What are /r/cuboulder's favorite Products & Services?

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Install a VM, disable drivers on it: https://www.virtualbox.org/

Things like proctorio should be illegal (and usually get ruled as such), so if they're going to try snoop make sure they meet resistance.

Full disclosure: I'm a professor. My RateMyProfessor rating is 3.5/5 with 5 reviews. My FCQ rating is 5.5/6 with 137 responses. Statistical arguments aside, of course I'm going to be bias towards liking the 5.5/6 more than the 3.5/5. But it's worth knowing that we (at least some of us) actually read these things!

If you’re in a 4 bedroom, they’re normal fulls! I don’t know about the other ones. Pro tip - the mattresses are slightly better than the dorms, but still pretty shit. Buy this mattress topper from Amazon, and these sheets from Target, and it’ll be the best sleep you’ve ever had.

I had a pretty rough first semester (barely kept my scholarships), but I've managed to rise to an A average, even though my workload has increased significantly. Here are some things that worked for me:

• Keep track of all your assignments and due dates. I use Trello, but some people prefer handwritten planners or whiteboards. Just find a system that works for you.

• Sleep regularly! It's easy to get stuck in a ridiculous sleep schedule (I was sleeping 4 AM to noon at one point), but it's a lot easier to stay focused when you're getting up by 9 every day.

• Form a study group. Being able to ask other students for help is an invaluable resource and a great learning experience for everyone involved.

• Use small periods of downtime to get work done. Half hour gap between classes? Homework time. Review lecture on a subject that you've got down cold? Homework time. Just put some cookies in the oven? Homework time.

• Find ways to learn the material outside of class. Come up with weird problems and try to solve them. Find freely available textbooks on subjects that interest you. Check out the research groups on campus (does engineering have those?). I aced my E&M final with no studying because I work part-time in the plasma physics department.

• Make sure you have hobbies outside of your major--it's easy to develop tunnel vision, which can make it harder to stay motivated.

• Never loose sight of why you chose your field. Every day, I remind myself that I'm one step closer to a career in physics research.

As far as software goes, you can get SolidWorks free through the university, but it's Windows-only. If you run Mac or Linux, Blender is a free modeling and animation program that happens to work really well for 3D printing (it takes a bit of effort to learn, though).

The best bike lock is the one that creates the tightest fit when secured. My go to is the Kryptonite Mini 5.

• Fits perfectly into the back pocket of your jeans while you ride

• Thicker shackle than standard U

• Gives super secure tight fit that makes it difficult to overcome

If you want a bigger lock i recommend a 7in but no bigger. While a longer shackle is convenient, the design makes it silly easy to break

Also consider a secondary cable lock to secure your front tire if your budget allows it.

This is a good article to read on locking technique.

It's a hike that traverses the 5 major peaks near Boulder (Bear Peak, South Boulder Peak, Green Mountain, Flagstaff Mountain, Mt. Sanitas). It's 15+ miles long depending on what routes you take.

Here are some links that have more info:
https://www.theoutbound.com/colorado/hiking/hike-boulder-s-skyline-traverse

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/boulder-skyline-traverse--2

I’m sorry, that’s sounds so frustrating, college-level math and physics can be very unforgiving if your high school math foundation is weak. It sounded like you have put in the hard work but struggle to see results. That’s an indication that your current study strategy/habit is not working and it’s time to learn some new study skills, to study not just harder but smarter. Here is the perfect book for you:

https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU

I benefitted a ton from the book. I also agree that it would be a good idea to take a semester off to focus on your mental health and study strategy, review high-school math using Khan academy, and do some soul-searching to understand why you are in college (what’s your life goals?) so that when you are ready to come back, you will be in a much better mindset with better background and strategies to get through the struggle.

Yes, it's much better! At least for android; I can't vouch for iOS. It's a lot like google maps. You search for a building by name or abbreviation, and you can drop multiple pins at the same time. Helped me a ton my first semester. Here's android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.campusmaps.cuboulder&hl=en And here's what looks like an iOS equivalent: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/campus-maps/id454084144?mt=8

Google maps on mobile/PC is always a much better alternative to website map too.

I know this isn't what you're looking for, but when I was at your stage the following book was super helpful:

https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Proofs-Introduction-Mathematical/dp/1118164024

The other thing I can say is working in groups makes this stuff go a lot better. Just make sure you're doing the work and understanding everything as you go along. Good luck!

Hearing lots of options but honestly the best option I have found is amazon 🤷🏻‍♂️ ships to your house in a couple days:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KKDY1QV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Has anyone heard if these are as / more / less reliable than any other testing products?

I'll echo the sentiments about testing the whole bag. A potentially lethal dose is 2mg, if you buy 3.5 grams of uh...powdered sugar, then that dose could be hiding inside the bag somewhere as a "hot spot". In other words the lethal dose only constitutes 0.057% of the material in the bag. So testing can offer potentially false sense of security.

I'd rather have a bunch of Narcan, personally....

I just bought this for my daughter (incoming freshman) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09F8RBZKR?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Will probably be less expensive than a similar DELL. I think the equivalent 15" is $100 cheaper.

You definitely want something like this to fit all your books https://smile.amazon.com/Kipling-Laptop-Rolling-Backpack-Black/dp/B09B5KSTX3/ref=sr\_1\_6?keywords=giant%2Bbackpack%2Bwith%2Bwheels&qid=1654830108&refinements=p\_36%3A1253507011&rnid=386442011&s=electronics&sr=1-6&th=1

I don't have the exact recipe but can get pretty close using these toaster grilling bags and brushing a ton of melted butter on using a pastry brush!

Congratulations and good luck!

Yeah, for sure get a external monitor. Engineering software (SolidWorks, MatLab, etc) on your main screen and the assignment pdf on your secondary screen beats split screen or switching windows any day. You may even want to look at a portable option so you are not restricted to your dorm room anytime you need to use your second screen (something I wish I did in hindsight).

It's a late 18th/early 19th German literature class, focused on Goethe and writers in the Sturm und Drang movement. Napoleonic era, the enlightenment, European aristocracy, the beginnings of German nationalism, stuff like that. It's a lecture class, you need to attend to do well on the midterm and finals. But there isn't much work beyond keeping up with the reading.

Professor Muller-Sievers is just a very, very good lecturer (imo) and the readings are interesting.

FCQ data: http://cufcq.com/fcqs/18706

Hi! would you be interested in submitting your story for inclusion in UCWC's (CU's wall-to-wall union) Town Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 9? We're trying to gather stories and perspectives from current students, faculty, staff, and community members so we can accurately represent what is happening on campus. You can either DM me or fill out the submission form. If you're interested in attending you can also register here.

Hi! would you be interested in submitting your story for inclusion in UCWC's (CU's wall-to-wall union) Town Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 9? We're trying to gather stories and perspectives from current students, faculty, staff, and community members so we can accurately represent what is happening on campus. You can either DM me or fill out the submission form. If you're interested in attending you can also register here.

Hi! would you be interested in submitting your story for inclusion in UCWC's (CU's wall-to-wall union) Town Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 9? We're trying to gather stories and perspectives from current students, faculty, staff, and community members so we can accurately represent what is happening on campus. You can either DM me or fill out the submission form. If you're interested in attending you can also register here.

Hi! would you be interested in submitting your story for inclusion in UCWC's (CU's wall-to-wall union) Town Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 9? We're trying to gather stories and perspectives from current students, faculty, staff, and community members so we can accurately represent what is happening on campus. You can either DM me or fill out the submission form. If you're interested in attending you can also register here.

Hi! would you be interested in submitting your story for inclusion in UCWC's (CU's wall-to-wall union) Town Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 9? We're trying to gather stories and perspectives from current students, faculty, staff, and community members so we can accurately represent what is happening on campus. You can either DM me or fill out the submission form. If you're interested in attending you can also register here.

Hi! would you be interested in submitting your story for inclusion in UCWC's (CU's wall-to-wall union) Town Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 9? We're trying to gather stories and perspectives from current students, faculty, staff, and community members so we can accurately represent what is happening on campus. You can either DM me or fill out the submission form. If you're interested in attending you can also register here.

Hi! would you be interested in submitting your story for inclusion in UCWC's (CU's wall-to-wall union) Town Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 9? We're trying to gather stories and perspectives from current students, faculty, staff, and community members so we can accurately represent what is happening on campus. You can either DM me or fill out the submission form. If you're interested in attending you can also register here.

Only some games that require online wifi connection work for some reason. I got an ethernet adapter for my switch and that worked for the games which wifi didn't work for. I say its worth it if you want to play the games that wifi doesn't work for, as long as you have an ethernet port and cord wherever you're trying to play.

Here is the link to the official Nintendo adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Internet-Officially-Licensed-wii-u/dp/B01N6S068R/ref=sr_1_3?crid=37ESFZVS9K3M3&keywords=nintendo+ethernet+adapter&qid=1640037407&sprefix=nintendo+ether%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-3

>I looked at the Humanities courses and there is literally nothing I like, what are some easy ones?

Literally nothing? Expand your interests! The humanities are wonderful--there's a metric shit ton of great art and literature out there. Even if nothing interests you now, you can always take a class on something you're unfamiliar with and try to broaden your horizons. For example, I took a class on American musical theater last semester and got a lot out of it.

I totally get the desire to avoid extra work, and a bad professor in a subject you don't love can be a horrible experience. For this kind of thing, FCQs are your friends. RateMyProfessors is also useful, as you can read what people liked and disliked (though a lot of the students on there are just mad about their shitty grades).

Not a CS student but peruse lots of tech job postings - lots of FAANG companies test for algorithms during interviews. You can probably grind leetcode to prepare but I think an algo class would probably be useful as well. Just my $0.02

Also Latex is sweet, +1 for https://www.overleaf.com/

I bank with Simple.

Simple has been the most relaxed banking experience. No fees, almost 2% interest on the savings account, they don't charge overdraft fees because if you don't have enough in your account the charge declines right then and there, although that isn't a huge concern if you manage your money well, which is made easier by the cool features on their interface like Goals for saving money, Expenses for auto-spending, and the "protected" savings section. You talk to real people should you need to call and they're very helpful... Best banking experience I've ever had.

The only point against them is that you can only deposit physical checks using the app on your phone, but who uses checks often enough to worry about that?

I sound like a shill... I'm not I swear, I just actually like my bank. Which is weird I know.

Well, here I go:

• Grad year: 2023
• Major(s): Computer science with plans to acquire a certificate in actuarial studies
• Undergraduate
• Dorm: Stearns East
• Neighborhood: I'd rather not say. I grew up in Arkansas (unfortunately) but have lived in Colorado for the last eight or so years
• Hometown: See above
• Activities: I develop custom ROMs for Android devices (https://carbonrom.org), love to read a solid book every once and while, play a lot of video games (on PC and Switch), and enjoy going on walks (though I'm pretty out of shape, I hope to change that this year with the rec center and everything nearby)
• Brief intro: I chose CU because (believe it or not) it was generally affordable after scholarships and financial aid I received. My original plan was to attend the University of Washington in Seattle, but it was overly expensive. I am legally blind, but I manage pretty well when it comes to academics. I love technology and hope to become a part of Google's accessibility division one day to improve it. I program a fair bit in my free time (primarily in C and Java), spending most of my time with the Linux kernel and Android. I don't plan on partying or anything of the sort as usually they stress me out more than it's worth because of everything going on, but I hope to meet some fantastic people and join a few clubs. Maybe even partake in student government.

Have a nice day everyone :)

The NYT has a really bad privacy policy and they aggressively data mine the fuck out of you. I would argue that it's highly unethical for them to be offering free subscriptions to college kids or anyone for that matter.

Do NOT sign up with your identikey, that just gives them a total advertising profile tied to your real identity.

Here is a better alternative, works with NYT and every other major paper: https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-chrome

There is also lots of free stuff available just by being a college student in general, not just CU specifically. For CS, you will get a ton of use out of the Github student pack, and might find Tableau helpful for data visualization stuff. There's plenty more but even those 2 that I mentioned could keep you busy for quite a while.

Selling a mini ITX case with an included AIO liquid cooler, both Thermaltake.

Both cooler and case are in mint condition used less than a year and include all hardware. I switched to a micro ATX mobo so I can't use the case anymore and I got a better cooler for my new system.

New, the case sells for $120 and cooler sells for a bit more than that even; so I'm firm around $180. Please let me know if your interested.

Case: Thermaltake Core P1

Cooler: Thermaltake Floe Dual Riing RGB 240

I know very little about CU dorms, but I used a tension pole mount in an apartment that didn't allow installing wall mounts. Something like https://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-Ceiling-Adjustable-DMFC3265M/dp/B07STP8MZ3/ref=sr_1_11

I’ve had back pain for a long time now, due to knee and hip issues. Stretching or walking is always great. But I love to have a heating pad to ease the pain as well. I use mine pretty much every night before I go to bed now. I added the two that i use the most.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-UltraHeat-Technology-Heat-Settings-Washable/dp/B00075M1T6/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=heating+pad&qid=1602784755&sr=8-7

https://www.amazon.com/Bucky-Heartwarmer-Soothing-Buckwheat-Removable/dp/B00GWXUT3C/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=buckwheat%2Bheating%2Bpad&qid=1602784801&sprefix=buckwheat%2B&sr=8-9&th=1&psc=1

i dont think anyone's mentioned it, but there is a wifi reporting app the the networking team uses reports from to fix/improve APs

google play link here if you want it:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wpra

When I played Guild Wars 2 in the dorms (still play, pm me for fashion wars 2), I had to get a VPN because something with the CU's dorm port forwarding system caused me to have outrageous ping (5000+) most times of the day. And, that was on ethernet. The VPN fixed it immediately, and I was able to play normally again.

I don't if that is your issue, but you might as well try it. There are several free VPN's you can try. I paid a few dollars a month for a VPN called Private Internet Access. Also very nice if you're doing things online and you want more security/protection for, on campus or elsewhere.

If you really want an answer, and aren't just complaining, read this.

There's probably a copy at Norlin. If not, surely someone in the ENVD building has it. It's a prominent book in city planning.

You can always check on the bus tracker app. Here's the link for Apple users. Here's the link for Android users.