Monica Wei

This week, we studied software systems, including system software and application software. Among system software, the most important example is the operating system, along with its functions and roles. In the area of application software, we focused on systems analysis and design, and specifically the use of UML (Unified Modeling Language) in use case diagrams, state transition diagrams, and class diagrams. We also learned about the principles of system architecture design, especially the trade-off between cohesion and coupling. Our assignments have now shifted from written analysis to diagramming, which seems to be a regular pattern for this course.

This week, I also completed the second math quiz, the second IT assignment, and the first IT quiz. The IT quiz left a deep impression on me. It was a multiple-select format with limited time, a large number of questions, and a high level of difficulty. Many questions required serious thinking. In my opinion, it’s almost impossible to get a perfect score. Even if you believe you’ve mastered all the content from the readings and lectures, you can still find yourself confused when facing complex relationships of the concepts. If you try to think deeply or re-read a question, you will feel the time pressure soon. But if you don’t think carefully, it’s easy to choose the wrong answer. And unfortunately, there were more than just a few questions that required careful thought. In this situation, I stumbled through the test. I’m not expecting a high score.

This week also brought about a major change in mindset. Due to something bad that happened, I had a moment of reflection and started to reconsider which school I ultimately want to attend in fall 2025. I’ve realized that rankings of universities alone are not enough. The advantage of choosing a school nearby is that it might offer easier access to job opportunities, since gaining practical experience is even more important. I’ll wait and see what happens in June before making a decision.