CS371p Spring 2022: Week 2

Hannah Clark
3 min readJan 31, 2022

--

What did you do this past week?

This past week I began attending information sessions for the orgs recruiting this semester. I’d like to get more involved on campus since things look like they may start going back to in person? I also finished up my first assignment for OS without too much difficulty which I’m thankful for; however, I don’t foresee that lasting.

What’s in your way?

This past week I think I’ve mostly been in my own way. I had a relatively relaxed start to the semester and I may have gotten a bit comfortable with the current pace, although I’m sure it will pick up soon. I need to get myself back into school mode and ready for the semester.

What will you do next week?

Next week I plan on finishing up Collatz Project 1 and hopefully optimizing it. I also hope to get a good jump start on my next OS assignment. While I’m excited for in person classes, I know they’ll also be probably more draining and time consuming than Zoom due to walking and waiting time. Although, I have already set reminders for myself to get to this class early to be sure to be on time for the quizzes.

What did you think of Paper #1: Syllabus?

The first paper helped answer a few of my questions regarding the structure of the class. Everything is now crystal clear and has been either explained by the paper or has been answered as class has progressed.

What was your experience of assertions and Collatz? (this question will vary, week to week)

I remember having been introduced to assertions in 429 but I don’t remember using them that much. However, I think they will be a good tool to become more accustomed to and add to my belt. Funny enough, I had seen a youtube video on the Collatz conjecture the week before class started but I didn’t think too much of it at the time. I thought it was an interesting enough concept to have playing in the background while I folded clothes. The video spoke with a couple of mathematicians who have spent years attempting to prove (or disprove it).

What made you happy this week?

Although this semester got off to a bit of a rough start, my friends and roommates really made my week. I’m thankful I have them in my life to always fall back on. One of my friends had never been to Zilker so we spent the afternoon there watching the dogs.

What’s your pick-of-the-week or tip-of-the-week?

My pick of the week is the video about the Collatz Conjecture I leisurely watched from my YouTube recommendations before class started. Little did I know how useful it would be in the coming weeks. But I think it is especially helpful when trying to gain an understanding of looping patterns for the Collatz project.

https://youtu.be/094y1Z2wpJg

--

--