year in review

'cause why the hell not? Soon I'll have to get used to writing 2013 on my papers.

I can tell this is going to be quite the wall of text.

I'll start off with some more recent thoughts, and see how far back I'm able to stretch my memory. Early 2012? It feels like it's been years! I'll leave out talk on my little platformer project, since it seems that it's all I talk about nowadays on this blog.

Past week or so in review:

First off, it's winter break! I've been pushing myself to at always learn/accomplish at least one thing each day during the break (which, I guess, could be extended into the next school months). I feel really empty if I go through a day and I'm able to recall anything significant about it at the end of it. Even if it's just learning how to change colors for text in HTML.

Speaking of HTML, I am still filling myself in on the basics. Before, I literally had no idea what it even was, so my sister (a Tumblr power user) laughed at me for not knowing some of this stuff. Plz woman. Watch me.

I want to reach a level when I can understand/implement HTML5, including it's canvas function, very proficiently. I have a many trippy ideas on e-portfolio layouts some on canvas+Javascript, so that would be my drive to learn more and improve each day. Right now I can form fancy colored blocks of text, but I gotta start somewhere.

Academics? All I can say is meh. I probably could have done a lot better, but I am unable to feel terrible about it. Just like how I've been all my life. I remember far back when I was in elementary school, I was absolutely terrified to bring home my report card to my dad. One time I just left it on my table and went home, but I got some serious shit from him and had to go back and get it. Then I proceeded to get some serious shit from him afterwards. Me and my siblings probably all went through some terrible punishment that day. Gosh, childhood memories.

My end goal is not to get amazing marks for the sake of it. I want to be employable. I want to maintain my passion for this field. I want to be able to earn my own money, build my own life, help out my parents... I want to absorb practical skills in the field of computer science like a sponge, understand everything there is here. I want experience. I want to DO things. Grades are an indicator of how well I understand them, but past a certain level they don't really matter to me.

Sound like an excuse for less-than-ideal grades? Haha, maybe. Even so, these points stand.

Past semester in review:

It was alright, I guess. Definitely not as cool/exciting as my first year at UBC, even less so considering that I'm a commuter living on the far side of Richmond. 1.5 hour commutes (just over 1 on a good day), plz.

I was surprised by how few people from computer science I met. In 110, less than a fifth of the students seemed to me cpsc majors (according of a hand-raise poll done by the prof). I don't know why I sat where I did, but oh my goodness those girls were ridiculously bad at this stuff. Interestingly, my white friend who sat beside me did very well in the course, and he's a medieval history major of all things!

In 121, well I met a few people from the labs, but that's about it. Heard Caro talk about some weird ass things up in front row. Saw Scott's catgirl wallpapers. Smelled a brown guy's feet. Saw Tsiknis's armpit sweat stains. Was unable to ogle at anybody in the first row.

I did meet a compsci girl in math though. V was interesting girl to talk to (only white girl I personally know in compsci), but I have no intent nor reason to see her again afterwards. People come and go, nothing new here. Unfortunately, it doesn't get much better for next semester with my only cpsc course being 210, but maybe I'll find a lot of math majors to talk to! 215 + 220, here I come.

Past year in review:

I don't remember much. I did a few things here and there, met some people, fooled around a bit, tried to do things, felt happy, felt sad, felt excited... gosh, was I 18 back then? Feels like I've been walking into porn shops and blowing my money on alcohol for ages! notsrs

maybesrs?

Next year:

I've been making progress in making realistic new years resolutions. I'm not sure what they were last year, but I know that I accomplished those a heck of a lot better than the previous ones.

I wanted to be ahead of my courses this (last?) semester, but I was always way too far ahead, or a bit behind. The obvious solution is to moderate it. Stop reading so damn far ahead. It helps with nothing. I'd rather I spend that time biking or doing some form of cardio. One chapter ahead for each week is good enough. Focus on doing the actual problems a a bit more. As it always has been, consistency is key.

Do something on campus. I tend to rush home right after class so that I can get back by dinner, but according to my schedule I'll either be early or too late for a nice home meal. I should find something to do on those early days. Find a club to join? Take over Ben's dorm and make fun of his lifestyle? Visit my commerce friends' massive on-campus home and fully embrace the no-study-and-game-all-day lifestyle? Enlarge my project group to 3 members and meet up more frequently? I could probably make one of these work.

Always progress in my personal projects. I can imagine that it's easy to get lost in the coursework and totally forget about anything else (I didn't touch my platformer for weeks during the last weeks of school and finals), but I feel that it's important to stay consistent in order to remain motivated. Like I mentioned before, even the tiniest bit each week will help keep things going. Learn 1 new function in Javascript? Tweak a number in my program? Anything will do.

And that will do for my modest resolutions for 2012... no, 2013. I will survive, just like I have for the past 19 years of my live. The question is, will I be able to get something more out of it?