After all struggles that I have been through in this one year, I would like to share about common mistakes every person has made in the Final Project. If you haven't read my struggles, you can read that from here as a background before you read this post. I hope you can learn to anticipate all common mistakes in the future.
1. Pick the random topic without any knowledge or clue
More than 50% of students didn't know about what is the topic or the field they want to explore in the Final Project. It is normal. I have been through that too. But, I can assure you there is such a field or topic that is interesting for you and all you need to do is just to explore that topic or field first before you jump into it. The mistake happens when someone didn't try to explore it first before locking the selected topic. Some friends of mine regret choosing a random topic because they just choose it for no reason. If you want to jump to a topic you have never explored/known before, at least you need to explore it first. You can imagine what you will do for the rest of the year. You can also ask and consult your preference topic with your senior who has graduated from the ITB. You can discuss the plus and minus of certain topics with them. I think that the wise choice instead you just jump to a random topic without no reason or excuse.
2. Become perfectionist and idealist
This will only occur for those who have a perfectionist personality like me. There is a moment when I want my final project works perfectly and has a lot of new and unique features instead of just regular e-commerce. Every time I have finished a feature, I usually try to think about something that missing from my e-commerce module. But, it just irritates me that it happens every time I have finished a feature and it makes me screw up. I realize that I just expand my final project scope unconsciously and forgot about the main goal for this final project: to fulfill the buying and selling process in the cooperative. So I learn it the hard way and then I make up my mind again that my final project is limited to time and resource constraints so I need to prioritize all things that must be done to achieve the main goal of the final project.
It applies too when a student wants to propose a custom topic as a final project. Not a few people want to create an amazing final project and invent a new methodology or idea that has never existed before. Remember, you can dream big but there is a time and resource constraints you need to consider for the final project. There is a reason why a doctoral dissertation can be completed in 3 years at the earliest but Bachelor's Final Project in 1 year. You need to be realistic too and focus on your main goals (such as finishing a final project and graduating from the university).
3. Wait for the perfect moment
Most of the students will do their final project if there is a perfect moment to do it. Bright sky, have free time, a cozy sofa, a good coffee, and a healthy relationship if you have any. I want to state one thing for sure from what I have learned in the last 4 years in ITB (applies to anything you need to do in your life).
"There is no such thing as a perfect moment. The moment you start your work and do action for it is the perfect moment for you."
Yeah, you need to fight your laziness and just do it. Don't think too much and plan too long about your final project. If you have several actions that can be done at the moment, do them fast. If you feel afraid that it is the right solution or not, try to fight back against it because it can be a clue that you are just worried and overthinking. But if you try to think rationally, you know that you need to try your solution and it is better than doing nothing.
4. Write a report near deadline
In the 2nd or 3rd year, we usually write the report after the application or product has finished, right? But it is not the same as you work on the final project report. Like I said in the previous post, writing a big project report is not the same as a final project report. You need to write in academic convention and each part of your report should be connected and create a storytelling flow that can be read by other students in the future. Therefore, you can't just rush your report near the deadline because the quality of the report will be not maximized. Your supervisor usually criticizes your report instead of your methodology or results. You can see your report as bar progress for completing Final Project or directed documentation. You will save a lot of time in the end near the final revision because you have already written a good report.
5. Blame the situation and your supervisor
Many people always blame the situation when what they do doesn't go well. Unsupportive lecture, the missing member of the capstone project, miscommunication, and insufficient resources such as the cloud server being unavailable at the moment and lack of tech stack documentation. There are a lot of external factors that are not mentioned before but usually people will blame them. The fact is, external factors don't impact bigger than internal factors. There is one main internal factor that has the biggest impact, it is about response and perception. Remember, you have full control of your final project, including how you respond to all the events that happen to surround you. If you respond to all the events like your old good friend, it will give you a positive impact on your future work. But if you just blame the situation, you are just relying on and saying that it is not your fault, but it is their fault and then you will do nothing for handle those situation as if you can't control those condition.
6. Say yes to everything what your supervisor says
The supervisor acts as a lighter who will guide the final project being carried out as well as someone who is quite competent and accountable for your final project. But that doesn't mean that the supervisor is in charge of the final task being carried out and has full control of it. The student is the one who has full control over the final project. Students have the ability to limit the final work they do. So there are times when the advice given by the supervisor may not be applied (which is a rare case and usually we will apply it). But, if you have a strong reason why the suggestion doesn't need to be implemented and you have other alternatives, your supervisor usually considers your reason and approves your proposed solution. Supervisors like students who have the initiative and take control of the Final Project.
7. Take a lot of activity besides Final Project
Usually, final-year students will have more free time than when they were in the previous level. Each student will have their path, their interests, and work on the Final Project that they like. And sometimes many of them start to focus on internships or other research activities that keep them busy. And from that busy life, sometimes they forget the main thing that must be completed in 1 year, the Final Project. Some of the friends I know have their Final Assignments abandoned because they were too busy and focused on other things. Those who have earned money, are also more willing to work rather than complete the Final Project. Therefore, it is important to know your capacity and be smart in managing your time, priorities, and responsibilities that you take on within that 1 year.
That's all common mistakes in final project. Next post will discuss about how to maintain motivation for the final project. If you want to discuss something with me, feel free to contact me yes!
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