Fall Semester One Week In

What a first week. Tired already. But a good kind of tired I think.

The most interesting class this semester is coding interview prep. From what I've heard it's both a fairly easy and extremely useful course. I'm hoping the focus on something so readily applicable to the job search will help give me the motivation I need to finish this last year of classes strong. The plan is to start interviewing for big boy jobs pretty soon. I obviously want something to do as soon as I finish school, but I also think getting a job lined up will give me plenty of extra motivation until then.

The interview prep class is pretty simple. Most of it is focused on leetcode questions -- the kind that test knowledge of data structures, algorithms, problem solving, those sorts of things. The homework is just doing five hours of leetcode questions a week and self-reporting it. We also have a couple of exams, some speakers coming in, and mock interviews but I'll learn more about those as they get closer.

We've already done a few questions and even though I've been familiar with Python for a bit, I'm really starting to see the appeal especially as a coding interview language. It's so nice just being able to think about the problem and less about the particulars of the language. We can use whatever languages we want. I'm feeling like sticking with Python, but it might also be fun to try a couple problems in Rust or something else if I work up the nerve.

I've also got a UX design class. I can do front-end stuff and I'd even say I'm good at it, but as I've done more and more of it I've learned that it's not what I love. Too much boilerplate and it's harder to feel like you're accomplishing much. I'm taking this class really just as an easy elective credit which I've got no shame in admitting. There's a project or two involved. I'll probably be making a website front-end or Android app prototype. We don't need a functional backend which takes a lot of the pressure off. I've got a lot more friends in the class than I expected so it should still be a fun one.

Then it's just Calculus 2. I used to be really good at math growing up but something happened to change that and I'm not sure what. A change in learning environments maybe? I learn math best through guided practice, not so much through big lectures. Anyway, I don't expect it to be that bad. I'm just retaking it for a better grade which means I'm already familiar with the material.

Just three classes now, a few more in winter, one in summer then I'm done forever. Can't wait.

- moddedBear / 2022-09-04

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