Some really good advice from our wonderful professors here at School of Computing.
Prof. Martin Henz
Focus on your learning journey, not on your grades.
Use the first year to get equipped for the journey: Focus on computer science concepts, mental models, and skills, not on accumulating MCs.
Make sure that you have a small number of significant and meaningful learning experiences at the end of your time at SoC. This number can be as small as 1. These experiences will be what you remember from SoC, and they let you distinguish yourself in your job interviews.
These experiences depend on your major, your interests, and your abilities. Learn about your options (FYP, SIP, ATAP, NOC, DYOC, CPxxxx) and make use of them to get academic credit for the learning experiences that will develop the computer scientist in you.
Give yourself time to grow. Don't shortchange yourself by pressing your MCs into 3 1/2 years. Stay with us for at least four years and enjoy the journey.
Prof. Ooi Wei Tsang
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Take care of your health — both physical and mental health matters. A healthy body and healthy mind allow you to learn well and be the best of yourself.
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Don’t be afraid to seek help, both academically and medically. Don’t be burdened by how others think about you. Do what you think is right to be a better version of yourself.
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Pick a CS topic and learn it in depth. You can do this by taking advanced courses, working on independent projects, etc. Doing an independent project demonstrates your ability to self-learn, solve problems, and specialize in something. These are skills that will take you further in your career.
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Consider teaching as a UG tutor. You get to (i) hone your communication and public speaking skills, (ii) level up your code reading/debugging skills (if you teach programming-heavy courses), (iii) gain a new perspective and deeper understanding on the subject you teach, (iv) demonstrate your passion for the subject on your CV. And, you get paid as well.
Prof. Prabhu Natarajan
Welcome to the world of Problem Solving! Prioritize your well-being alongside academics. Exercise and healthy habits boost focus and mental agility in this fast-paced environment. Engage in regular physical activities. Practice mindfulness and effective time management to avoid burnout. Embrace a growth mindset, seeing challenges as opportunities for personal growth. Avoid comparing yourself to others; instead, compare your progress to your past self. Stay curious and explore various programming languages and projects. Celebrate small victories and learn from setbacks. Enjoy the journey and embrace the excitement of problem-solving in the field of CS! Remember, "Sometimes we WIN, sometimes we LEARN"
Prof. Reza Shokri
One important aspect of education is determining whether a person has sufficiently grasped a particular subject. While exams and grades are often used to gauge understanding, they often fall short in accurately assessing true learning. Typically, a significantly low grade (assuming the student is in good health and took the exam under good conditions) suggests insufficient comprehension. However, grades alone do not serve as reliable indicators. This does not imply that exams should be disregarded altogether; rather, it highlights the need for something more significant than exams and grades to be the focus: learning itself.
The primary objective of a well-designed education system is for students to develop the ability to ask relevant questions and know how and where to find answers. It does not necessarily revolve around simply knowing the answers. For example, it is good to know about various search algorithms, but what is more important is to know how to arrive at designing one. So, going back to the main question, how can one determine if they have genuinely learned a subject, and how can we ensure effective learning? Students can consider themselves to have learned a subject when they are capable of teaching it effectively. This entails being able to identify the core concepts, their interconnections, the key questions, and the processes involved in reaching solutions.
My recommendation to students is to approach learning in a dialectical manner. Take an active role and engage in a conversation with the subject matter. Attempt to teach it to yourself, while also playing the role of a highly curious student. Master this, and you will become highly sought after by every organization."