Week 1

It’s been a lovely first week!

Dr Thomas Powell is lecturing Foundations of Computation. I love how clear his explanations are. I’m glad fun subjects like these exist and I’m getting a chance to learn them.

Software Engineering is a 12 credit unit. The second half of the unit involves working with a group and making an Applied Game. I don’t like the term Serious Game because it implies the game shouldn’t be fun.

I showed up 1.5 hours late to the lab for Software Engineering. I was planning to skip it. I later decided to go once my newly assigned teammate reached out to me. Not very proud of this.

We are reading research papers in Research Seminar. Very cool!

We are learning C and Python in Principles of Programming. I’m so happy about this. It could have been very slow for me if it was just Python.

Though I have been thinking recently that there is little to be learnt from learning programming languages - after you have covered the few different types - Standard ML, Ruby and C. Or that learning programming languages just for the sake of it is not the most efficient use of time if the goal is to learn something new.

I visited Ben during one of the MASH drop in sessions and he was very helpful. We discussed graphing functions and proofs. I get a sense of calmness from most people who teach/study maths.

A few classmates wanted to learn web development. Me and Yousuf hosted a workshop to teach HTML and CSS. It went fairly well. I could have done a lot better. I was rushing because I was so excited! We have another session in a week. That’ll be better.

The library is amazing. I borrowed quite a few books.

The campus is beautiful.

Still shopping for some items here and there. I don’t have a kitchen knife yet! Enjoying cooking. The food quality in the UK is better than India.