Building a Future in IT, One Line of Code at a Time.
Published by Shenna Mae Toledana
"Navigating the BSIT Loop at Catanduanes State University"
Welcome to my digital corner! If you’re a fellow tech student, you know what it feels like to be a BSIT student. They say that second year students of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) program are where the "copy-pasters" are separated from the actual "programmers." As a sophomore at Catanduanes State University (CatSU), I have quickly realized that my life now revolves around three things: Eat, Sleep, and the constant fear of my laptop crashing before I hit
Ctrl+S.
Choosing BSIT at CATSU wasn't just an academic decision, it is the start of an amazing digital adventure in the world of technology. But if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that surviving BSIT requires more than just knowing how to code; it requires a balance of logic, patience and a lot of heart.
The Sophomore Upgrade: Beyond the Basics
Freshman year was like the "honeymoon phase," but stepping into the second year felt like a major system upgrade. We have moved past "Hello World" and into the world of Data Structures and Algorithms. It is no longer about making a website look "pretty"; it is about making sure the backend doesn't crumble. However, the most important "data structure" I’ve built isn't made of code, it’s the circle of friends I’ve gathered since first year. We share the same broken humor, the same "it worked on my machine" excuses.
From Algorithms to Athletics: PathFit & PE
My 2 years in CATSU has been defined by two major physical milestones. Many people think IT students are "stationary," but my PE requirements proved otherwise. This semester, I traded my mechanical keyboard for the dance floor twice. First was the PathFit Fest Cheer Dance Competition. There is something terrifying yet exhilarating about performing in front of the whole university. It was a complete system shock, proving that we can execute "choreography" just as precisely as we execute "code."
Then came our PE Culminating Activity. While the PathFit Fest was a grand, competitive battle, the culminating activity was a more personal milestone. It was the final "Project Presentation" of our physical skills. It reminded me that even if my future is in software, my "hardware" (my body) needs to stay active too. Balancing the discipline of a dance routine with the logic of a database project has been the ultimate test of my time management. You can't just exercise your brain, you have to move your body, too.
The save that matters
This blog's title, Ctrl+S for Success, began as a useful habit that emerged out of necessity. You learn to save your work every few seconds in the CICT labs, where Catanduanes' "Howling Winds" could cause a sudden power flicker at any time. But as I approach the halfway point of my sophomore year, I've come to the conclusion that "saving" has become my personal survival and development philosophy.
For a long time, I used the grades on my portal or the lack of red error messages in my code to evaluate my progress. However, the internal "saves" that take place when no one is looking are the ones that truly count. I've discovered that I am my own most significant work. I am continuously refining my objectives and debugging my own doubts. Eventually, the most significant improvements I've made isn't a file on a drive; rather, it's the understanding that I can change.
I'm learning to value my own pace, trust my own reasoning, and recognize that I have the ability to restart and start over even when life's "system" becomes overwhelming. I'm not simply closing a tab when I hit save on this post. I'm making sure I'm prepared for whatever comes up in the upcoming semester.
It's the silent courage I experienced after hours of frustration when a difficult reasoning finally made sense. It's the self-assurance I've gained from realizing that I'm no longer the scared freshman who was hesitant to approach a command line. Every challenging module and late-night study session was a "commit" to becoming a better, more capable version of myself.