Its been two days since the cmput 391 project ordeal and if anything, the project has given Mack and I more confidence. Individually, we were already horrible procrastinators. Put us together and our procrastination habits worsens exponentially. Here's a recap of the Project:
So despite the weighting of 30%, Mack and I still continued to put it off for weeks. But when there was only a few days left, panick started to set in for Mack while I retained my confidence. The conversation went much like this:
*One week left*
Mack: What are we going to do? Its all over!
Dickson: Don't worry! I have never been more confident before!
Mack: Who are we copying?
Dickson: That is dishonest, Mack.
So despite Mack's tendenecy to tread into the dark side of academia in times of desperation, I was able to convince him not to - especially realizing no one would possibly help us.
*Three days left: Friday night*
Dickson: I suggest we start on the project tomorrow morning.
Mack: agreed.
Dickson: What time do you want to start? How about 10 am?
Mack: No, i think that is too early. We will never make it lol
Dickson: agreed. 11 it is.
Mack: See you tomorrow at 11.
*Saturday morning at 11 am*
Nothing of great importance to note.
*Saturday Morning at 11:30 am*
Dickson and Mack arrive at Computing Science and starts setting up their account, a task that should have been done months earlier. Also phoned Annie for lunch.
*Saturday 1:30 pm - Mack, Dickson and Annie arrives at Tokyo Express for lunch*
Annie: You guys deserve a break. You were here working since when? 9? 9:30 am?
Us: No, we arrived around 11:30..
Annie: WHAT!? Didn't you phone me at 11:40!?
*laughter*
*Saturday 3:30 pm - back at Comp Sci*
Mack and Dickson work furiously using the latest techniques of eXtreme Programming (Pair programming - two people to a station) to maximize results. Greg comes in later and asks:
Greg: Are you guys going to finish?
Us: "With ease! We're even going to have to kill time!
*Saturday 8:30 pm - Dickson and Mack goes to the Power Plant for dinner*
Finish eating around 9:30 pm but realizing we have time to kill, we decided to stay a little longer and watched two songs by the performing band.
*Saturday 10:00 pm - Back to work* at Comp Sci
Other students hear of the herculean task we undertake and asks how we are going to finish. With a warm smile, we reply "With ease".
*Sunday 5:30 am*
Part I of II completed! Mack and Dickson grows even more confident and decides to call it quits. Mack drives Dickson home.
*Sunday 11:30 am*
Dickson eats breakfast at home.
*Sunday 2:00 pm*
Dickson and Mack arrives at computing science. Mack hasn't eaten yet so leaves for Ho Ho's aftering entering the lab. Dickson decides to follow and eats a second meal within 3 hours.
*Sunday 3:00 pm*
Dickson and Mack returns to work, redoubling their efforts.
*Sunday 8:00 pm*
Dickson and Mack decides to go for dinner at Boston Pizza, which coincidently happens to be during the third period of the Oiler's game against the Coyotes. Greg says we are retards. We make a gentlemen's bet that we will finish. Greg accepts, although reluctantly.
*Sunday 9:30 pm*
Realizing, we may have a long night ahead, we stock up on supplies. Dickson buys a 1.5 L bottle of water for fear of dehydration from drinking too much coke in the past few days. Mack grabs a 2 L bottle of coke but feeling a little guilty at the check out counter, he decides to also grab a 500 ml bottle of water.
*Monday1:00 am*
We return to Comp Sci and continue our work. Custodians appear and starts wiping the desks and emptying out the garbage cans.
*Monday 2:00 am*
We hear banging of tables and walls from one of the breakout rooms. We ignore our thoughts and try to refocus.
Custodians move onto moping the floors.
Dickson and Mack encounters a programming block. Morale is down.
*Monday 3:00 am*
Custodians start to buffer the floor. The noise becomes distracting.
Dickson and Mack begins to swear, frustrated by the same programming problem and the custodian's insensitivity toward students' work hours.
*Monday 3:30 am*:
Buffering of floor stops. Quiet again.
*Monday 4:00 am*
Problem solved! Morale is up!
*Monday 5:00 am*
eXtreme Programming no longer effective. Dickson goes to sleep.
*Monday 5:30 am*
Dickson wakes up and takes his shift at the computer. Mack goes help Greg with his english essay.
*Monday 10:00 am*
Dickson spams the course newsgroup:
"My program is Comprehesive, integrated, and cost effective."
Greg calls us a fag. We remind him of the bet.
*Monday 11:00 am*
Mack leaves for class, unwilling to skip. Dickson leaves for lunch.
*Monday 12 noon*
Dickson and Mack are back to work.
*Monday 3 pm - two hours before deadline*
Mack and Dickson feels that their program is more or less finished. They decide to call it quits, feeling happy with their accomplishment and with that, they adopted the motto "WITH EASE!"
It is now clear that no matter the size of project, the programming duos will finish the project, with ease and with time to kill!
Click here for Mack's story on the C391 Project