A cool thing about the class is that we get to work with people from different faculties. I am not sure about everyone else, but being a college freshman, I have never had experience working with people from different specializations. All the experience I have working in group projects are with people whose jobs I can easily perform myself. Basically, we would all have a great idea of what the other is doing. In CS3216, I basically knew nuts about what the programmers were doing, and we usually weren't on the same plane sometimes. But we had to have an idea of what the other was doing to make it cohesive. Seriously, sometimes I will be told, just draw and we will fit it in... then after it is drawn, I'll be told I'm the one supposed to fit it in, and... what the heck :P So which way is it supposed to be? So... I know we all know this, but effective communication really is key so we can minimize inefficiency. I mean, of course we can't always get it right the first time, and we would have to constantly improve, but communicating well will help us to at least cut down on wasted time.
Sometimes, I get annoyed when people suggest what I suggested weeks ago, and worse still, telling me its something I should have though of... because I am kind of like "Were you not listening?" But I kind of realized it was also my fault because I probably had not expressed myself clearly enough, or reminded them about it. People who are coding tend to hate interruptions and just shut off from everything else, so they might have missed what I said too. Also, I have a tendency not to voice something out, especially if I feel there it is of no concern to the others, or until I have though of a suitable solution myself. But I realized that is not really how we work in a team, ya, but as individuals, so I tried to voice my opinions more. Nevertheless, then someone else will tell me, "Ya, I thought of that, just that I hadn't told you." So, I guess we are all guilty of that xD So I guess the important thing in a group is that we all have an idea (I don't think it is necessary to know every single detail or there would be no point in specialization) of what the other is doing.
Another nice thing is that I am surrounded by so many motivated people :D I mean, I think many of us have already heard, discussed or considered before much of what has been said in class, but we just sit there and go "Ya..." but do nothing, ya? Being around motivated people is different from reading about them, the inspiration actually rubs off on you. I mean, there's nothing more awesome than being surrounded by such passionate people, regardless of where that passion lies. You just feel this power, and it's an awesome feeling. It makes you want to take action (why am I still sitting by this computer? :P), it makes you feel like you could do so much as well. Well, I did think that I could achieve a lot in the past as well, and if I just did nothing I'd rot away and never achieve my potential... but back then I was kind of indifferent, like, oookay, so what if I don't achieve my potential? But it's different now, I don't know what changed but a switch must have clicked into place. I'm like nooo I want to go as far as I can! Glad it has happened.
Sadly, I still can't say after 3 months I have found out what my passion is :P Uh, I know I like interacting with people and I like puzzles, but don't most people? Sigh. It has to be something I'm good at, and I don't know what that is. I really don't feel like I'm good at anything (and no, I'm not a person with an inferior complex... wait then again, people seldom admit that right HAHA) I'm really afraid I'll never find it. Before this class, I was just a teeny bit afraid, now I'm pretty terrified. It's like I can feel every second ticking away. I don't know what I want to do, and I'm just full of admiration for people who can confidently say they know what they want to do, and I actually believe them (for most people who tell me they already have a clear direction in life, I just think they are immature after their elaboration). Ya, I think there are both types in our class, though I won't give names :P Up to you all to decide which category you fall in.
Oh, I have also learn that SoC is way cool. There are way more inspired people who actually want to really do something, who have done something, people full of drive (not just academically). It's different from business school, where people are not discussing what they want to do in life but grades, grades, grades (at least my alum group), and stuff like "I'm not going to do this as it will drag down my CAP". Many of the people in my class are just thinking of 9-5 jobs, I don't think any of them believe they can change the world, or are interested in doing so at all. (Thankfully, my friends aren't like that, or I think I may have been influence to be like that also. I think in terms or relationships, we don't just have to, like, marry the right people, but hang out with the right people. Mix with the people you want to become. Obvious right.)
My drawing ability has also improved tremendously :P Since this is not a drawing class, I've pretty much had to learn myself. The stuff looks simple and fast to do, but I actually trash a ton of versions I do. But it's cool because I don't like ripping of other people's tutorials, even if I do read them.
Lastly, before I end, something I learnt was that we come to school to "learn to learn". I know it's obvious, but I always saw school as a place I came to "to learn, period", although I have always been someone who prefers reading up and solving stuff on my own unless I've been trying forever (even if it may take more time than simply asking for the answer... since in the LR I think it helps me more). It's less about all the information (I can probably cram all the foundation mods I've done this past 2 sems into less than a month and have the same "information"... not that I want to) but how you go about learning and teaching yourself stuff; cool insights into life, curiosity, preparing you for a time where you are more independent and where you perhaps have no one to turn to. I don't think I am very mature yet, and I'm not going to say I will be really when I graduate, but I do want to get as far as I can. See how it goes la.
Whew back to my 3.2k word essay on whether virtuous leaders require virtuous followers :P Thoughts are appreciated LOL. Since I'm stuck.
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And ofc, the phrase we like to quote: Other people don't think like you. Though I prefer to think of it as "I'm not thinking like other people." I don't like framing it with "me" at the center - but that's just me, since it'll better help me to see what I've missed.
Oh, I have learnt that programmers love sleeping late, waking late. I still don't get it, but I'm fully aware of it now LOL. Seriously, if you wake up early, sleep a bit earlier, same working hours... how does it affect your momentum? Regardless of when I sleep, I get up around the same time. :P
So far, I haven't really wanted to put stuff specifically as what I have "learnt" since, ya, I think much of what we have come across in this class, we have learnt before. But it really forced me to think a lot deeper :) And as before, being about motivated people is probably a tremendous force for me. It's like you are aware of everything all along, but you never cared. And suddenly, you do. It's like having all the pieces of a map to one million dollars, and never caring to piece it together. Now I feel like doing so (=
