By Haleema Mohammed, 2nd Year Computer Science with a year in industry BSc
As a student, gaining advice from older peers often feels more valuable than anything on a syllabus. When I began seeking guidance on picking my second-year modules, however, I kept hearing the same message:
“The jump from first year to second year is no joke.”
This isn’t an unfamiliar sentiment by any means. How many of us have been warned of ‘the jump’ between GCSEs and A-Levels, between A-levels and university? While I took the advice into consideration, in the back of my mind I thought, surely, it can’t be that bad.
(Spoiler alert: it was).
I’m now in my second semester of Year 2 Computer Science, with routines and strategies that have allowed me to start off my modules in the right way. In retrospect, if I had this knowledge at the beginning of the academic year, I believe it would have been far more manageable.
Make use of that 3-month holiday
Don’t get me wrong, I love King’s, but what I love even more is the extra-long holiday that’s exclusive to university students. That time should be used to relax, explore your interests, meet loved ones, or whatever works best for you to regenerate. However, it’s also a great chance to prepare for the year ahead. For some, this could mean using the course finder on KEATS to look at content for your modules in advance.
My suggestion would be to learn the basics of programming languages you’ll need for your modules – in particular, Python and C++. I completed a Python MOOC during the summer and one of my biggest regrets is not doing the same for C++, as it can be a challenging language to pick up on.
Lectures or coursework…
Have you ever fallen behind on lectures in favour of completing assignments? (Don’t worry, this is a safe space). Sometimes it feels like you have no choice! As I picked Intro to Robotics as my optional module, my semester felt overwhelmed by six different coursework assignments. Missing a lecture to work on coursework happened more often than I would have liked.
However, there are examinable modules*, and keeping up with content as much as you can will make your revision far smoother. Watch those lecture videos! You’ll thank yourself for it in January.
What should I prioritise?
With so much work to balance, it can be easy to feel stuck when deciding what to tackle first. Be realistic. To keep your momentum going, you must recognise when it’s time to take a break or you will risk overworking yourself early on.
On top of that, be strategic. If one assignment appears to have taken over your life, but is only worth 10%, choosing to move on may be more effective in the long run.
Take these tips with a grain of salt; just remember that knowing your limits is just as important as working hard.
Start early
“This deadline’s in two months… surely it won’t take me that long to complete.”
Maybe that’s the case, but the deadlines will keep coming. If you procrastinate, you’ll be left working on every assignment simultaneously – no matter how good you are at multitasking.
Starting early also gives you adequate time to go to office hours, speak to TAs, and research the content that you’re unsure of. Module leaders set deadlines for a reason, so you should take a long period as a sign to dedicate time to your work.
Self-care
With all the warnings I’ve given you, maybe you’re planning to lock yourself in the library as soon as the semester starts. While you will certainly need a greater level of discipline in second year, you can’t be expected to turn your life upside down. Investing all your energy from the beginning will leave you burnt out before you know it, leaving you further behind than if you didn’t work at all.
Allocate time every day to yourself—one hour every evening when you make the conscious decision to switch off and relax. Do whatever activity it is that makes you think “I would much rather be doing that right now” when you’re studying. I use this time to read, play games, watch an episode of a show or call my friends.
Contrary to what you may believe, Computer Science students are allowed to have a life. Be practical and responsible, but know that you can take a day off, especially if it’s away from a screen. If you learn to take breaks right, you’ll be left more motivated to carry on working.
Finally…
Year 2 Computer Science is certainly a challenge and, when you’re feeling unconfident, it can pay to be prepared. However, it isn’t all terrible! If you engage with the content, you’ll find satisfaction knowing that you’re building knowledge beyond the foundational level of Year 1. On top of that, your familiarity with life at King’s means that you can start the year feeling much more confident than you did last September.
Everyone will be in the same boat, so reach out to your peers! Close friendships can be built when you go through the same experiences – trust me, you’ll be seeing many of your peers in the Informatics labs.
Finally, feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns, I’m always happy to give a few tips.
* Foundations of Computing 2 and (Optional) Internet Systems
Leave a Reply