Hey Techies,
I have been asked numerous times by many people if I had any tips for Computer Science majors to help them succeed and enjoy the course. So, I have created a list of tips and tricks to help potential Computer Science students get a quick grasp on the material and thrive in the difficult course. Here, I present to you all my list of tips for you to take advantage of:
Computer Science is 90% about programming in languages to develop programs to fit a need or fix a problem presented. These languages, such as Java or C++, are arrangements of words, such as int, double, void, and thousands of others, that give can be called on to make the computer preform a certain action. An example of this is (Java):
public static void main(String[] args)
{
System.out.println("Techie Life");
}
^^^This small amount of code (Java) will be read by the computer and the system will be told to print out "Techie Life" and then end the program. As you can see, vocabulary is a major part of programming. You do not want to be writing a program and not know the words that are accepted by the language or not know what they represent and what they will do. Memorizing the vocabulary here is a big help and will make everything about the course easier to understand.
2.) Learn to Read Through Code:
There is at least 1 question on every Computer Science exam that asks "What does this code do?" This question is always followed by a page or two of code that will give you a headache if you stare at it too long. Since it is this much of a necessity, start small. Read the books you are given and read through short programs (25 lines or less) until you get the hang of it. Gradually move up in size and difficulty until you are reading code that is 4 pages long. This also helps when figuring out why a program isn't compiling or running correctly. This way, you can spend 5 min reading the code, 5 min fixing it, and spending the rest of the time enjoying life instead of staring at your computer screen for 3 hours wondering if it is too late to switch majors.
3.) Practice Your Skills:
When you learn the skill of programming, you need to practice it at least once a week, as later in the course you will be writing a minimum of 2 programs a week. Practicing programming will help you get faster and help your problem solving skills, while staying fresh on everything. Now, I am not saying to write a program for 62 hours in a week for fun. Do small programs, such as simple adders, scanners, and printers, as these do not take much time and will also keep your programming skills sharp.
4.) Collaborate with Others:
Here, I am not saying to go to someone and straight up ask for their code. That is one way to get kicked out of the university. I am saying to talk to other students and see that their are different ways to implement pieces of the programs. If you struggle with something like the concept of loops, find another student who understands loops thoroughly and ask for his help. This can help you realize that their is different ways to get the same result.
5.) Know Your Math:
One of the most difficult challenges I had to overcome in this major was the math. Though I was excellent in math when I was in high school, I did not learn to study until I was in college. So when cam the time where I had to take Calculus 1 and 2, I struggled a little. I went to tutor sessions and reviewed online, but still struggled in the concepts. Make sure you know the concepts and stay up with your other classes as well as classes that go along with your computer science major. If you keep up with all your classes, it will become a habit and it will make school seem easier for you.
These are just a couple of the tricks and tips I used to make it through school and finish my computer science degree.
Leave a comment for any topics you would like me to talk about or questions that you would like me to cover.
-Stay Geeky!
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