Hey everyone! 👋 So you want to know how I made it through my Computer Engineering degree? Well, grab a coffee (trust me, you'll need it) and let me share some real talk about university life...
The Game Changer: Study Partners
Here's the thing - studying with the right person can literally change your life. I was incredibly lucky to find an amazing study partner who became my best friend (and eventually my girlfriend! 😉). We were perfectly complementary - where she had intuition, I had perseverance; where she excelled at perfectionism, I brought different perspectives.
Pro tip: Find someone whose strengths complement yours. Healthy competition, curiosity, and persistence are key. We even started tutoring other students together - nothing teaches you better than having to explain concepts to others!
The Magic Formula
Here's what actually worked for me:
- Always attend lectures - Catch up before each lesson
- Talk to people - Friends, professors, anyone who can help
- Coffee is life ☕ (seriously)
- During exam season: Repetition, mind maps, sticky notes everywhere
- Create comprehensive study documents - I wrote detailed guides for each subject
The Secret Weapon: Vacation Planning
This might sound crazy, but hear me out - book your vacation during exam season. Whether the session goes well or badly, having those plane tickets ready is way better than crying and scrolling Instagram. Trust me on this one! 🏖️
There's something magical about having that escape plan ready. It keeps you motivated during the tough study sessions and gives you something to look forward to. Plus, if things go well, you can celebrate properly. If they don't... well, you have a beach waiting for you to recover!
Study Materials & Resources
During my courses, I found it helpful to write detailed notes, which I’m sharing here in case they can be useful. The one I’m most proud of is my guide on Computer Networks - it’s comprehensive and has helped many students.
These documents weren't just notes - they were complete knowledge bases that I could rely on during exams. Writing them forced me to really understand the material, and sharing them helped build a study community.
Final Thoughts
University is hard, there's no sugar-coating it. But with the right approach, the right people, and maybe a little bit of luck in finding that perfect study partner, it can also be the best time of your life. The friendships you make, the knowledge you gain, and the person you become - it's all worth it.
Remember: everyone's path is different, but these strategies worked for me. Find what works for you, surround yourself with good people, and don't forget to take breaks (preferably on a beach somewhere! 🏖️).
Good luck! 🚀