Index Cards, Of Course! by Mark

Index Cards, Of Course! by Mark - December 2017 Scholarship Essay

My ultimate strategy for projects revolves around planning and adapting. Being a Computer Science student, I am frequently in project based classes. These weekly projects include building a program from scratch that upon submission must be free of errors and bugs based on specifications given by the instructor. Thus one must have or gain skills in the area of completing projects on time or natural selection will gracefully exit you from the curriculum. My system of planning and adapting has allowed to finish very complex projects on time and with high marks.

At the outset I read and re-read the specification until I fully understand what is expected. Once I know what I’m doing I then figure out how to do it and write very primitive and broad instructions on steps to complete the project from start to finish. Now that I have a very loose understanding of where I’m going, I use index cards to plan the details of the project. I use one index card per function (in Computer Science, a function is a block of related computer code likely to be repeated).

Index cards are the greatest invention when it comes to mapping out virtually anything. The reason I use them is because I can literally throw out bits or chunks of my project plan without throwing the rest of it into disorganization. I will actually write out new index cards to substitute for old ones or change the order of them without having a mess on my hands. This where adaptability comes into play because as the project evolves and I see different avenues I want to go down or change, the change is easy and not confusing.

I would recommend index cards to any student as they make great planning tools for a myriad of purposes including to-do lists, projects and essay planning. They really help compartmentalize your projects and your life and when you’re through with one, you simply toss it out and keep the rest on your desk.