Welcome undergraduate students!

Templates:
Here, you will find some useful links and templates that I used during my undergraduate studies. Feel free to use them as you like. The first is a lab report template which I used for most of my practical courses. Its written in LaTeX. Copy and paste the opened text file into Overleaf and it should work. Email me if this is not the case! The second and third are past internship/graduate applications. The last item is my youtube page. There, I spend my downtime creating videos!

Applying for summer research:
Summer research programs can be a great opportunity to gain valuable experience and build your physics/astronomy skills. They also provide you with experience to work with mentors and experts in the field. Applications can be competative (< 20% acceptance rate). Below I offer some advice which may help you in securing a position.

Personalized emails are more effective, but they take longer to write. As a first-year student, you may not have much experience. So its important to focus on sending out as many applications as possible. Luck plays an important factor here. For upper-year students, put more effort into each application and tailor it to the specific program you are applying to. At this point, your GPA, reference letters and attitude play a larger role over being lucky.

Letters of reccomendation are an important part of the application process, it's best to ask for them in-person. Go to office hours or knock on the door of your professors and other faculty members. Talk to them, they are usually quite friendly and are happy to talk to students. When asking for a letter, give them plenty of notice - at least three to six weeks - otherwise your chance of getting a good letter diminishes.

To make the application process easier, spend time writing about your experiences and skills over scheduled breaks such as summer and Christmas break. This will allow you to easily copy and paste relevant information into your applications when the time comes. A good application should include both pre-written and newly written information that highlights your qualifications and motivation for the specific program you are applying for. I've attached some of my example applications to the right as a reference to what worked for me. Good luck with your applications!

Applying for graduate school:
Applying to graduate school can be a very competative process. Be proactive in your efforts. I've attached one of my graduate applications on the right. I am happy for undergraduates who are interested in the process to reach out to me at utkarsh.mali@utoronto.ca!

Hello graduate students,

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As graduate students, we are all experiencing our first years in academia together. We are also facing similar challenges in our studies, applications and research. I believe we can learn from each others expereinces and insight. Whether it's discussing projects together, starting a journal club, sharing resources or simply having a virtual meeting, I think it's valuable for us to build a sense of community. If you are interested in connecting, please reach out!

Hello aspiring scientists!

Becoming an astronomer/physicist:
If you're interested in becoming an astronomer or physicist, then you're in for an exciting and rewarding career! By studying these fields, I am able to explore the mysteries of the universe and unlock its secrets. I get to use cutting-edge technology to study stars, black holes and planets while applying physics to understand how the underlying processes work! My job is to make new discoveries and contribute to our understanding of the world around me. As a result, the work I do is never boring! If you love the thrill of solving puzzles, as I do, then consider pursuing a career in astronomy or physics. You'll never be bored and you'll get to make an impact on how we understand the world around us! Check out some of the cool things I've done in the graphic below.

Settling into university (long read):
This blurb is for high school students that have already gotten into university and are curious to know what to expect. Going into first year of uni might be exciting but scary at the same time so I have some more tips that might help you throughout your first year :). Heads up, it's gonna be a long read!

1. Attend Frosh. It was the best week of my first year. You basically have a whole week to cheer and party your hearts out before class actually starts. It is the best time to get to know your fellow first years as well as upper years. Your Frosh Leaders will show you around the campus so you won't get lost on your first day of classes. Not to mention all the fun activities (e.g. Formal nights, boat cruise, block parties, club fairs, parades) that you will be doing throughout the week and the good food that you will be having! Even if you are an introvert like me, just give it a try and see if you like it. You can always pick and choose the events that you want to go.

2. Wait until you see the course syllabus (basically, the course outline) or the prof tells you what textbook you will be using before you get them. Most profs tend to change textbook from year to year and you really don't want to spend money on old textbooks that you won't be using. ALSO TRY NOT TO BUY THEM FROM BOOKSTORE unless they are not being sold anywhere else, they are pricey and should be your last resort. There are multiple facebook group where upper years try to sell their used textbook. Talk to your frosh leaders and upper years that are in your program! You can also check amazon. For me, I haven’t used any textbooks in physics/math courses since first year.

3. Get involved. Join clubs/teams/organizations/intramurals or even create your own. There are a lot clubs at university and I guarantee you that you will find something that interest you. Not only you will be meeting more people and making new friends, you will also be developing skills that you will not be learn from a textbook or in a classroom setting. It is also a great way to relieve stress and enjoy the social part of university. For instance, I joined my college's ultimate frisbee intramural team which I had no previous experiences whatsoever, but I really enjoyed it and saw how great and supportive the ultimate community is. Not to mention all the awesome friends that I made throughout the years playing ultimate! Find something that you are interested in and don't be afraid to try them out! You might be spending your free time on Netflix otherwise.

4. University will be hard and stressful but there are abundance of resources that you can go to. You will have to work a lot harder than you've worked in high school (I was in IB and thought it was easy compared to university!). Remember that you are attending one of the best universities in the world. You are expected to have a great level of competency. However, most people do struggle in first year. They may not be used to the new environment. If you do struggle, its quite normal! Don't hesitate to talk to an upper year friend (most of us have been in the same situation before and we could offer some advice), go to prof/TA office hours and ask for help, go to the registrar and talk to the counsellor. They are more than happy to help you out. Also don’t let little things bother you, if you fail a quiz, learn from it and move on.

5. Explore but know your limits. There are many other aspects of university aside from academics. Academic is important, but so is your social life. You don't want to spend all four years of your undergrad in the library. Please don’t just stay at Robarts 24/7. Remember that the campus is in downtown Toronto, one of the best cities in the world and there are a lot of things that you could do. (Coffee shops, bars, food markets, festivals, lake shore, so many things, just read BlogTO). When you do go out, just be mindful of your studies and midterm dates.

6. Speaking of midterm dates, NOTE THEM DOWN. Like, right after you get the syllabus! Plan to study ahead of time since you are most likely to have multiple midterms cramped together. The first round of midterms are usually 4-5 weeks into the semester. If you are in physics, make time for each course. Its going to hit hard when it comes. Push yourself to the your limit, and not any further!

7. Try and have a healthy university career. You are going to university now. Nobody will be telling you what to do anymore. Profs may not notice if you skip classes, quizzes and tests. No one will tell you to eat healthy and exercise (remember that you paid a lot of money in gym fees). Food trucks will be all around campus and you will always be tempted to get them (well I know I am..). Energy drinks are all over the campus, they might help you for a day but but they will harm you in the long run. Also, what is sleep anyways right? Study hard (and party hard) but just remember that your body is the most precious thing you have.

8. Learn to be yourself and be independent. The best studying style for your peers might not be the best one for you. Consider people's opinions, but don't let it justify your own decisions. Someone might say that the midterm was a piece of cake, but you may find it to be difficult. Their opinions should not alter your studying attitude. For me, I attended every class but I have friends who learn better at their own pace. Keep an open mind and be optimistic. You are going to face some hardship and fear throughout university. Just keep in mind that your attitude determines how you behave. Remember that whenever you are struggling, you are making progress. Just like a video game, if you are not facing higher level enemies, your won’t be leveling up any time soon.

University is gonna go by really fast. I felt like my frosh week was just last week. I miss my undergraduate memories. Make time for your friends and family. Cherish and enjoy every moments of your university career!!!