Double or Quits

2011:  M257 Putting Java to Work
2012:  M256 Software Development with Java

Having cemented in my head where I was going and what I was doing towards my degree, the OU decided to throw in a curveball, with an impending change to the curriculum and qualifications.

So I figured that somewhere along the way I needed to achieve 2 'big courses' in a single academic year in order to get the required number of points for my degree within the time limit.  The only problem was, this involved a period where the 2 courses overlapped for a few months.  Gulp!!

So - M257 and M256..in one fell swoop.

M257 (known in my head and thus on this blog as 'the practical one') introduced me to new ideas to fuzzle up my brain, namely Java Swing components (the layouts used in a user interface) and concurrency/threads (how to allow multiple things access to the same program simultaneously).

M256 was a whole different ball game..(the theory one).  This one dealt more with the software development phases, and producing object and class diagrams.  Eeek, this is all starting to feel very very real all of a sudden.  But too much theory and not enough practical to keep me properly entertained methinks.

Having had a change of job in March 2011 I have to admit I struggled through the 'double up period', I was in a day-job where I didn't need to think - so having to come home and start thinking was doubly hard.

Ironically, my old enemy the washing basket didn't seem so bad, it was something I could control in the midst of the chaos of 2 courses (and, lets be honest, a great tool when assignment procrastination periods hit double-time).

I often have a period of 'post assignment slump' for a couple of weeks, but didn't quite know how to deal with myself when post assignment slump hit 'pre-assignment angst' and then 'pre-exam angst' all at the same time.  Particularly with a car-crash 3 days before the exam.  I was pretty glad when the 2 were both over.

So I decided a change of scene was necessary for a few weeks for the next 10-point interlude...