Starting tomorrow, i’ve an awful lot of projects and asignments and tests to get through. Some bigger than others but these mini tests and assignments all add up and they’re the difference between passing and failing. Do well in them and you’re set up nicely for the Christmas exams – perhaps going in to certain subjects knowing you’ve already passed them.
Here’s an example of some of the stuff i have coming up in November….
November 4th (Tomorrow): Broadband Test.
The subject i shouldn’t have. It’s basically ‘networking’ which is a subject i don’t specialise in. If i wanted to specialise in networking, i’d have chosen the dedicated ‘networking’ course, rather than my chosen area of ‘applications’.
In first year, both ‘networking’, ‘applications’ and ‘software’ are combined in to a common first year which is grand. Smart move as it helps people decide what they want to branch off in to. Why, in third year, i’ve got a subject which is 100% networking is beyond me. Of course i need to know about networks, but the stuff we’re doing is overkill as it’s geared towards people who actually like / want a career in networking.
November 5th:Training & Support – Helpdesk Report
Have to download & install helpdesk software and compare the two. Sounds easy but we have to configure them to carry out certain functions which none are capable of carrying out 
Also have to give a short presentation on this on November 12th.
November 6th: Systems Admin Test.
It’s all about installing servers and hooking up clients, getting them to talk to each and that sort of stuff. Useful subject, but usually comes with plenty of little frustrating problems.
November 9th: Database test.
It’s a multiple choice exam – the ‘black ice’ of exams – on the face of it, it seems easy – you either know the answer or can find it by knowing what ISN’T the answer. On the flip side, i find that i know most of the answers but get fooled by answers which are very similar… these type of exams are not good for ‘skimmers’ like myself who skim the entire course without actually knowing anything in great detail.
November 17th: Database Group Project
As part of our databases module, we must complete a group report on a chosen topic. We also have to present it. Shouldn’t be too bad… group work isn’t a problem when the group is strong and motivated.
November 23rd: asp.net web application
As part of my web applications module, i have to build a fully functional website with a shopping cart and submit it by November 23rd. The fact i’m forced in to using microsoft access and visual studio to create it shows that we’re not exactly embracing open source technologies and when you look at it, we’re completely reliant on windows based software & servers which takes the fun out of this project and subject.
So it’ll be a tough month, but i will have a nice 3 day break in Paris in the middle of it all 🙂
When you write all our exams down like that it looks like a lot of work to get done, i didnt realise we had so much to get done for this month 🙁 . That trip to paris you are going on will be a well deserved break!
Networking sucks! I had to go through it too. But it surprisingly is now coming in handy as I scale my web app.