First Class Honours Degree in Computer Science

When I first entered JKUAT, I was determined to get out with a first class honours degree. And I got it! I’ve been walking on air this past week because I’m ecstatic.

What does this mean? It means I get a teaching job at the university as a teaching assistant, a scholarship possibly to do my graduate studies and possibly numerous job offers from top companies with fat cheques. Well, a girl can dream. And I’m definitely a dreamer.

 

First class honours, sweet, yeah?

I dream of going to Oxford or MIT. I’m leaning more towards MIT ‘cause they have this Masters Program: Theoretical Computer Science that I’m interested in. That’s the theory behind computers, did you know that the modern computer was thought of, and worked out theoretically, long before there was technology to actually build one? Charles Babbage thought of the computer (analytical engine) in 1822? So I’ll be among the team of the Charles Babbages of the future, get it? (Btw, Ada Lovelace was his assistant. One of the earliest programming languages was named after her. She’s Lord Byron- the poet-‘s daughter.)

Some students have asked for tips for getting a first class honours degree, the trick is simple, get As in every unit. Aspire to get 90% and if you get 70%, that’s still an A. Get more advice here: Savvy’s Guide for Campus Students.

When I was in first year, I was very enthusiastic, I never missed lessons, I woke up early to study, I read ahead, I did research, I did the homework/assignments, never copied etc. I was good girl.

With time, my enthusiasm wavered. It’s only natural, it’s human to lose interest after a while. I read less, skipped more classes, copied assignments (shhh…don’t tell) but I never copied during CATs or exams.

However, I didn’t let my grades slip and I read a lot towards exam time.

During exams, I slept at least 8 good hours. I’m not a last minute readers, so if I had a paper at 8.30 a.m. I’d wake up at 7.30 a.m., have a good breakfast and head to the exam room.

I didn’t cram (most times), cramming is so high school. I understood first. Then if I wanted to, I could cram later so I could write answers word by word. So even if I forget what I crammed, since I understood, I could recall the answers.

Undergraduate studies are more of recall than reasoning. Lecturers don’t have time to create new questions, every question they ask has been asked before. So do your revision well.

First class honours. I’m still wrapping my mind around that. During graduation, my three names will be read! I can’t wait to go for graduation (which is not until June/July), I had told my classmates I’d come vroom vrooming on a motorbike. I’m taking lessons as I write this.

Well, I dream of something like this.