CS371p Week 5

What did you do this past week?

Last week I started on the project for this class with my partner and we got the simplest solution working. My Algorithms class spent most of the week preparing for the first test come Monday. I also started on the project for SWE with a larger group, which has a much different feeling than working with a single partner.

What's in your way?

What is currently in my way is understanding how everything works and fits together for the project in SWE, which is building a website. I have never used any of the tools needed for the project, so it has a very steep learning curve. Another thing in my way is my upcoming Algorithms test on Monday. This is the class I am least interested in so it is the test I am most nervous about.

What will you do next week?

Next week I will finish the project for this class as well as the project for my other class with Prof. Downing. I will take my first Algorithms test of the semester and hopefully do well. I also have to start preparing for my first Chinese oral test that takes place the following Monday. I have to start studying so early because it is so highly emphasized this semester.

What was your experience in learning about iterators being the generalization of pointers?

It was an interesting lesson in that iterators have a lot of interesting properties. For example, once a list iterator reaches the end of a list and you want to get the next element, it just prints an empty output. It was also interesting to learn that there are different levels of iterators and that different algorithms usually use the lowest level iterator they can get away with to speed them up.

What's your pick-of-the-week or tip-of-the-week?

My tip-of-the-week is that if you are working in a group, choose a communication method, or supplementary method, that does not rely on everyone in the group being present at the same time to effectively communicate. For example, while chat room services like Slack are very convenient once everyone is in the room, it is not conducive to actually getting people to the room in the first place. 

CS371p Week 4

What did you do this past week?

This past week was much the same as last week. I finished many Chinese assignments, finally completed the first project of this class, and did another Algorithms' problem set that I had quite a bit of difficulty with. I started studying for my next Chinese test already since I have one almost every other week.

What's in your way?

As it seems it will always be, Algorithms is still my most difficult class and the one I have the most trouble with even though it has the fewest assignments of all my classes. It is just very difficult to wrap my head around how to do proofs of any kind, and even though I understand their purpose and procedure, I always struggle anew with each problem I attempt.

What will you do next week?

Next week I will start looking for a partner to do the next project with, and I am very curious to see the details of it. I will do another problem set for Algorithms, though this week might be slightly easier since the topic of last week was less focused on proofs than previous weeks. I also have my second Chinese test of the semester I will be studying for so hopefully I do well.

What was your experience of Project 1?

Project 1 was an interesting experience. It took quite a bit less time to do than I approximated, though my first guess was just that, a wild guess. As hinted at in class, most of my time on the project was spent on the requirements for submission rather than the actual algorithm itself. Although the algorithm was enjoyable enough to implement and optimize. I don't believe it was overkill though because those requirements taught me a lot more about how tools like git, docker, and formatting tools function.

What's your pick-of-the-week or tip-of-the-week?

My tip of the week is when studying for a test, study a little bit, every day, for many days in advance rather than many hours at a time just a day or two before the test. In my experience, you will definitely thank yourself when it comes time for the test. You will be less stressed leading up to the test, and you will do better since you will have been absorbing the material for much longer.

CS371p Week 3

What did you do this past week?

This past week was more hectic than the last. I had six non-trivial assignments due for Chinese as well as a very difficult problem set due for Algorithms. I also had to study for my first test of the semester for Chinese which I took Thursday. It wasn't very difficult, but I know I will receive quite a few half-point deductions for small things. Due to all that, I didn't work on the project over the week but did start on it today. In just a few hours I completed most of the solution except the last test on Hacker Rank, on which I got a wrong answer, but didn't time out.

What's in your way?

In regards to the project, I now have to create a lot of edge case tests to see where my algorithm is going wrong since I can't actually see what the last test is testing for. After that comes a long stretch of formatting and other things necessary before I can turn it in. I also have yet another week of many Chinese assignments and one very difficult Algorithms problem set ahead of me, but since that is going to be every week, I need to get used to it.

What will you do next week?

Next week I will fix my algorithm, and if necessary implement eager and meta caching if lazy caching does not turn out to be adequate. I might also start looking for classmates that would form a group with me for the upcoming projects.

What was your experience of learning the basics of C++?

I already know C pretty well, and while C++ is very similar syntactically, it is interesting to see the differences between the two languages. The most obvious one being C++ is object-oriented while c is not. Another interesting one is that c does not support function or operator overloading while C++ does. I look forward to learning more about the language.

What's your pick-of-the-week or tip-of-the-week?

My tip of the week is once again not to wait until the day Algorithm homework is due because you will have questions, and if the only way you can ask them at that time is through Piazza, you may or may not get the kind of answers you need in time.

CS371p Week 2

What did you do this past week?

This past week was the first full week of the semester as well as the week most of my classes ramped up to the full course load. This class continues to be interesting so far, but based on the description of the project in class, I am thinking of how long I will spend on the git part and good software development practices, and how long I will spend actually programming. I also reaffirmed my belief that I really don't like proofs based on my second-week experience in Algorithms.

What's in your way?

One thing currently in my way, as mentioned above, is my dislike for, and inability to comprehend, proofs. I struggle a lot with these and feel that I will need to spend a ridiculous amount of time practicing proofs if I want to get anywhere close to a decent grade in Algorithms. I also need to get back into exercising, but it is always easy to rationalize not doing it by saying I don't have time, or that it is too much trouble (which it kind of is, but that is beside the point). I am eating better right now though, to make up for the fact that I am not currently exercising.

What will you do next week?

Next week will be my first test of the semester in my Chinese class and have to seriously prepare for it since I slacked off some during winter vacation. I will also begin to work on the project for this class, which so far seems pretty interesting. Maybe not the simple algorithm, but the optimization and becoming familiar with software development practices parts do seem interesting. Since it is an introductory project, I don't think it will be as difficult or take as long as the OS class projects, which I will definitely be grateful for.

What's your experience of the in-class exercises?

The in-class exercises seem very interesting. They are a neat way of practicing concepts just learned in class, putting them to use, and remembering them better as a result. The only issue I feel is that in a 50-minute class, they take up a lot of time and don't leave much for instruction. Other than that, they are a very fun way to engage the class.

What's your pick-of-the-week or tip-of-the-week?

My tip of the week is to start your Algorithm homework early because you will definitely need help or office hours to complete it unless you are already proficient with algorithms and proofs.