What graduating amidst a terrorist attack, a global pandemic, an economic crisis & an unstable state taught me
After completing my A-level results, I was wondering whether to go for the government degree I was selected for (Considering the full time taken for graduation and opinions surrounding it, like the ragging culture) at UCSC or a private one. After choosing UCSC I can’t be thankful enough for the ample amount of opportunities it provided me with, the lessons I got to learn, and the remarkable people I got to meet.
Since my graduation just turned the corner (Actually 3 months ago 😉), I thought of writing down some of the lessons the university taught me the harder way + how it was taught so that it may help another (Enjoy my references too).
“There is always a bigger fish” -Qui-Gon Jinn- Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
One of the biggest fairy tales our tuition masters used to say was “A levels will be the hardest, and campus life will be paradise. 🌈” Boy was that so wrong.
First, there were group assignments (1st year), followed by group projects (2nd & 3rd years), and finally, the research (4th year), Jinxing the phrase “Can things get any more difficult?”
The way I like to put it is that ”Life is like one of those early-age difficult video games”:
- First, there is a small tutorial, which guides your character briefly, but then you’re on your own for a given time.
- The number of moves (skills) you have initially will be limited, barely enough to face the challenges and enemies, they will get tougher and overwhelm you as you progress.
- You’ll also get chances to learn new skills on the main path (and if you are patient and willing to explore, maybe in hidden areas) that will make your character stronger.
- Some battles and boss fights may appear annoying and impossible to beat to the extent that you’d give up the game. But with time and practice you learn the moves and gimmicks to deal with them.
During university (and maybe everything in life?) almost every new task seemed overwhelming at first. The initial programming assignments were Greek, there were many events and the frequency of in-class tests was getting higher. When we somehow managed to catch up with them in time (it did feel like we were hackers 💻), we soon followed the next year’s group projects.
But with each of those assignments, they taught us a new thing or two, with every mistake opening up new ways to solve problems and on a new scenario making us remember “Ah.. this was how we 🔩ed up last time”. Learning new programming languages is a perfect example of this. Once you learn the core concepts in the initial languages you learn, you realize it’s mostly the core concepts that are being rotated and therefore the effort taken to learn newer languages decreases exponentially.
Did it get easy with time? Absolutely not… but you WILL get used to it.
Reminds me of a golden quote said in programming:
“When looking back, if you don’t feel ashamed at the code you have written a year ago … then you have not improved”
“If you want to go fast, go alone… If you want to go far, go together.” -Jeremiah- The Good Lie
For the first semester of uni itself, there were 7 subjects. Each had tutorials, take-home assignments, and sometimes unannounced spot quizzes. Attendance of 80% was mandatory. In addition to that, there were sports practices, cultural events, and many more. With even half of these revolving around you at a given time, it was already overwhelming.
However, there was always that friend(s) with the “Did you submit the assignment? … me neither… I’ll do part A you do B … still have 6 hours … gemak gahanna puluwan”. This was not just for assignments, for any society work, study session, or even a personal emergency, the 4 years taught me that even if doing the task single-handedly IS actually possible, compartmentalization or dividing the work is sometimes the best for the time being. It is okay to ask for help when needed because inherently uni work is not easy even for the brainiest kids. Because sometimes it was just a single person who saved the entire batch from failing *that subject*.
It is easier to accomplish tasks that seem impossible at first with a huge adrenalin boost when you have a great team that has complementary skill sets.
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” -Michael J. Scott- The Office
Another forever grateful thing that I still love (and yearn now) and miss in uni was the amount of diverse activities I got to participate in.
From going abroad for International hackathons to collaborative cultural sessions with fellow students from across the continent. From participating in multiple sports events representing your faculty and getting to perform in an orchestra again, uni life was up to the brim in diverse events.
However, the seed of most of these opportunities was filling out a Google form or preparing a document! When we applied for SLIIT Codefest (A local inter-university development hackathon) back in the first year we didn’t even know there were databases other than SQL 😲 yet we did manage to turn up as champions. Uni did make sure we were top improvisers and proficient in something that took place during the process.
Therefore whether you get it or not:
- Apply for that position/competition
- Fill that form
- Go for that event if it’s a free day
- Sign up for that volunteering
Because even if you do not become the winner or get what you wished for at first, you will at least make new connections, and learn things valuable both within and out of your field, because most good things in life are spontaneous 😉.
“Carpe Diem” -John Keating- Dead Poet’s Society
Another key part of enjoying things during uni life was enjoying the moments then and there instead of waiting for perfect moments (Like our tuition teachers during Alevels said). Who could’ve even said that there would be an economic crisis and a global pandemic when you are graduating?
The contacts I got to form during hackathons and collaborative coding sessions were a key highlight of uni life, It reminded me that the real magic of “Solving intangible computer problems” lies not just in solving complex problems hours of leetcode but in the shared passion and creativity (sometimes heated arguments) of the humans involved. Through this 4 year journey, I’ve learned to appreciate not only the big-Os of algorithms and, the list of shell commands but also the value of forging lasting friendships with colleagues who not only share the enthusiasm for the same things but the beauty achieved through diverse things.
As I reflect on my university years, I realize that campus life was filled with moments of growth, friendship, Computer Science, Sports, Quizzes, volunteering, skipped assignments, trips, and frustrations. But it was all worth it! So any undergraduate who is reading this, enjoy your college life to the fullest because chances are you’ll be reflecting on the memories of it after graduation and during work👩💻.
tl;dr: Go for that trip on the weekend even if you have an assignment 😉
