Progressing beyond the middle of the quarter always provides some confirmation that my typical approach is working as well as some speedbumps signaling it’s time to improve and change some habits.
Typically, I heavily frontload coursework meaning I tackle as much as possible as early as possible. This means later in the quarter when things become difficult, I have time to let certain classes take a backseat or make a few mistakes without heavily impacting my overall grade. What’s different this quarter is, of course, the existence of the senior project.
I was assigned a position in the development of the Text Adventure Game for Education with three other people. I’m specifically tasked with the story creation and maintenance section of the project which mostly involves communication between the front-end and database; aka back-end development. Much of this is accomplished using Express Handlebars with Ajax.
Our group dynamic seems great as we have few disagreements and when there is some contention resolutions have come within the same day. While we all live in the same general area, we do have different schedules which makes our development mostly asynchronous. Fortunately, this doesn’t seem to be a problem as we all work well under pressure and communicate any current and future speedbumps as soon as possible.
The existence of a constantly developing group project means it is much more difficult to complete tasks as I am typically accustomed. Making adjustments to my method of front-loading coursework was concerning at first, but became a non-issue upon realizing how competent my group is. Adjusting is simply a part of any collaboration.
Two things have helped me keep a balance throughout this quarter and I highly suggest anyone capable pays close attention to both health and getting outside.
I’ve done meal prep for around 8 years and the positive impacts cannot be overstated. Approaching deadlines and difficult material often calls for a quick meal and meal prep ensures it’s something healthy instead of delivery or ramen. The amount of money saved is just an added bonus to something I would do regardless.
Lifting and getting outside whenever possible have also removed some of the monotony involved with online schooling. Sitting at the computer for 8 hours a day is something the human body simply isn’t built for. Finding time to workout or go for a hike is about as refreshing as it gets; especially near Mt. Hood!
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