Do I need a laptop at UCL?

Is UCL a uni which i would need a laptop or would i get along fine using their computers.

Scroll to see replies

to be honest, though you never *need* a laptop at uni, it's always something that will be very useful, especially when everyone has similar essay deadlines and stuff. i'd strongly recommend it. when i looked round ucl, it was just before the last day of term and people were queueing for the computers - there were about 10-15 people waiting which could get very frustrating and mean that you wasted a lot of time. you can get a decent notebook for around £300. look on the dell outlet website, they have good deals.

Reply 2

Angel Interceptor

You don't need to get a laptop - you could just take your current computer with you to university, unless you plan on taking lecture notes on a laptop. Ignore what anna_e says - she isn't even at UCL yet, and hence isn't in a position to comment - you'll never have to wait more than 5 minutes to get onto a computer during peak times in either the DMS Watson Library (which has the biggest set of computers at the university), and there are loads of cluster rooms dotted around, a couple of which are very underused, and hence you can almost always get on a computer straight away. Still, having your own computer (in your room) would be reccommended, as the library has rubbish opening hours, and shuts around 10.30/11.00pm. In other words, a laptop isn't necessary, but a computer of some sort would be reccommended, especially for just being able to do regular tasks that we all do such as use Messenger, send and receive emails, check cinema timings, etc.

Reply 3

1013

Do most people use their laptops to take lecture notes? I can't type very fast.

Reply 4

Angel Interceptor

1013

Do most people use their laptops to take lecture notes? I can't type very fast.

No. Very few people use laptops to make notes in class, although you do see a few dotted around in History, English, etc lectures.

Reply 5

anna_e

i never claimed to be at ucl; i only described what i saw at ucl, and i did in fact see at least 10 people waiting for a lot longer than 5 mins. the person showing me around said that it does happen as well. i stand by the fact that i had a valid point to make, and i think that you were quite rude, angel_interceptor.

Reply 6

Angel Interceptor

anna_e, I don't really care what you think; just because I don't use an emoticon at the end of every sentence doesn't mean that I'm being rude - I was just being to the point. Did you time the people that were waiting? Were there exactly 10 of them? I'll assume 'no' to both of those questions, and hence your basis for a 'valid point' is easily dismissed - try and understand that a little approximation and hyperbole are used in order to generalise things in order to succinctly convey ideas and thoughts to others.

Reply 7

anna_e

approximation and hyperbole i understand, thanks, but dismissing me entirely and quite rudely falls under neither of those categories. i find your point about timing the people a complete non sequitur though.

Reply 8

Angel Interceptor

anna_e

I don't think that you understand approximation or hyperbole, since you retorted that you 'did in fact see...people waiting for a lot longer than 5 minutes', and took afront to the way I dismissed your answer because you didn't have any evidence - timing the people, and the number of people present are quantaties that could have been measured, however your subjective view from a singular visit to UCL would not have given you sufficient evidence to be in a position to judge anyway, and hence I think that your opinion on the necessity of needing a laptop at UCL can safely, and thoroughly be dismissed.

I think that you're simply being childish by accusing me of being rude, just because I'd destroyed the argument that your apparently 'valid point' lay upon; I really hope that you're not taking a subject such as Law, since building a thorough argument doesn't seem to be one of your strong points from the evidence gathered thus far.

Anyhows, the OP's question has been successfully answered, and continuing this discussion of my apparent 'rudeness' is both off topic and unnecessary, and hence I shall end it here.

so rude :—(

i'm a bit bored of this supercilious and increasingly ridiculous poster, but i would just like to finally point out that not only am i entirely familiar with the meanings of both approximation and hyperbole, but i can also spell 'affront'. unlike angel_interceptor. but that is all. thank you, and goodnight.

Reply 11

Angel Interceptor

Wow, criticising my typing errors - great comeback there. :rolleyes:

I guess that I could be a pedant and ask whether you knew how to use capital letters correctly, or realise that there is no underscore in my username, but then I'd just be a petty child like a certain other poster in this thread. :wink:

hahaha

Angel Interceptor vs Anna E

*BELL RINGS*

ROUND 2

begin

:rolleyes:

Reply 14

Angel Interceptor

g_sachs

Angel Interceptor vs Anna E

*BELL RINGS*

ROUND 2

begin

:rolleyes:

I wasn't initially trying to be rude or offensive, but was just pointing out that anna was giving rubbish advice to the OP, and was hardly in a position to judge since she isn't even at UCL, whilst I've been here for 2 years, and been visiting it often since I was 13, as my brother was a medic here, ergo I was/am in a vastly more experienced position to comment accurately on whether a laptop is necessary for university life along with what the using/waiting for the computer facilities at UCL are like.

I just want the OP to be able to make an informed decision on the his computing needs, using the correct information. Being to the point in my first post in this thread, in retort to what anna_e had written, was misconstrued by her as me being rude. Hence she just continued to get more and more frustrated by me having to systematically explain to her the fallicies in her original, incorrect post, which she seems to have great trouble in accepting. Recognising a logical and coherent argument dismissing her apparent 'valid points' is obviously not her forte. UCL must be letting their standards slip if they start accepting people who lack such human basics such as reasoning and comprehension.

Edit: Now I am being a tad rude and offensive, but I'm just so bored of having to explain every single point to certain posters. :wink:

Anyhows, I don't wish to discuss this matter any more, however I'm sure that anna_e will have some well considered and witty retorts to my points. Or not! :rolleyes:

Reply 15

dismal_laundry

Get all the insurance you can if you opt for a laptop...I knocked mine of the desk after I caught my foot in the cable and did $750 worth of damage...the insurance covered it.

Reply 16

Crazster

I'm wondering how people do take notes in class. For economics I was considering using a laptop but I also like notebooks, maybe both or something, I don't know. Opinions from economic peoples?

Reply 17

salz2k

Crazster

I'm wondering how people do take notes in class. For economics I was considering using a laptop but I also like notebooks, maybe both or something, I don't know. Opinions from economic peoples?

Hey I did econ with my first degree...you might find for some classes you can use a laptop, however for others..you'll find yourself needing to sketch out -a lot of- graphs / write down calculations for statistics classes etc - if you already have a laptop/are planning to get one anyways, just feel it out when you get there :smile:

I loved using my laptop in class, but it was more for straightforward classes - to each their own tho..everyone learns differently :smile:

--but i would recommend having some sort of computer; i haven't been to UCL before, but I can't imagine it being THAT much different from my first uni...always comes in handy during peak periods, when everyones got a bunch of essays due, and some person is sitting there chatting on msn :s-smilie: