Recap - Reflection of Term 1 🧐
Tags: school, education, programming, productivity
Published: 2023-09-09 23:08:08

> Starters 🏁

This blog post discusses my experience during the first term of BCIT's Computer Systems Technology program. For those unfamiliar with me, you can refer to my initial [post](https://dev.to/rjsgml/pilot-start-of-my-blog-journey-2b04).

> British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) 🎓

BCIT is a public polytechnic institute located in Burnaby, British Columbia. Unlike traditional colleges or universities, the British Columbia Institute of Technology emphasizes practical, flexible, and applied education. The instructors here bring direct, hands-on experience from their respective fields.

> Computer Systems Technology (CST) program 💻

The CST program at BCIT is among the most challenging and rigorous diploma programs available. This program melds computer systems theory with hands-on experience in software development. For more details about the program, click [here](https://www.bcit.ca/programs/computer-systems-technology-diploma-full-time-5500dipma/).

> [Courses](https://www.bcit.ca/programs/computer-systems-technology-diploma-full-time-5500dipma/#courses) in Term 1 📚

- COMM 1116 (Business Communications 1)

This is one of the more relaxed courses. It covers writing professional emails, informal reports, and oral presentations. It serves as a prerequisite for COMM 2216 and aids international students in enhancing their English reading and writing skills.

- COMP 1100 (CST Program Fundamentals)

Another laid-back course. It operates on a pass/fail system, requiring students to attend lectures and submit weekly journals. The focus is on introducing essential information and resources for success in the CST Diploma Program.

- COMP 1113 (Applied Mathematics)

This course is manageable with consistent effort. It covers partial discrete mathematics, an introduction to linear equations, and is segmented into: (1) Boolean algebra and logic circuit design; (2) number systems and data representation; and (3) functions, linear equations, vectors, and matrices. Based off this course, I made a [web application](https://github.com/gdcho/comp1113_calculator) to assist in learning.

- COMP 1510 (Programming Methods)

This is among the more challenging courses for many CST Term 1 students. It introduces the basics of object-oriented programming in Java (Burnaby campus) or Python (Downtown campus). The course covers programming fundamentals, including design, development, testing, debugging, error-handling, and problem-solving.

- COMP 1537 (Web Development 1)

Some may find this course challenging, while those with prior web development experience might find it more accessible. It delves into both front-end and back-end programming using JavaScript, AJAX, DOM, and JSON.

- COMP 1712 (Business Analysis and System Design)

This was one of the courses I found most challenging. It delves into the methodologies and tools for designing and developing information systems, covering concepts, processes, communication, decision-making, the software development life cycle (SDLC), data and process modeling, entity-relationship diagrams, databases, and more.

- COMP 1800 (Projects 1)

This was one of my favorite courses. It involved group projects to create a small-scale responsive web application, incorporating the UX design process, agile methodology, and software management workflow.

> Reflections 🙏

Overall, while Term 1 was demanding, I found it more enjoyable than anticipated. I forged numerous personal and professional connections and learned a tremendous amount in just five months. Beyond the academic growth, the rigorous schedule instilled discipline in my studies and inspired me to plan personal projects for the summer. I'll delve into these in upcoming posts.

Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for future posts! 🤠