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College Advice From A McGill Student

Sisyphus 55 | September 22, 2025



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Written by Sisyphus 55

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This post currently has 33 comments.

  3. @patientno1797

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    i started my undergrad at mcgill in 2020. a few mental breakdowns, two program changes, and lots of failures later, ill be entering my fourth year in the fall. ill be at mcgill for six years for my degree but ive grown so much as a person. university is definitely not for everyone and i struggled through most of it but it's feeling more and more comfortable. thanks for a greatly reassuring video from a fellow mcgill student <3.

  6. @chottabeamm

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    So, I and this one girl, in my class, were in a group project to do a paper. the thing is, we worked the initial part of it together, but then she ghosted me. I thought, well I guess I am not doing her part, so l'Il just do mine and if I have to repeat this class then l will.

    After that I just worked on other assignments and totally forgot about the deadline of this paper. on the deadline, she contacted me like "man, you haven't done more?" then I I guess she frantically do herpart and even cover some of mine. When I finally checked my phone, I saw "hey, I think we should not be doing this group paper together, how about I'Il finish it and you do you?" So, I was like, no no, l'll do more of my part too, yea we'll be late but that's alright.

    After we finished it, she said that she was disappointed with me. But, in my defence I said, "you ghosted me, l don't mind repeating a class." Funny thing is, we actually had kinda similar paper group project together last year in a different class, and she ghosted me halfway too Imao,so I finished last year paper myself. She said I was being egotistical for ghosting her, but she ghosted me, twice, and threatened to ghost me for the third time and take all the work for herself. She said if it wasn't for me, she would've submitted it on time. Although, she disappeared like all the way up to the deadline date. ¯_ಠ_ಠ_/¯

    Luckily the argument wasn't violent at all. only kinda ended with we agree to disagree thing. But,I still think I should stop talking to her, I don't know, she kinda gives me that crazy vibes so.. what do you think?

  7. @saosintheyperch

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    I can vouch for the social loafing that happens in assignment groups. I experienced a particular situation where one guy appointed himself as the group 'facilitator' (but this was really just a veil for being the self-appointed leader) and gave all of us specific tasks to do for a presesntation. I requested that we all catch up at the library at least one day per week. However he preferred that we all just do everything online via Google drive, which the group complied with. No one contacted me properly or helped me during the three weeks despite my efforts to communicate. Anyways, for the assignment, my task was to evaluate the literature on the possible aetiology of the disease we chose (neural tube defects). But! On the day of the presentation (literally one hour before the class) the 'facilitator' organised everyone to catch up and quickly go over our material together. I voiced how this is sooooo unproductive and pointless, but it seems that voicing dissent within a group dynamic is not very well received for the most part. In other words, a lot of people just want to go along with the group mentality and flow, which is not always good. In fact, this leaves room for assholes to take over… this 'facilitator' guy had a massive ego, or superiority complex, if you will. We hardly discussed the presentation in detail because (1) it was rushed, and (2) he flirted with the girls and started bragging about how he doesn't do ANY readings but can still score high distinction's just by watching lectures (at 1.5x speed apparently) alone. Nonetheless, he turns around halfway through our meeting and mentions how he is discussing the aetiology of the disease. I was like WTF that was my given task and I worked my ass off on it! According to him it wasn't, and only one other group member stuck up for me. As a result, I was given the short straw and had to discuss one specific aetiological factor and had to try and spread it out and discuss it for over 6 minutes (I initially had a presentation on 4 factors and how they might interact, along with my interpretation of the greatest risk factor). Fair to say, I hardly had enough research material to discuss one facet in the length of detail required. Although I managed to fluff through the presentation (which ended up being 2 minutes haha), I pretty much died on that stage. The point of this story is that some people will shit on you but others will help. I was pessimistic about the situation, however the girl who stuck up for me said I should speak to the tutor about what happened, so I did. I showed him all of the work I had prepared and explained to him how there was a misunderstanding in the group outside of my control that stuffed up my presentention (I must admit though, I was VERY tempted to throw the 'facilitator' under the bus, but I didn't in fear of undesirable backlash). The tutor considered my point and gave me a high distinction. If it wasn't for that girl telling me to do so, I probably would have said nothing and failed (or got a bad mark). So my advice to anyone out there who may come across the same thing is: speak up! Even if your natural inclination is like mine to just take the bitter attitdue and not say anything. My attiitude was thus because I saw my inability to handle myslf in the group dynamic as a failing of my own abilities, hence I believed I deserved to get shat on. I guess this highlighted how I may have had a certain pre-conceived self-ideal (pride perhaps?) that was also getting in my own way. It was a lesson learned, and these days, although winning my point is still rare, I speak up a LOT more and look for those who actually listen (hint: they are usually, but not always, the quiet ones). I have learnt that as long as I have the solid work behind myself to support my stance, there will generally be someone who will listen (even if the group disagrees, steals your work, and makes you look like a fool).

    Sorry for the tangent, but if you read up to this point, then I'm guessing this story was at least interesting or helpful enough 🙂

  8. @adrienneroy1705

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    I just finished my first year at McGill and I think what helped me the most was that "work hard play hard" is in fact very real and it doesn't matter how studious you think you are, you still need to play hard — and it doesn't make you a bad or lazy student for taking time to have fun. Don't just work hard to play hard, but play hard so you can work hard. The workload is so much more intense than high school and it is impossible to manage it if on top of the work itself, you're super miserable. I can't stress how important the balance is.

  9. @noahhradek5426

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    My two regrets in college. Not socializing enough, in engineering you focus a lot on your studies because you need to work a lot. Also that I didn't help out as much as I could have. I feel like I should have done more. College is mostly about connections, you're paying to meet people in your field.
    I'm glad I didn't have to work through college most college jobs are useless anyways. They don't help society in any way. I feel like i should volunteer more.

  10. @SavouryWhale

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    Thanks for this, I'm jumping back into school after some years off and this is exactly what I needed to outline the big things I didn't consider I'd need to prepare for

  11. @powfoot4946

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    I would definitely suggest joining a club or sport. You end up meeting so many people so often. Theres a sort of high school hierarchy which sucks but for the most, i try to avoid people who take that stuff seriously.

  13. @willcarmichie698

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    One thing I absolutely can not stress enough is the value of living on your own, whether that is in a dorm or an apartment off campus. My freshman year I lived with a friend and really discovered a lot of who I am as a person outside of my comfort zone, which helped in overcoming some of my mental health issues in the years following. Living away from campus (and especially with my parents) has made it tough to make relationships in college. I really wish I chose to live in a dorm 4 years ago, but I was too worried and riddled with anxiety to do so. If you feel anxious or too socially awkward to live on your own and are tempted to commute, please take my advise and take the leap of faith. I promise you won't regret it.

  18. @LonkinPork

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    went to the University of Calgary. most people in the school are from that same city, so they try to keep their high school cliques intact.

    they usually fracture and splinter by second year though.

  25. @thesaddestdude3575

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    I have dropped out of university ebcais it was too though, i has some mental problems and they have been getting to bad to the point where i cant function anymore, i feel completely burned out and tired and feel as if im never going to recover from this. I'm one of those guys people just seem to want to avoid. I was bullied alot in highschool and i was already falling out with some guys at university and i just can't be arsed anymore. Im so tired of being shit on that id rather just not go.

    Besides im dumber than a piece wood so its not like it was gonna be easy anyways, i would have to fight to be able to follow the lectures and honestly im not sure it was even worth it. In this video sisy say that you will get through it but for me there was nothing else than just being crushed on all fronts so i just didn't stay. people say its not a big part of lige but theres no fucking way im ever gonna get anything else than a nine to five job as a fucking shelfstacker. But hey you can't regret that shit if you blow your brains out so im looking into that becaus fuck this shit life ive made for myself. I know they ahve free mental health programs but i never got to use them.

  28. @corvusabaddon

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    I'm in community college, it's a great option for us poor mfkrs. You just need a plan and make sure not to waste too much time in college. I see too many old ass dudes still not knowing what to do and wasting time by doing classes they hate. Remember, college isn't the only option

  29. @larryfitterman

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    My freshman year started 3 months ago, we've been in lockdown since March of 2020, last time I saw my friends and basically how I ended high school, since Grade 12 was online as well and basically useless. Now in college I feel like absolute shit, no desire to work, don't give a damn about the reqs, stuck at home for god knows how long now. The only positives I guess is that at least I live with my family and still have the same friend group around me since high school (since no one could meet anyone knew anyways lol) I just hope 2nd year comes around already and I step foot in the campus again. Heres to better days.

  30. @philosophyman

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    Currently a student at UW Madison. Would like to talk some philosophy with you, I promise I'm pretty well read. Over the last 2 years I've moved away from nihilism/existentialism but would like to see if you can argue me back.

  32. @santicraft8

    September 22, 2025 at 6:19 am

    Really needed to hear tip 4 or 6. Next semester is my last in university, and I've made zero friendships that survived outside of the classroom. I've managed to get good grades, but probably at the expense of a million things I would've liked to try out — not to mention the amount of stress and the toll on my mental health. Despite being only one more semester, I've been dreading having to go another six months of my life like this, but your words helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel.

    Thank you, love your videos. You should do more like this every once in a while.

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