[BE88] The Strategist

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I'm moving there. I feel that Blogger is not keeping up with the times, and that its functionality is very limited.

Updates stopped for this blog. Last post 20 August 2013.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

I haven’t blogged for so long. The gaps are getting longer. I’ll probably be typing out a series of posts in the near future. I miss typing out stuff; it’s so calming. Programming isn’t the same as it makes me rage.

So, first post that breaks the hiatus will be about my grades for the recently ended semester.

IS1103: C+
CS2100: B
CS1020: B+
LSM1301: A-
SSA2215/GE2018: A-
CAP: 3.8

In the post about my grades last semester, I hypothesized that it is easier to get higher grades in classes with more people. I still believe this to be true.

In the list above, the first module has the smallest class size, and the module at the bottom has the largest class size. And hey, look at the grades! From the worst to the best.

Of course, class size isn’t the only factor that affects your grades. Your level of competency in the module is obviously important as well. What I’m trying to say is that you can mess up more in a module with a larger class size, and the effects will not be as severe.

What implications does this have? I probably do not want to minor in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) anymore. The class size is horribly small (less than 50), and the bell curve in GE2227 (one of the modules needed for GIS) was not forgiving at all. I honestly believe that if GE2227 was not marked based on a bell curve, I would have gotten at the very least an A-. I got a B, which is 2 grades lower.

IS1103: This module is about computing and ethics. It teaches you what you should do in certain situations, weigh the pros and cons, and think about the effects your actions will have to people around you.

I’m not really sure what went wrong here. They seemed to like the presentation, so the problem is either in the report, the blog posts, or the exams. Well to be honest, I still have no idea what I’m supposed to learn from this module, or what the lecturers want in my answers.

So, the reason for the bad grade? Low level of competency and small class size (maybe. This isn’t as definitive as GE2227 last semester).

CS2100: This module is called computer organization. It’s about multiplexers, decoders, flip-flops, number systems, pipelining, and caching.

What went wrong: I failed the first term test (14/30). For term test 2, I got 24/30, which is good. Adding these two together, I still end up average. Also, I messed up some of the graded assignments. Being average gets you a B. I was hoping for a B+ though, oh well. I did what I could to salvage things after messing up term test 1 and the first graded assignment. Could have been worse.

CS1020: Teaches us Java, and more data structures (linked lists, hashing).

What went wrong: Recursion sucks. Did not complete the final paper, though I believe many did not complete it as well. A B+ probably means that I got outclassed by the Indians and Chinese. Not too shabby a grade anyway. Programming in general is getting horribly annoying when things go wrong. And I expect it to go wrong more often and I move up the difficulty scale. Bah. Spending 5 hours trying to figure out why your code doesn’t work isn’t enjoyable at all. I got better stuff to do.

LSM1301: General Biology. Teaches basic biology… yeah.

What went right: I dunno? The module was generally easy. Simple and straightforward, with graded lab sessions and an open book final exam with 60 MCQs.

What went wrong: My lab sessions were either average or below average. Never did well in them.

SSA2215/GE2018: Module is called ‘The Biophysical Environment of Singapore’. It’s about how Singapore is where it is now (plate tectonics), what makes up the rocks and land of Singapore, the mangroves, corals, seagrass and beaches of Singapore, and Singapore’s land use now and in the future.

What went right: Nothing. Maybe that’s exaggerating. I guess you could say that every single assignment I did was average and above. That’s good enough for an A- I guess. *Shrug*. I remember cursing and swearing to myself about this module, that I’ll never ever take an arts module again. Soooooo much memorizing to do. You suggest that I should understand concepts instead? Nope, you can’t understand that Telok Ayer got reclaimed in 1878. But the grades I keep getting tells me that I should continue. I consistently manage to do average in Geography modules and get out with an A-. Go figure.

Sigh. Geography. The path in life that I’ll never know if it’s the right one for me. It just seems to come so naturally to me. I learn it, and I understand the concepts easily. I touch it, and good grades appear.

Anyway, consistent grades so far. If you haven’t noticed, my grades this semester are exactly the same as last semester. My ideal target is to graduate above 4.0 CAP, but if shit happens, I must not fall below 3.5. Should be doable.

posted @ 6:42 pm
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