What did you do this past week?

During the week I spent most of my time preparing for the OOP test. Fortunately the test went well so I’m less pressured to do well on every quiz (not that I will stop trying). This weekend I went to Hack UT-Dallas. I worked with Jake Heald, Alfred Zhong, and Eric Lee. We created an app that connects phones with a user’s pc through bluetooth. With the phone, we send data over bluetooth that is translated to keyboard controls for video games. It collects data through button presses, touchscreen movement, and sensors. Most of my work was on the mobile side where I worked on the bluetooth, UI, and other challenges. Although android was very much my comfort zone, I’d never messed with sensors or bluetooth before the event so it was an excellent learning experience.

What’s in your way?

This week is a bit lighter than last, but I have another test to worry about. The test is in CS 361 (Intro to Computer Security), and I think I should be able to prepare adequately. In addition to this class, I also have an anthropology-related writing flag course that has been using up a lot of my time. There are many weekly readings and associated assignments. For instance, last week I had to read a book (~200 pages) and turn in an essay (4 pages). However, compared to a CS class like OOP, I still consider OOP far more difficult even though they both consume a large amount of my time.

What will you do next week?

In OOP, I will make sure to stay on top of the content so I am ready for the quizzes. Most of this next week I will be preparing for my computer security test. Also, I need to start thinking about the next project, which I hope we talk about in class.

What’s my experience of the class?

My experience has been really great so far. I feel that the first test was quite fair. Prior to the test, I was worried about the potential reading questions. While I did all of the readings, some of them are particularly information-dense, so it’s difficult to recall specific facts. Fortunately, Downing’s test just ensured that we had a good grasp of the key concepts from the readings. I also like that Downing made a Piazza post for students to share test notes and practice questions. Jake and I made a google docs and many people ended up helping us with the notes. This was great because people would suggest additions, deletions, and correct our mistakes.

What’s my pick-of-the-week or tip-of-the-week?

My tip-of-the-week is to particpate in a hackathon. Hack UTD was my first hackathon and it was a really memorable experience. It was fun to work with new technologies, and learn from my group members with different skillsets.