I decided to hold back on co-op this semester and start in fall.

It was not an easy decision to make, with all the potential backlash and lost opportunities that are there, such as a chance to try out doing system administration and seeing if I would enjoy such a job.

But this semester just feels right. I’m on the ball with my academics, starting my assignments early on, spending a good amount of time studying and focusing on my studies and managing my time a heck lot better.

Since my current state of grades aren’t really all that great, I should be able to make use of this momentum to boost them up and attempt co-op in fall. At least, that’s my reasoning.

Summer’s somewhat here at last! I would be happier if we didn’t have to deal with ants trying to find a home inside the house.

Originally, the plan this semester was to be out on co-op, having signed on to CMPT co-op lightning round for Summer 2007. How lightning round works, for those unfamiliar with it, is the co-op coordinators throw your resume and transcript to companies; in other words, they find the job for you.

It’s already going into week 3 and I have only had three interviews and numerous submissions of resumes to companies. However, I find myself enjoying this semester up at SFU.

Like always, I’m taking three classes. The three lucky courses this semester are CMPT 470, JAPN 101, and MATH 342.

CMPT 470 – Web Information Systems

I guess you can say this is one course I’m definitely comfortable with. It is a project course, with assignments that focus on some basic elements of Web development, something that I am quite comfortable with. As well, I have a group of people that I’m pretty sure I can work well with, so that’ll be quite fun. Hopefully we agree on some very interesting project.

JAPN 101 – Introduction to Japanese II

A continuation of JAPN 100. Learning more 日本語 would be very nice. Last semester was quite fun, although it did get difficult at the end, most likely due to my little rut with academics and focusing on it. But I need to get back on the ball with this, doing terribly on the first quiz.

MATH 342 – Elementary Number Theory

The only reason I am taking a math class now that I have already done all the required math for a CS degree (MATH 151 (Calculus I), MATH 152 (Calculus II), MATH 232 (Linear Algebra), MACM 101 (Discrete Math I), MACM 201 (Discrete Math II), MACM 316 (Numerical Analysis I)) is so that I can take a cryptography course. I would like to take crypto sometime before graduation, so yeah.

So here comes my grand dilemma.

Lightning round has struck potential gold, with me getting an interview with Business Objects for a system administrator position. Something of the sort would be something of interest to myself, since having done somewhat basic stuff at home with my Gentoo server and attempting to troubleshoot the machines at home.

However, if I actually am successful with this and manage to get offered a job, I don’t want to drop any of my courses. I like all of them and wouldn’t want to drop any of them.

The MATH 342 prof seems very good, despite being a PhD student, our CMPT 470 group has pretty good potential (and it provides a good chance for me to raise my upper division GPA), and JAPN 101 has a time and place that works for me. As well, I am determined to stay on the ball for school.

Should I get a job now, I hope I can postpone it to the fall semester.