2017 Survival Guide

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The CSSS
Other Societies
Getting Around
External Resources
General Advice
Advice from CS Students
Recognition

Welcome to the Frosh Survival Guide for 2017-2018. This guide is
designed to help first year Computing Science students become familiar
with Simon Fraser University, the School of Computing Science, and the
Computing Science Student Society (CSSS). This guide is written by the
students in the CSSS.
We also welcome you to Frosh Week 2017. Frosh Week is an annual
event that allows new students to get a good feeling of university life
and meet with a wide range of students in their department.
Throughout the week, go to all your lectures, introduce yourself to
everyone, ask questions about university, and have fun. It is important
to make connections and friendships early, as many of you will be here
for years to come.

CSSS stands for Computing Science Student Society. We are a group of
students that have banded together for one purpose: to meet people,
make friends, and advance our studies towards a fun and fulfilling
degree in Computing Science.
The CSSS is a departmental student union, or DSU. This means that we
are the main student group that communicates with bigger entities,
such as the School of Computing Science and the Simon Fraser Student
Society (SFSS). As a DSU, we also get to sit on in committees and forums
that decide things like curriculum and regulations. In short, the CSSS is
responsible for making the opinions of CS students heard in university
decisions. However, the CSSS does much more than just that. Among
other things, we run a common room for CS students and hold social
events throughout the semester. Everybody is included, as any student
in Computing Science is automatically a member of the CSSS.
5

President
The President is in charge of everything that has not been specifically
delegated to the executives. The President is the chief busybody of the
CSSS. The President also serves as the liaison between the CSSS and the
outside world such as the CS department, the SFSS, other DSU’s, etc.
This is an annual position.
Vice President
The Vice President (VP) has the position of assisting the President. The
VP and President work together to handle the presidential duties and
help the society run smoothly. All general meetings are chaired by the
VP. This is an annual position.
Treasurer
The Treasurer is responsible for handling the CSSS cash-flow. Money
comes in, events come out, and the Treasurer is responsible for making
sure we never declare bankruptcy. This is an annual position.
Director of Events
The Director of Events (DOE) is the heart and soul of the CSSS, managing
all social events for the Society. The DOE manages the events,
hackathons, panel sessions, networking nights, LAN-parties, gamesnights, and every other social gathering that might occur. This is an
annual position.
Director of Resources
The Director of Resources (DOR) manages all resources owned by the
Society. They keep the pop machine, exam-database and common
rooms in order. This is an annual position.

Director of Archives
The Director of Archives manages all information for the society,
including meeting minutes, calling general and special meetings,
handling CSSS mailing lists, sorting, filing, and collating. Especially
collating. This is an annual position.
Director of Communications
The Director of Communications handles all internal and external
emails, sponsorship requests, CSSS newsletter, and alumni relations.
This is an annual position.
Executive at Large
The Executive at Large handles the day to day operations of the Society,
such as filling up the pop machine and running around in circles. They
are available for helping other executives with their assorted duties.
There are two positions. This is a semesterly position.
First Year Representatives
The First Year Representatives ensure that issues and views pertaining
to members in their first year of post-secondary education are
represented in the executive and Society in general. It is the their
responsibility to hold at least two events. There are two positions. The
position lasts for two semesters, starting in the fall.
Council Representative
The Council Representative goes to council and acts as the voice of the
CSSS, representing their constituents by voting and putting forth
motions. They report back to the CSSS about how things went. This is a
generally a yearly position.

System Administrator
The System Administrator is responsible for managing the CSSS server.
The CSSS maintains a private server for its website and services, and the
SysAdmin keeps everything in working order - the website, the
repository, and anything else on the server. The position of SysAdmin is
not elected – it is earned.

Located in ASB 9802, the CSSS Common room provides a place for
students to socialize and study. $1 pop, 75-cent mystery column and
power outlets throughout the room to plug in your laptop. There is also
a whiteboard and a table in the back of the room which can be used for
planning group projects or hosting study sessions.

The common room is a great place to socialize and seek for help in
terms of coding and course/ professor selecting.

The CSSS website can be found at sfucsss.org. The website contains
information about our constitution, the Common Room, mailing lists,
contact information, and more. There is also an archive for all the
meeting minutes in case you missed a meeting. We also have links to
our various social groups, so you can connect with us and find out what
is happening within the CSSS.

It is about that time of the semester when you have to study for exams.
You have completed all the sample questions and exam papers given to
you by your professor, but you still have the feeling that you are not
prepared for the exam. Why not come to the Computing Science
Common Room and ask an executive member to look at our exam
bank? We hold a large collection of past exams that may help you study
for your midterms and finals.
Have you finished your exam and got a really decent score? You can
help out others by trading in your exam for a free can of pop. Talk to
any CSSS executive to trade your exam in.

There are numerous scholarships, awards, and bursaries both
administered by SFU and by external groups. Below is a small list that
you might qualify for during your time here at SFU. Also, don’t be
turned away by the stipulation for high academic standing. Apply
anyways, the worst they will say is no.

Olga and Richard Murray Bursary in Applied
Sciences
Awarded in the summer and fall terms, this bursary is granted to
graduate or undergraduate students in the Faculty of Applied Sciences
on the basis of demonstrated financial need and satisfactory academic
performance. If possible, preference will be given to a student, or the
spouse or child of a person, who is a member of the Telecommunication
Workers Union or of Van-Tel Credit Union.

IODE Burnaby Municipal Chapter Bursary
Awarded all three terms to third or fourth year students majoring in
science or applied sciences. Students must be Canadian citizens and
graduates of Burnaby Senior Secondary School. Financial need and
satisfactory academic standing is required.

Simba Technologies Inc. Scholarships in
Computing Science
Two scholarships at a minimum of $2,000 each will be awarded in any
term, preferably one in Fall term and one in Spring term, to an
undergraduate female student majoring in Computing Science on the
basis of full-time enrollment and excellent academic standing.
Preference will be given to female students with demonstrated
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community/volunteer service. Applications should include a CV
outlining the candidate's community/volunteer activities.
The awards will be made by the Senate Undergraduate Awards
Adjudication Committee upon the recommendation of the Dean of the
Faculty of Applied Sciences.

Scotiabank Student Scholarship in the
Faculty of Applied Sciences
This $2500 award will be granted annually in the summer term to a
Faculty of Applied Sciences student with at least 90 units who
exemplifies the aspects of a well-rounded student scholar: academic
excellence, and community involvement. Academic excellence is based
on academic merit as determined by cumulative grade point average
(CGPA). Community involvement may be service to the University
community or the community at large. The award will be made by the
Senate Undergraduate Awards Adjudication Committee.

Elma Krbavac Undergraduate Scholarship in
Computing Science
An annual scholarship in any term to an undergraduate student in
Computing Science based on high academic standing and demonstrated
volunteer involvement. Candidates should demonstrate their
involvement in volunteer activities by providing such details in a resume
and cover letter with their application. The award will be made by the
Senate Undergraduate Awards Adjudication Committee. Value of the
scholarship is $3000.

Matthew LeDuc Memorial Scholarship in
Computing Science
Awarded annually on the basis of academic achievement to a
Computing Science major, with demonstrated excellence in the field of
11

computer graphics. The award will be made by the Senate
Undergraduate Awards Adjudication Committee. Value of the
scholarship is $600.

Joe and Mary Merchant Scholarship in
Science
An annual scholarship, based on scholastic merit, will be awarded in any
term to a full-time third or fourth year undergraduate student in the
Faculty of Science or the Faculty of Applied Sciences. The award will be
made by the Senate Undergraduate Awards Adjudication Committee.
Value of the scholarship is $1100.

CSSS Award
In need of financial aid? Don’t know where to look? Why not apply for
the CSSS Award? This award recognizes a CSSS member’s contributions
to the Society and its activities. It’s our way of noticing who’s been
working hard to keep the CSSS as awesome as it can be. The award is
available once in the fall and once in the spring semesters.

Service Awards
Applications are only open from March-April for each year. This award
recognises service to the University and/or community at large.
Basically if you volunteer on or off campus, you qualify for this award.

Not all awards have the same application process. It’s best to set up an
appointment with financial aid and/or FAS advisors to see what is
required and when to apply by.

Mailing lists are intended to be used in support of scholarly or workrelated activity, in accordance with University policy GP-24. You can
create your own mailing lists for different purposes, such as managing a
group project in a course by visiting http://maillist.sfu.ca.
Important lists include:
cmpt-majors: All Computing Science majors are included on this list. Emails are mainly from advisors and the CS office staff.
cmpt-all: A list that CSILOP maintains. It is used to send information
regarding the labs, including lab closures.
cmpt-students: A list utilized by the CSSS to let students know about
general meetings and other Society related information.
csss: The main email for the Computing Science Student Society.
csss-announce: This is a voluntary sign up list. If you want to know more
about CSSS events, sign up via http://maillist.sfu.ca.
csss-exec: This is a contact list for the CSSS executives.

Facebook:

Computing Science Student Society ( CSSS ) @ SFU

Twitter:

@sfucsss

All SFU undergraduate
students are members
of the Simon Fraser
Student Society. The
SFSS has represented
SFU students for over
40 years as a
registered not-forprofit organization.
The SFSS’s goal is to unite student voices, lobby the University and
Governments on student issues, and provide valuable services to all
members.
The SFSS has many services available to students. If you are in need of a
conference room for a school event or group, the SFSS has various
rooms available. Do you have an event or group you wish to advertise?
You can post your ad on various SFSS poster boards around campus, or
for a more direct advertising approach, consider booking a vendor table
in the Academic Quadrangle.
The SFSS also runs a free legal clinic in case you are in need of any legal
aid. There is also the SFU Nightline crisis-line (604.857.7148) which is
available to call 24/7 in case you need someone to talk to. The SFSS also
has a full-blown copy centre for those times when you need something
special printed.
As well as the regular services offered above, the SFSS often hosts
events such as Clubs Days and the SFU Week of Welcome.
To find out more about what the SFSS is and the services that they offer,
visit the SFSS website at: http://www.sfss.ca

WiCS has evolved into an
organization actively
involved in promoting events
with many opportunities to
learn, network, and have
fun! Membership and events
are free and open to people of all genders who are willing to help WiCS achieve
the following goals:
• PROMOTE
• SUPPORT
• BUILD
• CHALLENGE

women in Computing Science
women throughout their study of CS
a strong network of friendly faces for women in CS
the biases and myths faced by women in CS

How to Join
To become a part of our organization, simply join our emailing list. For SFU
students, alumni and faculty:
1. Go to SFU Maillist http://maillist.sfu.ca/
2. Enter your Computing/Webmail/Unix ID and password
3. Search for the wics-members@sfu.ca mail list
4. Click the “Subscribe” button
If you don’t have an SFU ID, please email wics@sfu.ca to be added to our
mailing list.
WiCS is always looking forward to your comments, suggestions, or questions,
which can be sent to: wics@sfu.ca.
How to Reach Us
Web Site: http://www.sfu.ca/computing/wics.html
E-mail: wics@sfu.ca
Facebook: WICS @ SFU (Women in Computing Science @ SFU)

Background
WiCS@SFU was established in early 2002 as a mailing list for individuals with a
wide variety of backgrounds: undergraduate students, graduate students,
faculty, staff, alumnae, and external members (ex. high school teachers,
parents, industry professionals).
WiCS established a formal constitution in mid-2003 and elected an Executive
Team. There are regular weekly meetings during the semester and WiCS
organizes various events on campus, the majority of which are open to people
of any gender. Here are a few of our events and programs:
• Mentorship Program: - Female froshees are welcome to join the WiCS
mentorship program, where you will be placed in a group of other new
students and 1-2 experienced student mentors. It’s a great way to meet your
peers and get advice. Sign up here: https://goo.gl/forms/WTTEYlZ8BQ4Fm2bT2
• CodeMavens: Weekly Technical Interview Workshops - All are welcome to
come practise for technical interviews by solving coding problem, doing mock
interviews, and implementing solutions on whiteboards. A lack of experience is
not an excuse to avoid CodeMavens, but a reason to attend!
• Career Networking Events - Meet professionals in the tech industry, listen to
their experiences in their careers, learn something through a tech talk, build
your network of contacts for internship and job opportunities, and improve
your networking skills.
• Faculty Mentor Lunch - A group of women enjoy a free dine out on campus
with an experienced female researcher to discuss and learn about research
opportunities and career goals.
• Social Events - Enjoy tea and cookies, hiking, picnicking, or other activities
with a mix of awesome people. You don’t have to be a WiCS member to attend;
we love to see new faces!
WiCS members actively help facilitate School of Computing Science events,
such as orientations for new students or outreach programs for high school
students. In addition, WiCS also carries out joint events with other groups at
SFU, including the Computing Science Student Society (CSSS) and Women in
Engineering (WiE).
For more information, visit http://www.sfu.ca/computing/wics.html

Room numbers consist of two parts - a code, followed by a four or fivedigit number. Let’s use the Computing Science Common Room as an
example: ASB 9802.
The first code tells you which building the room is located in. In this
case, ASB is the Applied Sciences Building. Other buildings have their
own codes and most of them are intuitive. Each building’s code can be
seen on the next few pages.
The number tells you the floor and the relative location of the room on
that floor. The floor number is always the first one or two digits while
the relative location is the last three digits. For example the Common
Room is on the 9th floor with a relative location of 802. The relative
locations allow you to find rooms based on others you already know.
The CSIL Windows Lab is in ASB 9804, which has a relative location of
804. Therefore the CSIL Windows Lab should be near the Common
Room, which it is.
Floor numbering can be quite confusing. Throughout most of the school,
you will have floor numbers from one to six, but when you get into the
sciences wings (Shrum Science Center’s Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and
Kinesiology wings) and the Applied Sciences Building, you will notice
that their floors start at seven and go up to ten. All you need to
remember is that the 9th floor in these wings are on the same floor as
the 3rd floor in the AQ.
In sum, 1.) Find the correct building, 2.) Find the correct floor, 3.) Find
the correct room.
To find a room easier, consider downloading the SFU Snap App which
can be found on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store

Level

What you will find

Engineering Labs

The CSIL (Computing Science Instructional Lab)
The CSSS Common Room
School of Computing Science Office
CS Advising Office
Co-op Office
Faculty of Applied Sciences Dean Office
Connection to TASC 1

IRMACS
Conference Rooms and Offices
Engineering Science Labs and Common Room

Level What you will Find
B2

Tutorial Rooms

Psychology Offices and Common Room
Psychology Microcomputer Laboratory
Tutorial Rooms

Geography Offices and Common Room
Tutorial Rooms

Geography Offices
Tutorial Rooms

Images Theatre
Language Offices

Connection to Academic Quadrangle
4

Linguistics Offices

Building

What You Will Find

Biology

Lecture Halls, Biology Labs, Offices, and Seminar Rooms
Study Areas and Lounges
Biology General Office

Chemistry

Lecture Halls, Chemistry Labs, and Offices

Kinesiology

Math Student Union Common Room
Labs, Tutorial Rooms and Conference Rooms
Communication General Offices and Common Room

Mathematics Mathematics General Office
Physics

Physics Labs, Common Rooms and General Offices

Level What you will find
9

Chemistry Computing Lab
Lecture Halls, Tutorial Rooms and Offices

Labs, Classrooms, Tutorial Rooms, and Offices
Health Science Department
Connection to Saywell Hall

Labs, Tutorial Rooms, and Offices
Health Science General Office/Dean’s Office
Study Areas

Level What you wll find
8

Museum of Archeology and Ethnology
First Nations Studies
Lounge and Offices
Forensics and Archeology Labs
Center for Forensics Research
Sexual Offender Research Lab
Clinical Psychology Center
Connection to Academic Quadrangle

Lecture Halls
Criminology Wing
Study Area
Criminology General Office
Offices
Path to Strand Hall
Connection to Blusson Hall

Level What You Will Find
7

Department of Earth Sciences Office
Offices, Study Areas, and Labs
Bus Stop on South Campus Road

CS Grad Common Room
Offices and Study Areas
Server Room
Faculty of Environment Office and Common Room

Board Rooms, Offices, and Study Areas
Upper Division Labs

Level What You Will Find
6

4D Labs (Nano-Fabrication and Nano-Imaging)
Bus Stop on South Campus Road

Study Area, Meeting Rooms, Labs, and Shower
4D Labs (Nano-Fabrication and Nano-Imaging)
Bus Stop on South Campus Road

Seminar Rooms, Labs, and Meeting Room
Server Room
Faculty of Environment Dean’s Office
Faculty of Communication, Art, and Technology Dean’s Office

Department of Chemistry
Stairs to Roof
Connection to SSC Physics

Level What you will find
1

Career and Health and Counselling Services
Archives and SFU Document Solutions
Work Integrated Learning

SFU Bookstore Entrance and U-Pass BC Machines
Dean of Graduate Studies Office
SFU International Student Services
First Nations Student Center
Center for Student with Disabilities

SFU Bookstore Returns (and entrance when busy)
Minimart
Food Court: Guadalupe, Gawon, Bubble World, Noodle & Bubble

Waffle, Pasta Polo
Graduate Student Society
Simon Fraser Student Society Offices and Copy Center
4

Student Central and Student Services

Level What You Will Find
1

Lam Collection

Curriculum Collection and Statistics Canada
Group Study Area and Study Rooms and Thesis Defence Room
Reference and Science Indexes

Ask Us and Check Out/Circulation Desk
Document Delivery Services (Interlibrary Loans)
Reserves and Media Resource Centre
Reference Collection and Service
Student Learning and Information Commons

Books A - HT and Oversize books

Books HV - QA and File Arts Files

Books QB - Z
Bound and Current Journals, Microforms, and Newspapers

Library Committee Rooms, Special Collections and Rare books
Maps and Graphical Information System (GIS)
Library Processing and Theses and Library Management Offices

Level What You Will Find
1

Centre for Online and Distance Education
Study Area
Department of Economics and Department of French

Faculty of Business Administration
Lecture Halls, Tutorial Rooms, and Offices
Human Resources Simulation Lab
IT Services
Tim Hortons and ATM
Mac/PC Lab
Department of Economics and Department of French

Faculty of Business Administration General Office
Department of Economics General Office
Lecture Halls, Tutorial Rooms, and Study Area
Access to the Rotunda

Department of Philosophy and Department of Economics
Faculty of Business Administration

Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Business Administration

Level What You Will Find
1

Strength and Conditioning Facilities and Offices

Pool and Fitness Centre

Offices

Gymnasiums

5 & 6 Observatories

Level What You’ll Find
G

Loading Bay

IT Services and Offices
Path to Blusson Hall

Human Resources
Campus 3D Model

Klaus Rieckhoff Hall
President’s Office
Board of Governors Office
Vice President of Research Office
Vice President of Academics & Provost Offices
Admin Offices

Restaurant / Store
Bamboo Garden
Spicy Stone

Notes
Decent Chinese food for cheap! Usually open
late.
Cheap and fast Korean food. Check the
specials every day for additional savings!

Pizza Hut

Some of the deals are ok, but the pizza is quite
greasy (for those that like that)

Donair Town

Grab a Chicken Platter or Beef Donair if you are
in the mood. Prices are reasonable.

Noodle House

Not a very popular restaurant, but the prices

are decent. Sometimes the food can be a hit or
miss.
Pearl Fever

Great bubble tea, but the food could be a bit
better.

Subway

Pretty self-explanatory here. Keep track of
their $5 foot long promotions to save some
money.

Quesada

Mexican food. Burritos (and burrito bowls),
tacos, quesadillas, tortilla salads, and so much
more. Remember to ask for their loyalty card

Poké Bar

a raw salmon (or various shellfish) salad served
with the common "poke" seasonings.

Starbucks

It’s Starbucks.

Ichibankan Express

The sushi isn’t amazing, but bentos and rice
bowls can be pretty filling. The price could be
lower.

Nature’s Garden

An organic deli. Great food but the price is a
little bit higher. However, they have gelatos
and $1 Coffee! Bring your own cup for a
discount!

Club Ilia

Open 7-days a week, happy hour from 3-5pm
and 9-11pm. Brunch on the weekends. Wings
Wednesdays. Popular with the SFU
community.

Nester’s Market

Typical supermarket, with a deli and pharmacy.
Prices might be a little higher than expected,
but there are still deals to be had.

Miniso

A super cute Chinese-Japanese dollar-/drugstore.

Restaurant / Store
A&W
Uncle Fatih’s Pizza
Togo Sushi
The Chopped Leaf

Notes
Featuring all day breakfast.
Vancouverite pizza. Get a slice or order a whole
pizza. They stay open late.
SFU’s only dining establishment dedicated to
sushi.
An actual healthy option on campus!

Restaurant / Store

Notes

Renaissance Coffee

A long time member of our campus community
and a great source for Fair Trade coffee. They
have food too: the AQ location has a great
soup and sandwhich deal!

SFU Surrey is located above Surrey
Central Shopping Center. The
campus is not as bad as people
tend to think. With smaller class
sizes, lots of student study space
and nearby shopping mall and pub,
Surrey Campus has everything you
need. It’s also nice and new, with
great architectural features!

SFU Vancouver is the downtown
campus of SFU and consists of four
buildings. Harbour Centre, Morris J
Wosk Centre for Dialogue, SFU’s Segal
Graduate School of Business, and
Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (also
known as Woodwards). If you are
taking courses in Vancouver, they will
most likely be found at Harbour
Centre. It may not be as large as the
other campuses, but Harbour Centre is in the heart of downtown
Vancouver, minutes away from anything you need. Some computing
science courses at Burnaby may not fit your schedule, so be prepared to
take one or two courses at Harbour Centre.
29

There are a few websites that serve as education platforms, offering
courses online for anyone to take, for free. There courses are from
other universities and organizations and provide resources (video
lectures, course notes, practice questions etc) which may help you
understand your course material in school better. You don’t have to
actually complete these courses or follow them through. You can enrol
in a course that might be similar to a course you are taking in SFU and
use it as a resource.
MIT OCW, Coursera, Udacity, edX are a few websites that provide online
courses.

Lynda has a wide range of video tutorials on programing, design,
business, and other interesting topics. SFU provides Lynda.com account
so it is free for all SFU students. Search the library website for Lynda and
it will lead you to a page that lets you register an account.

Has good tutorials for math, english and most electives you may take.
For those that like video tutorials, we strongly suggest previewing the
material for your math classes during the semester breaks. You can
easily cover two to three weeks of content in five-six hours.

SFU library has a vast collection of textbooks besides your course
textbooks. Often you may find your course textbook hard to understand
(ahem, Grimaldi). A quick Google search will tell you what are the best
(or at least better) textbooks related to your course. Chances are that
book is available in the library and up for grabs for the whole semester.
Get the textbook, and you will probably be better off.

These are forums where people exchange programming problems and
advice. It’s a good place to check when trying to debug your code. You
may find sample code there as well, do not copy the code unless your
professor says you may use code from other users. SFU is very strict
about their honesty policy and plagiarism is not taken lightly.

CSIL (pronounced C-SIL) is the main computing lab you will use at
Burnaby while taking computing science courses. CSIL consists of four
connected computer labs, TA offices and assignment drop boxes. Most
of the computers dual boot both Linux (Ubuntu Precise Pangolin 12.04)
and Windows (Windows 7). CSIL is usually a great place to study and
complete homework, as it is fairly quiet and only for computing science
students.
To get inside, you will need an access card. To get an access card, visit
the SFU Card Access Office at Discovery 1.
You can also remote desktop into CSIL using rdc://leto.csil.sfu.ca. For
more details on how to connect to Windows and Linux remotely and
other CSIL queries visit:
http://www.sfu.ca/computing/about/support/csil/unix/how-to-use-csillinux-cpu-server.html
http://www.sfu.ca/computing/about/support/csil/windows/how-touse-windows-terminal-server.html

Looking for a study area to finish an assignment or study for a test? The
more popular study areas are in the library and under the Images
Theatre in the AQ. The library has study rooms you can book, which is
much quieter than their Group Study Area. If you are after a nice quiet
area to concentrate, you can try the TASC buildings or head up to the
6th floor of the AQ. These places tend to be quieter as they are close to
office spaces. You can also try finding an empty lab in CSIL or relax in the
33

CSSS common room. During the day, the Common Room is generally
noisy, but calms down in the evening.

Wireless
You can get a wireless connection within most places on campus. It’s
not that fast, but good enough for most computer games. Remember,
any illegal activities could result in your access being revoked.
eduroam
Eduroam is a BCNET initiative that allows students, staff and faculty
access to wireless services at cooperating universities without the need
for obtaining a guest account. This allows visiting students from other
institutions to login using the same credentials they would use at home.
Support for eduroam is currently available from member institutions in
Canada, Asia, Europe, and the United States.
SFUNET vs SFUNET-SECURE
Most people are not aware of the differences between the two.
SFUNET-SECURE is an encrypted network while SFUNET is unencrypted.
It is suggested that you use SFUNET-SECURE or eduroam over SFUNET
so that third parties cannot pretend to be you or read your data. To set
up SFUNET-SECURE or eduroam please go to:
http://www.sfu.ca/itservices/technical/wireless/configuration.html

Every student has a personal webspace attached to their sfuid. You can
connect to your webspace through: http://www.sfu.ca/~.

To setup the website, connect to your filespace with your sfuid and
place the files in the pub_html folder at: ftp://@ftp.sfu.ca/
For more information, visit:
https://www.sfu.ca/itservices/publishing/publish_howto/who_can_pub
lish.html

As a Computing Science student, you may need some new software for
a class or assignment. Software can usually be quite expensive, but
don’t worry while you’re a student here at SFU. Through the Microsoft
DreamSpark program (formerly the MSDNAA - Microsoft Developer
Network Academic Alliance) and VMAP (VMware Academic Program)
you can download a variety of software free of charge for your own
uses. For more information please visit: https://services.cs.sfu.ca/

SFU Library provides a large selection of books and articles you can
access over the internet. Check it out:
http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/subject-guides/computing-science/booksarticles

Most courses have required textbooks assigned by the teachers. You
can purchase new and used books at the SFU bookstore, but they are
usually rather expensive. There are many alternative methods to getting
your textbooks such as international editions from Amazon.ca, the SFU
Textbook Trade Centre on Facebook (http://goo.gl/ubB4C), or even
borrowing from your fellow peers. Some professors don’t use textbooks
they assign, so go ask your professor if you need it before you buy it.
35

There are three ways to get help when you need it.
1. Ask a TA. Some TA’s are better than others, but if the material is
related to the course, chances are they should know the solution.
2. Go to your professor’s office hours. Your professor will know a whole
lot more about the course than the TA’s. They tend to get busy around
exams, so keep that in mind if you have a question.
3. Hang out in the CSSS Common Room! It’s full of your peers who have
most likely taken the courses that you need help on.
4.[Some reference to Lynda.com]

Before taking a course, it’s a good idea to see what others thought
about your future professors. Keep in mind, some students will rate
professors poorly because they slacked off and failed a course.
Therefore, you may want to ask your peers in the Common Room or on
Facebook before you decide. When looking at RateMyProf, look for
common themes across multiple classes and terms. Some teachers fix
issues as they become more experienced and some… don’t.

To call yourself a computer scientist, you will need to learn to use the
Terminal and command line. The Terminal will often provide you with a
shortcut to any compiler or interpreter you need access to. It also
provides you with an abundance of commands that allow you to tweak
your computer in ways you never thought possible.

Ditch notepad and use ViM or Emacs. Both are considered to be
powerful text-editors created by and utilized by elite in the industry.

If you ever have to do a MATH or MACM assignment, do it in LaTeX or
LyX. LaTeX is a fast and efficient way to organize and complete your
math problems. LyX is a bit more user friendly than LaTeX, but it isn’t as
popular or as well supported by other programs. It’s always a good idea
to make sure your TA accepts LaTeX or LyX before you use either one.

At some point during your studies you should install a Linux distribution
on your computer. It is a good idea to get comfortable with Linux as it is
very likely you will have to use it at some point in your career. Installing
Linux is a great learning experience and can often make your life easier
thanks to its powerful Terminal and utilities. There’s an abundance of
distributions available, so find one that fits your needs and set up a dual
boot. You’ll thank yourself later.

https://www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/2017/fall.html
http://www.sfu.ca/computing/current-students/undergraduatestudents/student-resources/course-schedules.html
http://www.sfu.ca/outlines.html
https://www.sfu.ca/math/undergraduate/calendarandprojectedofferin
gs.html
37

Have fun. I think a lot of people come into university and spend too
much time just trying to get high marks and simply pass through to the
next stage of life. Take this time to enjoy life before it’s gone. Join a few
clubs, get involved in student politics, meet people, and go out often.
Find a hobby then find a group of people to enjoy it with. That’s not to
say to ignore your school work, just to make sure you don’t forget that
at the end of the day, you should try and enjoy yourself and your time
here.
There are plenty of places to just hang around, doing a whole lot of
nothing while having a whole lot of fun. Come check out the CS
common room, there’s bound to be a bunch of nice people there. Go
walk around campus for an hour or two; it’s a lot nicer than a lot of
people realize and there are some interesting places you can get too
that you’ll never find if you don’t go looking. The general idea here is to
spend time doing something on campus. You spend so much time
transiting up to here, might as well find something to do and have fun
with.
Come check out the CS discord, you can get a lot of help with classes,
play games with other students such as yourself, or just chat with likeminding individuals.
When it comes to studying, the key is consistency. Be consistent in
attending classes and do homework. Don’t blow it all off for a week and
then go ham the next. A consistent schedule helps you stay on top of
the material and minimizes the total amount of work and effort you
need to put in the class. Make sure to do all your assignments, even if
they aren’t worth marks. Listening to profs lecture or reading your
textbooks is nice and dandy, but we are in an applied science faculty for
a reason. Applying your knowledge in problems and assignments is the
best way to make sure you know your stuff and get good marks.
39

Even if you're just a first-year, consider where you want to end up in
your career, and take steps now to make it happen. You'll thank yourself
later.
Academics/Research: focus on school, take theory-heavy courses, get to
know the research faculty so that you can work or volunteer doing
research in their labs.
CS Education: volunteer for outreach programs, tutor, give workshops,
teach at a coding school.
Management: seek leadership opportunities in group projects and
extracurricular activities. Be aware that most people have to work in a
technical role post-graduation before anyone will offer them a job in
people management.
Software Development: do co-op or internships, build your project
portfolio (by competing in hackathons, contributing to open source
projects, working on personal projects), take online courses to learn
new languages and tools, study for technical interviews by doing
programming puzzles.
Don't worry if you're not a computer geek or a gamer or don't know
what Linux is or have never even programmed before. You're here to
learn! Don't worry either if your degree takes a while or costs a lot of
money or makes your life difficult. You'll soon see why CS is worth it.

If you get the chance, take some courses in Surrey. Some of the courses
there, such as CMPT225 and MACM201, are taught in a manner that is
much easier to understand than at Burnaby campus.
- Ellis Ly
40

Don’t just do your requirements and graduate. There are lots of
interesting courses.
- Benton Lam
Pay Attention!!!
- Mike Klemarewski
Don’t bring your laptop to lecture, it will only distract you.
- Curtis Muller
There is a blood alcohol content that facilitates more efficient coding.
Discover it.
- Corey Baker
When buying books don’t buy them from the bookstore. If you try hard
enough you can get it cheaper or for free.
- Jordan Klassen
Pick your prof. Some are very good at teaching.
- Bentom Lam
Poor time management will be the death of your degree.
-Ivan Jelinic
Socialize with people regardless of which faculty and school they may
be from, new friends can only enrich your path to a successful career.
- David Cheung
A course can be excellent or useless depending on who’s teaching it.
- Chani Armitage
On average, work equates to over 30 years of your life. Don’t feel the
need to graduate from university in 4. Take your time, and enjoy it while
it lasts.
- Jesse Paris
Do an international exchange; traveling might just give your GPA a
boost.
- Shawn Janespar
I cannot stress this enough. Work on personal projects outside of class
that explore topics of interest. Learn about good programming practices
and try to follow them in everything you do. This not only shows
initiative but can also lead to an impressive portfolio.
- Eric Raue
41

Fight for every single mark you can grasp, it is the difference between
letter grades.
- Ivan Jelinic
Keep your courses balanced; a well-balanced 5 course semester can be
easier than an unbalanced 3 course semester.
- Jason Hamilton-Smith
Doing co-op will help you along with your cover letter, resume and
interview experience. After being through it a few times, you carry
yourself differently when you do it for reals.
- Benton Lam
Make friends with those in your faculty; grinding through your degree
with friends pulling all-nighters is a lot more fun than doing it alone.
- Shawn Janespar
Start working on personal projects and practising for technical
interviews now. You cannot cram Cracking the Coding Interview or code
an app the night before your interview.
- Dawn Chandler
Learn to eat, sleep and breathe Linux. And coding, love coding like your
first born child and be prepared to spend long hours failing to
understand MACM courses.
-Jace Manshadi
First year is hard for everyone but it will be one of the best years of your
life so enjoy the sleepless nights, the pizza for breakfast, and the "I used
to get 90s in High School now I can’t even get 60s" freakouts. Just
remember... it does not get better so get used to it. JK! Just remember
that you will soon be doing what you love and then you will realize that
it was all worth it. #WhatDoesntKillYouMakesYouStronger
- Laura Guevara

Read all of the instructions on forms and include everything on the list
that is requested; before submitting, review and ensure you have
included everything.
Plan ahead when submitting request forms to administrators. Multiple
people may have to review them, and sign them, so allow several weeks
for processing.
Look at the CS website and see if the information you are looking for is
online. There is a frequently asked question section that is very helpful.

Editors
Oscar Smith-Sieger
Dawn Chandler
Kia Mirsalehi

Organizers
Kia Mirsalehi
Oscar Smith-Sieger
David Miiller
Henry Zhao
Quintin Smith
Kevin Yu
Brendan Chan

Artists
Mircea Taras
Allison Ng

PacMacro App Developers
Jeffrey Leung
Josh Wu
Alex Land
Aaryaman Girish
Trevor Clelland
Emre Erhan

CS Info-Session Speakers
CSSS - Corbett Gildersleve
WiCS - Toria Kindersley
45

Co-op - Greig Baird
SoSy - Jeffrey Leung
DDP - Danyu Zhao

Frosh Week 2017 Logo Creator
Jenna Brienza

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