Posted on by anmeig

Academic Playlists

As a college student, music is essential to everyday activities. It helps us get through the day, relax in between classes, serve as motivation to keep studying, and even help us exercise!

Here I present to all of you reader’s here, staff, students and guests, to the vastly different playlists that people must have! (If you’re a music lover like me). Some of the songs in the playlist are also recommended by staff here at the library!

It’s always great to discover new music genres and find new songs to be obsessed with, so hopefully these playlists bring something a little familiar, a little new, and can become a comfortable space for you to jam out.

There will be one playlist that has no lyrics and one playlist with! For those who can’t stand trying to focus when there is lyrics, don’t worry, I made a playlist just for you to fit the vibe, too.

These are just the names of the vibes for the playlist that I’ve created, but you are always, welcome to use them however else you’d like! Using the Rainy Days for a study playlist works just as well as using the Midnight Cram playlist for workouts.

We all have different taste in music so use these playlist however you’d like to if you like them.

I have also made the YouTube playlist alternatives for them as well.
Not every song will be the same since they couldn't be found but I put in alternatives that will still fit.

Let’s get started!

Studying in the Library

Of course, for a library blog, I’ve got to start off with the Library Playlist! If you need a little bit of a boost, when studying in the library or relaxing on any of the floors. Reading on the big sofa chairs, leaning back and drown in the book. Or, maybe even when studying with a friend in one of the study rooms, this is for you.

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

Late Night Studying

Cramming at the late nights makes it difficult to focus. Music can very well help with that, whether as background noise or to use to relax on a stressful night. There are songs for everyone — before you know it, you’ll have gone through all your course material and be ready to crush your exam.

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

Walking Along the Trail

Sometimes you need a nice long walk to de-stress and daze over the day. To maybe think about something or not think about anything at all. Especially now that it’s getting sunnier, I think this will be the perfect playlist for a nice relaxing hike, too!

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

In the Laboratory

This is for those who are in stem labs, either in bio or in chem. Sometimes you need a boost in energy when grinding in the lab work and to help you focus when going through the motions.

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

Lazy Afternoons

Don’t you just want to lounge around and lay back on a sofa or on your bed and relax in the afternoon? Maybe take a little nap? This is the playlist for when the afternoon sleepy’s hit and all you want to do is just be languid and rest the afternoon away.

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

Morning Time!

It can be a little hard to get up in the morning, some people need something a little more quiet and peaceful and some people need music blasting (that some is me). As someone who hates mornings, I made this playlist for the morning people.

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

It’s Been Rough

Times get rough, a lot of the time. Even if you’ve had mostly amazing days, sometimes there are days that are harder to get through than others. Hopefully this is the playlist to help ease yourself through the day and make it more pleasant to handle.

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

Working out

This is a library blog, why would I make a workout playlist? Well, why not? Everybody needs some exercise in some ways or another. I also know that people have different workout song playlists to get them in the zone of focus, so this may, or may not be for you.

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

Heading Home

For when you’re on the road, or on public transport heading to and from home. It’s a little travel playlist, relaxing with the music as you yearn to be back in a comfortable space.

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

Today is Rainy

Sometimes it rains. I know, raining is such an amazing phenomenon. I personally love the rain, I think it’s wonderful and calming. But I know that some people don’t like the rain so I tried to keep it rain neutral for the playlist here.

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

When Snow Falls

I know that it’s WAY past snow time, but you can use this for the next winter! Maybe. Or maybe you just want to manifest a nice cool winter breeze to prepare for the hot blazing summer that’s coming along.

No-lyrics

YouTube Music

w/ Lyrics

YouTube Music

—

Now that I’ve laid them all out for you. If you have any playlists or songs you want to share go ahead and make a comment and put it down below!

I always welcome more music suggestions and recommendations and it’s great to discover new songs to be obsessed with.

—

Playlist Recommendations from other UW blogs!

from: Preparing for Finals Week: UW Libraries 10 Tips for Success

Posted on by Cesar

What Helped Me Stay Organized as a Student at UW-Bothell

 My time here at UW-Bothell has been quite the journey. I developed many new skills and experiences as I embraced coming and dorming here from my hometown. To me, it is still unbelievable that I will be graduating this spring quarter! Time goes by fast and each time I think of this, I still remember the chaos of my high school graduation and senior night. I knew that participating in the Running Start program at my community college would set me up for the ability to advance in college credits so that I would be able to graduate early. However, it is still shocking to see that in a couple of weeks, I will be walking across the stage. 

 This past academic year has proved to me that time goes by fast and that it is important to take advantage of each given moment. With this being my last quarter here at UW-Bothell, I wanted to share some of my skills and tips that I have developed and embraced throughout my two years of being here. 

Something that I used each day during high school that has stuck by me to this very day is: a planner. I find that by having a planner, it makes everything a lot easier. Not to mention that it can also help you develop other skills like organization, time-management and reduced stress/ procrastination. This can certainly help especially if you are a college student with a hectic schedule filled with demanding homework deadlines. 

When it comes to using a physical or an electronic planner, I personally enjoy a physical one. I like to have the physical copy of my planner so that I can customize it to my liking and so that when I do check things off, it feels more of an accomplishment. Not to mention that for me, having a physical planner is more aesthetically pleasing to have and it keeps me accountable for being consistent with planning out my weekly schedules. 

 

Weekly Planning For Beginners And Pros - Bordio
Image Captured from Bordio.com

Let me take you through my process when it comes to using my planner. To start, I enjoy planning my week every Sunday. This is so that I am aware of what is happening throughout the week ahead of me and so that I’m able to see what I have to get done for that given week. I am also able to prioritize my assignments to see which things require more attention. 

Every day, I like to start the day off by going to the gym. Incorporating weight training into my schedule is a way for me to take time for myself and for my health. I like to set aside about two hours of my morning that is dedicated to this. Within my planner, I write down “Gym @ 8am” for each day, Monday-Friday. This helps me be accountable for getting up in the morning and tackling the day with a good workout. 

Next, I like to write down my scheduled times for my job and for any lectures. With this, and the gym, I like to do a check box on the left-hand side so that once I finish this task, I can sigh relief after I have checked it off. When it comes to class assignments, I like to write them down on the days that they are due during the week, along with the times as well. I find that having Canvas opened to the monthly setting helps me get a clearer picture of how many things I have to do. It also gives me the ability to have some insight the week after to see if there are any important exams, projects, events, etc., need to prepare well in advance. 

Due to the majority of my coursework having deadlines on Sundays @ 11:59 pm, I’ve noticed that the Sunday box within my planner usually has more writing within it. To help manage my time with my classes, and with what I have assigned, I like to color coordinate my classes and assignments. What is nifty about this is that it makes my planner more organized and appealing to the eye. 

Whenever I have additional things that occur during the week, I also like to write them down so that I do not forget. This usually includes any scheduled times that an event or a meeting will happen. As a busy college student, having things written down is important because it helps me manage my time and priorities better. 

 

Photo of my planner for the week of May 20th – May 26th

Having a planner with everything laid out helps me with my routine. I am very routine-oriented, and I like to know what has to get done during the week so that I don’t rush or procrastinate at the last minute. I carry this around with me in my backpack so if there is anything I need to check off or update, I can do so.

Reflecting on how my planner has helped me throughout college, I developed new skills and strengthened some of the skills that I currently have. A new skill I developed is multitasking, and a couple that I have strengthened are prioritizing my objectives, organization, and time management. Some of the skills were ones that I already have, but with the help of a planner, I’ve noticed how it has helped me strengthen my skills because I can get a head start for the week and see which assignment deadlines were high and low-stakes. 

Learning these skills is something that I didn’t adapt to easily. If I were to pull out my previous planner, the resemblance would be apparent as it has taken me time and effort to implement exactly what I was looking for in terms of developing a routine, planning, and organizing. I think we underestimate the power of the planner. It is such a prime way to stay organized and consistent. The nice thing about a planner is that it only suits you and you. It contains your work, schedule, meetings, appointments, etc. A glimpse into your life on paper is the way that I like to think of it.

Looking at the planner example below, one thing that stood out to me was that the creator included a “Rest Day!” on a weekend day. I think this is something that I could see myself doing for the future of my planner because it’s such a great written reminder to prioritize ourselves at the end of a crazy and busy week. 

Some of these techniques were effective for me when it came to using my planner and I hope this blog post can inspire and help any new and current students who are thinking about using a planner or need some guidance to get started. 

Happy planning! 

 

Image Captured from Korrashay.com

 

Resources to help you get started on your planning journey:

Resources for UW-Bothell Students: 

Resources for Cascadia College Students: 

Posted on by Cesar

Stay Safe and Cozy During this Winter Season 

The change in seasons can effect people in different ways, especially when there is a significant change, such as going from a warm season to a cold one. It’s critical to be aware of some of the things that may happen so that you’re better prepared. While we, including myself, may think that we understand how to prepare, it may be a good idea to receive a refresher on some key points. This winter season has been a chilly one. 

     Image captured from The Animated Woman

Securing everything for the winter doesn’t have to be a huge hassle! All it takes is just double-checking that everything is working, and taking action to restore anything that might need to be replaced. This would ease some of the stressors during the winter for you and your wallet. 

Each upcoming winter season, my family and I like to take initiative steps to ensure we have some of the basics to survive a cold winter. We like to ensure we stock up on essentials such as perishable food items, water, portable charges (so that you’re able to charge your device without needing an outlet), flashlights, batteries, etc. Having these things on hand would be beneficial because as many of us know, Washington enjoys being unpredictable. It’s not fun having to make the trip to the store during harsh road conditions, so why not take these preventative measures so that you’re able to stay warm and safe during this chilly time?

Winter and Your Home 

  • Some things that you can do to winterize your house can be things like:

    • Ensure that electrical, installation, and wiring are free from any possible damages or tears. 
    • Check your heater systems, smoke detectors, alarms, etc.
    • Stocking up on any perishable and canned foods, water, medications, batteries, etc. (this would be crucial in case there were any power outages) 
    • Having extra blankets, candles, and flashlights at the ready 
    • Obtaining a fire extinguisher and first aid kit in the event of something unexpected
       Image captured from At Your Service

 

Winter and Your Vehicle 

Image captured from iStock
         Image captured from iStock

 Many people tend to enjoy driving in the snow. I encourage  staying home so that you’re safe, but with that said, there are times when it’s inevitable to make the journey outside. Having our vehicles prepared for these times is just as important as winterizing your house. Another factor to consider would be to make sure your vehicle is set for the winter. 

A few things that I like to do to make sure my car is prepared are: 

  • Checking my tires and tire pressure (to make sure the thread is still good and there aren’t any tears)
  • Having a first aid kit in the car 
  • Checking my overall engine for any potential leaks, smells, unusual sounds, etc. 

For more information about keeping your vehicle ready for the winter season, I’d recommend referencing the Kelly Blue Book. They provide excellent information that is concise and easy to follow.

Winter and School

Having to worry about school during the winter season can be stressful. I think it is important to be attentive to school alerts regarding a closure due to any inclement weather. If there isn’t an emergent reason to go out, especially since school might be closed, just stay home. Your safety and that of those around you matter. The bright side to this is that the University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College both have alert sign-ups so that you can be up-to-date with any updates about a potential closure. 

                 Image captured from iStock

When I have to commute somewhere, and there is snow on the roads, I like to reference the WA State DOT Traffic Cameras to get a glimpse of how prepared I should be or if I should remain at home until the time being. 

Preparing for the winter season doesn’t have to be hectic. I think that taking initiative to ensure you have everything settled is key to surviving a cold winter season. The following sources are a great reference to use when preparing for the winter season. 

Remaining indoors due to the inclement weather doesn’t have to be boring! The UW Bothell / Cascadia College Campus Library and the King County Library System both have excellent resources and online access for you to keep busy with e-books, podcasts, and more! If you’d like to search for podcasts or episodes, Listen Notes has an excellent selection of online podcasts that will help keep you entertained on a snowy day! 

Remember to stay safe and cozy out there! 



 

Title background image captured from: Wallpaperbat

 

 

 

Posted on by Rachel · 2 Comments

Learn How to Code With These Free Websites and Resources

Have you ever wanted to learn how to code? Do you know how to code, but want to enhance your skills or learn a new one? As an undergraduate computer science and software engineering student myself, I have used various resources and tools outside of my college courses to build on my knowledge and practice my coding skills. In this blog post, I would love to share some of my favorite online and/or free websites and other materials that I use and recommend to anyone interested in or pursuing computer science.

Of course, I don’t think any of these tools could replace the learning experience of my college courses, however I think they are wonderful for those who are just getting started, want to learn at their own pace, or those who want to expand their existing coding skills and/or prepare for interviews.

Codecademy

Codecademy is a free online website (and mobile app) that provides a growing catalog of courses, learning paths, and career paths designed to help users build their coding knowledge and explore the skills needed for different technical careers (front-end and back-end engineering, data analytics, game development, web development, etc.). It is an interactive platform that helps students learn-by-doing and offers “classes in 12 different programming languages including Python, Java, Go, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, C++, C#, and Swift, as well as markup languages HTML and CSS”.

Codecademy course lesson "welcome to codecademy"

In addition to coding courses, they also have resources for interview prep and allows you to earn professional certificates that you can put on your resume after successfully completing a course.

While the majority of Codecademy’s courses are completely free, there are also a few more advanced courses that require the Codecademy Pro membership. As a college student though, you can receive complete access to the full interactive curriculum for over 55% off the regular price!

Codecademy course catalog

I am currently enrolled in the “Data Scientist: Analytics” Career Path as well as the “Back-End Engineer” Career Path, and have really enjoyed my experience working through each of the lessons. I think Codecademy does a fantastic job of introducing you to new concepts through articles, videos, real-world examples, and short quizzes. It gives me hands-on coding experience within their learning environment and even provides hints if I ever get stuck.

DataCamp

DataCamp is another interactive learning platform that offers hundreds of courses and several career track certificate programs in different technologies and coding languages, such as SQL, Python, R, Power BI, Tableau, and more. DataCamp aims to help users build data science, statistics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence skills. They note that 80% of Fortune 1000 companies use DataCamp to upskill their teams, including top companies, such as Google, PayPal, eBay, Microsoft, and Uber.

Datacamp course lesson on desktop and mobile interface

My STEM scholarship mentors actually recommended DataCamp to me, because their company’s Data and AI team sometimes uses the courses to hone in on their skills. Since then, I have completed DataCamp’s “Introduction to Python” and “Understanding Data Science” lessons.

Courses usually include short videos and interactive exercises that are catered to everyone – from beginners to those already in the industry. The courses are taught by DataCamp instructors and all the lessons allow you to practice and apply the skills you learned through different problems and projects.

Datacamp profile dashboard

Similar to Codecademy, DataCamp also has the option to upgrade your learning plan to unlock more advanced courses, however, you can again use your status as a college student to receive over 50% off the regular price if you do decide to explore more courses. They also offer professional certifications as part of the premium plan, as well.

LeetCode

LeetCode is a bit different than the above platforms in that it is mainly used to practice solving coding problems and prepare for technical interviews. The primary users of the website are software engineers.

It offers over 2750 free exercises, which each have a level ranking of “Beginner,” “Medium,” or “Hard.” The coding questions focus on data structures and algorithms and supports multiple programming languages.

Leetcode dashboard

When you complete a problem, LeetCode will judge your solution based on how many test cases it passes, runtime, and memory usage compared to other submissions. LeetCode also has an option to view other users’ posted solutions and provides hints when you’re stuck on a problem.

The website offers study plans, crash courses, and challenges. Some of these will guide you through how a technical interview might look like at some of the big tech companies, such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook.

Leetcode example problem

The questions are very similar (if not sometimes the same) to ones that are asked in technical interviews, so it is a really great tool to use if you know you’ll be applying to jobs or internships in the tech industry soon. Some people recommend completing at least one LeetCode question a day to consistently build your skills and better prepare for your upcoming interviews.

Library Resources

The UW Bothell / Cascadia College Library contains a plethora of wonderful books and other materials for anyone pursuing computer science and software engineering – and they’re free! On the third floor of the library, in the QA section located in LB2, you can find a wide range of computer science textbooks that can help you learn a new programming language, explore specific concepts, or you might just need them for one of your CSSE courses. Here are just a few examples pulled right from our collection:

Software engineering textbook coverDatabase systems textbook coverAbsolute Java textbook cover

A popular book that many UWB professors and other professionals in the field highly recommend is “Cracking the coding interview: 189 programming questions and solutions.” You can get it here at the library in our Career Books collection located on the first floor next to the Research and Computing Help Desk."Cracking the Coding Interview: 189 Programming Questions and Solutions" book cover

“Cracking the coding interview” is a great resource for preparing for the technical interview and dives into what skills you need to succeed. It provides 189 problems and walks you through how to approach each question, how to break down the question into manageable chunks, as well as how to derive the best solution. Some topics include big O time, data structures, and algorithms. 

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on books for your classes and career, you can get them at no cost from the campus library! I really recommend perusing our physical collection or using the UW library search catalog to find specific titles or topics. You can checkout the materials at the front desk or you can place a hold on an item online and pick it up. All you need is your campus ID card (Husky card or Cascadia College card) to check out items.

Additional Resources

Glossary

Definitions for the terms mentioned in this blog post.

front-end engineer: focuses on the “user side” of software, meaning everything a user sees and interacts with while using an application

back-end engineer: works on the server side of the software, aka the software’s infrastructure (parts that aren’t visible to the average user)

data scientist: a problem solver who prepares and analyzes data to provide organizations with insights that help them make better business decisions

software engineer: a person who applies the engineering design process to design, develop, maintain, test, and evaluate computer software

upskill: teach (an employee) additional skills

runtime: the amount of time in which a machine takes to run a program’s code

memory: stores information, such as data and programs for immediate use in the computer

big O time: the time it takes to run an algorithm as the input grows (time complexity)

data structures: a data organization, management, and storage format that is usually chosen for efficient access to data

algorithms: a set of coded instructions used to solve a problem or perform a task

Glossary resources: The Forage, Wikipedia, Oxford Dictionary, SimpliLearn

Posted on by libraryvoices · 1 Comment

Finals Week

Finals week is upon us and preparing for a cumulative test or large research paper requires many study approaches and proper planning. UW Bothell students have finals the second week of June and Cascadia students will be tested in the third week. Here I will go over studying techniques and resources to further your endeavors.

Study techniques for final papers:

  1. Fully understand the prompt and determine the boundaries you are writing within. Broad prompts are often given at the collegiate level. This can be both a positive and negative. On the positive side, you can choose to write on a topic you have genuine interest in – making the essay less laborious and more convincing to the reader. A potential negative is falling into the trap of going over too many topics generally and coming to no deep conclusions.
  2. Once you decide on the direction which your essay is moving in, make an appointment with a reference librarian. They can help you with library resources, research strategies, focusing a topic, citing sources, and evaluating information.
  3. Once you have all of your research material, follow the typical approach of writing an outline, rough draft, then final draft. When finished with your final draft allow yourself 48-72 hours to have it read by a staff member at either the Cascadia or UW Bothell writing center and to make those last revisions.

Resources for final papers:

  1. Reference librarians:  You can communicate with these librarians by dropping in, making an appointment with a specific subject librarian, and by online chat.
  2. You can determine the librarian that specializes in your subject by referencing this list.
  3. You can chat with a librarian online using this service. University of Washington librarians are usually available on weekdays from 9-5 and librarians from around the nation are available to answer questions 24/7.
  4. Finally, you can drop in and visit a reference librarian at the Information Commons desk when the library is open.
  5. UWB Writing and Communication Center:  They offer many types of writing conferences, from face-to-face, phone-to-phone, or online. If submitting your paper online, they will typically be able to revise it in 48 hours.
  6. Cascadia’s Writing Center: You can make an appointment with a tutor at Cascadia’s Writing Center to go over your paper.
    1. If you want to submit your paper for revision online, you can use Cascadia’s e-tutoring service.  This usually takes 48 hours.

Study techniques for final exams:

Each person’s best approach when studying for finals varies greatly. That being said, two universally applicable pieces of advice are to have a plan and to cater your studying towards your learning style.

The learning styles are kinesthetic, visual, and auditory. A kinesthetic learner may benefit from studying in groups, using models, coming up with memory games, and learning through labs. A visual learner should take the approach of making diagrams and drawing pictures connected to vocabulary words. An auditory learner might chose to read out loud when studying, have group discussions about their subject, and record lectures to play back again.

First, break your workload down into manageable chunks and schedule your time realistically. You want to avoid mental fatigue while still remaining productive. Second, preview the syllabus and reading to determine which areas you need to focus in on. If you determine you don’t need to study a certain area, test yourself on it using provided practice problems or a peer to be sure. Third, make chapter outlines and note cards. From there studying becomes deeply subjective. Use whatever techniques have worked before to travel up Bloom’s taxonomy from knowledge to comprehension to application to analysis to synthesis to evaluation.

Resources for final exams:

  1. Research shows that we perform best when we study in an environment similar to that in which we will be taking the test. For you, this might mean the library. The library is open from 8:00-10:00 Monday-Thursday, 8:00-5:00 on Friday, 9:00-5:00 on Saturday, and 12:00-8:00 on Sunday. On Sunday June 7th , Monday June 8th , Sunday June 14th , and Monday June 15th the library will be open until 12:00 AM. But remember, avoid mental fatigue and plan ahead so you do not have to cram.
  2. Visit your professor’s office hours and attend review sessions they may put on. Also, never skip class to study. Professors tend to offer valuable insight into exams during their lectures.
  3. Search the library for books on your topic that contain extra practice problems and unique perspectives.
  4. UW Bothell’s Quantitative Skills Center is open Monday-Thursday 9:00 – 8:00, Friday 10:00 – 4:00, and Sunday 12:00- 4:00. The QSC offers drop-in tutoring for “classes that contain numbers.” More information is available here.
  5. Tutoring for the computer sciences is available Monday-Thursday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm at the CSS labs in UW Bothell.
  6. You can use Cascadia’s Math and Writing Center for help in those subjects. It is open 9:00-7:00 Monday-Thursday and Friday 10:00-2:00.
  7. Cascadia also uses an e-tutoring consortium that has online tutors in accounting, anatomy, biology, chemistry, economics, circuits and digital systems engineering, developmental math, Microsoft office, physics, Spanish, statistics, web development. E-tutors can be accessed here.