"Good planning helps you complete your studies faster"
Jin Ke was awarded the prize for outstanding achievements in the Master’s degree program in Applied Computer Science, sponsored by the IT consultancy Comma Soft, at the academic ceremony.
In this interview, she explains how she decided to study Applied Computer Science and what she will do after graduation. She also reveals her four most important tips for successfully completing her studies.
Jin, congratulations on your outstanding degree and the award. Back to the beginning: How did you decide on your field of study?
It’s a long story. I actually already have a Bachelor’s degree in International Trade from China. My original plan was to do a Master’s degree in economics in Germany. But when I came to Germany to learn German, I learned that the job prospects in the field of computer science are very good and that there is a huge demand for computer science graduates on the job market. Since I am good at mathematics, which is a crucial foundation of computer science, and I also have good logical thinking skills, I decided to change my course and study computer science.
You won the prize for outstanding achievements in your studies. What are your tips for successful studies?
Tip 1: Stay patient and persevere
I think studying computer science requires a lot of patience, as many problems cannot be solved immediately. If you give up, you won’t achieve anything. Every time I solve a difficult problem, I am very happy, even if it takes a lot of time.
Tip 2: Know your own strengths and weaknesses
It is important to recognize your own strengths and weaknesses. In my case, I don’t expect myself to master everything. My goal is to do my best in the areas I am good at. I really appreciate the Master’s program at RUB because students have the freedom to choose courses that interest them. Therefore, I only chose courses in my Master’s program that I am interested in and good at. If you are interested in what you are learning, you can concentrate better.
Tip 3: Exercise
Another important tip is to exercise regularly. Our field of study requires us to sit in front of the computer for long periods of time. But in my experience, sport not only helps your health, it also helps you think. I often suddenly get ideas about how to solve a problem I’m working on while doing sport.
Tip 4: Plan your studies well and in good time
Finally, I would like to share one more important point: Make a good semester plan. The earlier, the better. At the beginning of your studies, you should make a list of the courses you want to take each semester. You should not take too many or too few courses in a semester, but plan according to your own capacity. Good planning helps you to complete your studies more quickly without constantly postponing your final exams.
You have successfully completed your Master’s degree. What’s next for you?
I was very lucky to be able to work on a very interesting topic during my Master’s thesis. After graduating, I was then lucky enough to get a PhD position where I can explore my Master’s thesis topic in more depth. I am currently working in a great research group where I have come across many more exciting topics and have already achieved some excellent research results. I recently found out that our research will be published at a leading international conference (VLDB2024), which I am very excited about.