CS 373 Fall 2020: Sameer Haniyur
What did you do this past week?
This week provided an introduction into Python as well as the first project. I also spent some time familiarizing myself a bit with Docker and reviewing notes from the previous lecture over the tool, as a means to prepare for its use in our group projects. Over the past week, I was able to learn more in-depth details of Python, including floor and true division and Python’s unittest module and its relevance from a software testing standpoint. I was also able to get an idea over the software workflow that should be implemented for our projects, which I definitely look forward to engaging in to gain some real world experience in the software life cycle! As of now, I will be starting work on the Collatz project and hope to make some progress in the coming days.
What’s in your way?
Since this is the first time I have had to take classes fully online from the comfort of my home, I am still battling a mindset that is more geared towards summer vacation from a productivity standpoint. In a way, I feel that I am still adjusting to the fact that school has indeed started, and summer break is officially over. One of my biggest priorities is to create a daily schedule and push myself to stick with it, which I feel will allow me focus better during lectures and projects and boost my productivity. In this class specifically, transitioning into an academic mentality will allow me to learn new software tools and effectively work in a team environment when that time comes.
What will you do next week?
I plan to start the first project next week and make as much progress as I can. I aim to have it mostly finished by next weekend. I will also dive a bit more into Python specifically to become more familiar with using it for this class.
What was your experience of assertions, unit tests, and coverage?
Last summer, I worked as a software QA intern and had the chance to learn about testing and its role in the software life cycle. Most of my work lay with unit testing and developing automation scripts for test suites or testing harnesses. It was definitely helpful to not only go over these concepts as a refresher, but also view their implementation in Python, a language which I have not had any official work experience with. Coverage is a completely new concept to me, and I think Professor Downing offered a well-articulated explanation of the concept.
How are you doing and holding up? What’s been most helpful for you in terms of support at this time?
I am holding decently. I think my biggest challenge right now is change my mindset for new academic year and improving my time management to accommodate a heavier workload in a novel virtual setting. Being home in Dallas with my family has provided a lot of support and reassurance as I am starting to navigate this semester.
What made you happy this week?
We just purchased an outdoor grill over the weekend! I have always had an interest in grilling and look forward to delving deeper into it over the weeks.
What’s your pick-of-the-week or tip-of-the-week?
I use the Todoist Chrome extension to help me keep track of anything that needs attention or tasks that need to be completed. It has helped me greatly in the past with managing assignments and making sure due dates are not forgotten. It will help boost productivity and time management skills as well.
