along for functions since it feels like everyone else is so established already; like today I asked a couple of my friends if any of them would be down to go to the upcoming game this Thurs and all pretty much were saying this week is gonna be like for “room mate bonding” etc etc and i definitely get it but you can kind of see where one could feel like a nuisance. So ig just any advice would be cool

Where are some places/activities I can do as a commuter at the UMN? I really just want to be able to enjoy college as a commuter and try new things out!

Huntington Bank Stadium has some of the right elements but not right. Northrop and Coffman are just random buildings and aren’t remotely correct. The foam finger appears to be giving the middle finger. The basketball appears to be deflated. There are probably other issues too.

It’s one thing to use AI to make this junk but to try and sell it?

I have one of those clamp on monitor mounts that I have at my home setup. I’m moving in this week but I am just wondering if the back of the desk has a small lip. For example it’s like this picture.

this is for the umn illinois game this thursday
so i have someone i can buy a ticket off of, and my friend isn’t a umn student.
how easily can i get them in with that ticket, do they check ids?
any advice would be helpful

has anybody gotten their financial aid refund? i’m waiting on mine. thought it was a week or 2 before semester. should i expect it tmr? would one stop know when i get mine?

I’m taking CBS biochem in the fall and just wondering if anyone has any advice on the class as a whole or any tips for someone taking it. Thanks!

I’ve been feeling really lost and overwhelmed about college and my future lately, and honestly, this has always been one of my biggest fears. I feel like I’m falling behind and everyone around me knows what they’re doing except me.

I know that probably sounds silly because obviously not everyone has everything figured out, but I can’t help comparing myself to my peers and feeling like I should be further along by now.

I’m a junior at UMN and I’m currently majoring in Healthcare Management (HSM). I originally chose HSM because I knew I wanted to work in healthcare, but I wasn’t positive what area of healthcare I wanted to go into, and I also wasn’t sure if I wanted to have to get a master’s degree. Now that I’ve gotten further into the major, I’m realizing that I don’t really like the business/management side of healthcare. I’m much more interested in the clinical side and actually working with patients.

Recently I’ve been looking into Speech-Language Pathology, and I’m really unsure about what to do. At UMN, I could technically keep my HSM major and complete the SLP prerequisite courses instead of switching my major completely.

My biggest concern is the amount of coursework, and then I would still have to get a master’s afterward. Since I’m already a junior, I’m worried about how much extra time this could add and whether it would actually be worth it. I don’t want to take all of these extra classes and then realize SLP isn’t for me.

I’m also still working on some of my general requirements. I have some of my liberal education requirements done, but I still need things like my language requirement and upper-division writing requirement. I know that probably isn’t a huge deal, but it’s been stressing me out because I feel like I should have had more of this figured out by now.

I honestly don’t even know where to start or who I should talk to about this. I feel like I need someone to actually look at what I have left for HSM, what I would need for SLP, and how long everything would take so I can make a realistic decision.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Especially anyone who was already a junior and realized they wanted to do something completely different, or anyone who went into SLP from a different major?

I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. I’ve been stressing about this so much and just feel really stuck right now.