1) For those taking math (differential calculus):

Yes, you will need that calculator that they ask you to buy.  They will only allow that one at quizzes/tests/midterms/exams.

Well…  you might not need it at first.  However, my experience was like this…

September – “Waaat $10?? Pft, I’ll live with my own calculator… oh wait what I can’t? Whatever we’llll see.”

Mid September – “Hey… this isn’t so bad, I don’t even need a calculator”

First Midterm –  “Hey prof, do you think we’ll need a calculator for the midterm?” “No it should be ok” “Do you think we’ll need a calculator for this class at all?” “You don’t need to have one but…” “Ok.”

After first midterm – “Holy crap that was hard, but a calculator wouldn’t have saved me”

Late October – “WTF HOW DO I DO LOG WITHOUT A CALCULATOR!?!?”

1 week before 2nd midterm at the UBC Bookstore – “=( the rebate on the calculators are gone!!”

2 days before midterm at Staples’ cash register (where it was cheaper) – *defeated*

2) Waits at the Bookstore for the first few weeks of the semester during the day are about an hour, that doesn’t include you wandering around the bookstore looking for the books and getting distracted by UBC swag and Mac books.  So if you and your friends have breaks that are too short, you can always camp in the line for each other haha.

3) Discount Books in the Village is your FRIEND.  The lines are faster too.

4) #3 doesn’t apply if you must buy many “Custom” Packages.  But those are cheaper than book so whatever.

5) Those Access Code things (ie. Lyryx) are not cheap to buy online.  So if you want to buy a second hand book (which are usually keyless) to save money, depending on how much you get it for, you might not save money at all.

Look what I found! Hello Math 184.

Honestly though, I actually miss math.  But I can’t say, I will voluntarily take it again.