This is the sixth post in a weekly series of blog posts I will be writing to document my experience in CS327E, Elements of Databases, for the Elements of Computing Program at The University of Texas at Austin.

Check out my previous week’s blog post.

Monday, February 18

Today we blazed through SQL Subqueries. This has thus far been the most interesting SQL topic for me, as subqueries really allow complex questions to be answered. I keep thinking about how I hear the buzz words “BIG DATA” left and right in the tech industry these days. SQL subqueries are now the first thing my brain jumps to as a first step there. Answer questions that are interesting and worth answering by looking at data relationships. We compared the value of using subqueries over temporary tables and joins. Our first test is on Thursday, I feel really good about it. I’ve been keeping up with reading and playing around with the code we review in class. Its also my last semester of college, so tests don’t quite get to me like when I was a freshman. Wow, I can’t believe it’s been three years!

Wednesday, February 20

Today was mainly a review of everything we have covered thus far. For just a month of classes we have covered a pretty large range of topics including: Python, Pair Programing, XML, IDREFS, XSD, JSON, JSON schemas, Relational Algebra and now we are to SQL. It seems like a lot to fit into one test, but it makes a whole lot of sense. I’m really happy with how this course is organized, I feel like it’s a very logical structure that has really been thought out well. It’s also the most interesting and at this point most real-world of all my classes here at UT.

Friday, February 21

No class due to our first exam on Thursday evening. The test went really well, I feel very good about it. 20 multipul choice questions and 5 open ended questions where we wrote code. Multiple choice questions for coding are not my forte by any means, as I don’t really feel they are the best demonstration of knowledge, however I was pleased that the questions were very focused, and expected a reasonable level and depth of knowledge.

Check out next week’s blog post.

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