- "Kernel is God, you just abide."
This page is aimed at providing basic orientation for the new vict-- er, students enrolled in the BSc IT course. Some of this information may also be useful for students in other courses. For new students ('freshmen') it is sometimes difficult to adapt to such a large place and it takes a while to get used to it. The aim of this page is to provide some general guidance that might shorten the time required to get used to life on campus.
Please read the disclaimer before reading this page.
You will find toilets in every building. Some buildings (especially the larger ones) have both ladies' and gentlemen's toilets on every floor. However, if you, for example, find the ladies' toilets but can't find the gentlemen's toilets, they are usually on another floor.
If you know the University well, you will know that you can get to almost any location at University using sheltered paths, which is useful on a rainy day. The exceptions are Gateway Building, Computer Building and Engineering Building (though these last two are a few metres away from where the sheltered path ends).
Although Student's House opens onto the Quadrangle which is an open space, the rear entrance is sheltered.
There are several computer labs all over University. Most are part of the ITS network, and one must use their ITS login to access the computers. There are, however, other networks (such as the Engineering Computer Lab and the CIS labs) which have a different login system.
Some ITS labs also offer printing and scanning facilities. To print, however, one must first purchase printing credits from the ITS Reception Desk.
One can also access the internet from his own laptop. There are several WiFi hotspots all over University, including at the Canteen and the Library.
For those who love spending their time on a computer and don't have (or bring with them) a laptop, Computer Building is a common haven, as there are several different computer labs one can use. Some of the labs are equipped with development software, so one can do work there (unlike other labs where only 'standard' software such as Microsoft Word is provided).
Apart from the normal public buses, one may take advantage of direct buses that save you the trouble (and money) of catching two buses. Direct buses cost 30c, but are convenient if you normally need to catch two buses to get to University.
Note: some of this information may be outdated, since public transport has been changing quite a bit because of the opening of the Mater Dei Hospital. Check with the relevant authorities for the latest information.
As of 2007, we have a new parking system. The parking space has been divided into blue (for students), yellow (for academics) and white (for administrative staff) parking spaces. This new system caused a lot of trouble and a lot of students aren't finding parking on campus.
Previously, the system was that most of the small car parks were reserved for staff, while part of car park 6 (near the main entrance), car park 4 (near the Quadrangle) and the whole ring road could be used by anyone on a first-come-first-served basis. You could find parking at any time of day; and if there were empty spaces, you could park in them - now you can't because they are painted in a colour not meant for you to park in.
See the KSU parking subdomain for information about the new system. The parking system may be revised from time to time, so check there for the latest details. The campus map there is useful as it shows the allocation of parking spaces.
You may or may not find parking depending on what time of day you go. If you can't find parking on campus, try Msida Circus on the other side of the roundabout, or anywhere else nearby. You might have to walk a bit, but you've got to leave your car somewhere.
In and around University one can find a concentration of stationers with photocopying services. These include (to name a few):
It is common for lecturers to leave a copy of their notes at a specific stationer in a box file reserved for a particular course. Students can then check their course's box and photocopy the required material.
Sometimes the lecturer will entrust a copy of his/her notes to a student who should take them to a stationer of his/her (the student's) choice. Students should leave all their notes at one particular stationer rather than leaving various photocopies at various stationers.
The most obvious stationer to leave notes at is Konica, because it is closest - right under the University canteen. This year (2007 - 2008), Papier Plus Studio is giving a 10% discount to IT students who photocopy notes from there. Thus students will have to decide which is more convenient - saving on photocopying costs, or a conveniently located stationer.
Mireva (just outside the side gate) and Agenda (downstairs in Student's House) are the main University bookshops. One should compare prices before buying books because prices tend to vary between them. There is no rule that Mireva or Agenda sells more expensive books; some books are cheaper from one stationer, so you will have to check both shops.
HSBC (Old Humanities Building) and BOV (rear side of Student's House) both have branches on campus complete with ATMs.
The most common place to buy food is the Canteen, in Student's House. However, one can also try Matilda or Meet & Eat which are just outside University (from the side gate). Alternatively, one can also try Sandro's hot dogs or burgers (Sandro is usually near the entrance to Student's House).
A bunch of new places opened as of the year 2006-2007 including (but not limited to) Rafiki's, Hugo's and Lo Spuntino. While it would not be ethical for me to comment about them, one can often read comparisons between them on the monthly student newspaper 'The Insiter'.
Insite has always been the main voice on campus, expressing the concerns of the student body through their monthly newspaper 'The Insiter'. More recently, other newspapers have surfaced, including 'Stream'. These newspapers can be picked up at several distribution points on campus, the most prominent being the entrance of Student's House.
Attendance for all lectures is compulsory according to University regulations [PDF]. Attendance is not registered with most lectures of the 3 BSc IT streams (CIS, CSA, CCE). However lecturers of other streams (e.g. MAT) like to take attendance.
It is recommended that you attend all lectures.
A lot of lecturers will tell you to buy one or more books. Most of the time you don't need them, and won't even have time to read them. So don't waste your money and buy every single book they tell you to. Most IT books cost around Lm20, so they certainly aren't cheap.
Don't buy books that you need for only one semester, unless you are totally desperate because your lecturer either didn't give you notes or his notes are hopeless.
Before you buy any book, however, make sure you compare prices at Agenda and Mireva to save what money you can (which is not a matter of a few cents... prices may often vary by about Lm10). Also, it is often a good idea to take a look at the book before you buy it, either by checking it out at the Library or by seeing the book of someone who already bought it. It's not a nice feeling to buy a book for Lm20 and then realise that it's either too boring to read, not all that relevant to your course, or just plain rubbish.
A crafty student would do well to buy books for future years from the Agenda Sale, which takes place near the end of the year, and in which books are sold at extremely low prices.
Most lecturers in the main 3 streams (CIS, CSA, CCE) make their notes publicly available on their academic website. However, some lecturers are a bit overprotective of their course material and will only provide their notes to their own students through a stationer, or will not provide their notes at all.
A lot of lecturers rely on slide presentations during lectures. This is usually very boring, but sometimes it can be an advantage. If a lecturer provides very detailed notes, you most likely won't even read them. Slides are easier to read, but are not detailed enough, so you should take down notes during the lectures to accompany the slides. If the lecturer uses slides but does not make them available to you, you should try and write as much of the slides as you can, so you'll have something to study from later.
At University you will meet most of the country's greatest minds. These comprise a wide variety of different characters, ranging from the arrogant, late, and rude to the well-mannered, punctual and humble. Most lecturers have a great deal of knowledge but are not very good at teaching it. However, one should never judge a book by its cover and base his opinion on first impressions. There are several surprises in store for new students.
It is important that you know who your lecturers are. If a lecturer doesn't introduce himself, ask him to.
It is also important to know some of the departmental secretaries, as you will be handing assignments and doing other important things through them.
If you have no clue what your lecturer is doing, don't despair. This is very common, especially at the beginning of the course. Things often fall into place on their own as the semester nears its end.
Also, it is often difficult to remain attentive during long lectures. One's concentration normally dies down after around 40 minutes (or less, depending on how boring the lecture is). For two-hour lectures, ask for a break.
Eating and drinking is not allowed in lecture theatres. However, you will often find that it is impossible to follow the rules, especially if you have 4 hours of lectures in a row. One should just be careful not to make a mess (and to not be caught, if lecturers are strict about this).
Sometimes lectures are postponed or cancelled. In such an event, someone normally sends an email or puts a notice on a notice board. It is common (and frustrating), however, for them to send an email just a few minutes before the lecture normally takes place.
© Daniel D'Agostino 2006 - 2008
