Chris Abella

As the semester drew to a close, this final week turned out to be a whirlwind of emotions, stress, surprises, and ultimately, gratitude. It all started with our first consultation for the finals with our professor. To our relief (and pride), it went incredibly well. The highlight? Our user manual getting praised for being well-made! That moment of validation felt like a pat on the back for all the hard work we’ve poured into this project so far.

But the surprises didn’t end there. Just as we were bracing ourselves for the final examination, our professor gave us an early Christmas present: we were all exempted from the finals. 🎁✨ It was like the weight of the world was lifted off our shoulders. Suddenly, we had the freedom and time to focus on what truly mattered—perfecting our app.

And if that wasn’t enough, the blessings kept coming. In FCS, we were treated to yet another present from our professor—a double gift! 🎉 No complaints from us; we were overjoyed and motivated to finish strong.

That same day, we pulled yet another overnight session. This time, it wasn’t just about debugging or planning—it was about finalizing the project and filming our video presentation. There was a certain energy in the room, a mix of exhaustion and excitement, as we worked through the night to make sure everything was polished and ready.

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Then came Saturday—the big day. The day to present our app. It was the culmination of weeks of hard work, late nights, and countless challenges. But as expected, it wasn’t without its drama. While we were preparing for the presentation, the video was still exporting. The tension was real. Would it be ready in time? Thankfully, with minutes to spare, the video finished exporting, and our project was officially 100% complete.

The presentation went smoothly, and by the end of it, there was this incredible feeling of accomplishment. We had done it. From the first brainstorming session to this final moment, we had overcome every obstacle, learned so much, and created something we were genuinely proud of.

Looking back, this semester has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences. It wasn’t just about developing an app or acing exams—it was about growth, resilience, and teamwork. There were moments of doubt, moments of triumph, and moments where we just had to laugh through the stress to keep going.

To my team: I honestly couldn’t have done this without you. Every single one of you brought something unique and essential to the table. Whether it was your creativity, your problem-solving skills, or just the way you lightened the mood when things got tough—thank you. Thank you for your dedication, your late nights, and for believing in this project. This wasn’t just a project; it was a journey we took together, and I’m so grateful to have had you all by my side.

To our professors: thank you for the guidance, support, and for those unforgettable gifts that eased our burden and gave us the space to truly focus.

This semester may have been tough, but it reminded me of the beauty of perseverance and the joy of creating something meaningful with people who share the same vision. And as we close this chapter, I’m filled with nothing but gratitude and excitement for what’s next.

Here’s to endings that feel like beginnings. 💡✨

It’s the final week of the semester, and what better way to wrap it up than with the final quiz? LOL. Of course, the quiz was inevitable, but for once, I can actually say I did kinda well! 🎉 Maybe all the chaos, cramming, and stress finally paid off, or maybe I just got lucky—who knows? Either way, I was feeling pretty good about it.

After the quiz, we all thought it was going to be business as usual. You know, the routine: getting dismissed, packing up, and heading home. But this time, something unexpected happened. Instead of just wrapping up, our professor gathered us for a heartfelt, sentimental moment.

He shared his thoughts about us—how grateful he was to have us as students and how much he appreciated all the effort we put into his class. It wasn’t something I expected at all, and honestly, it hit me in the feels. That short, wholesome moment made me stop and reflect on everything we’d been through this semester.

When I look back, it feels like this semester has been a rollercoaster ride of challenges, learning, and growth. There were moments of frustration, like struggling with sequential diagrams and quizzes that made my brain want to shut down. There were also moments of triumph—like figuring things out last minute and realizing that, somehow, we could do it.

I’ve learned that growth doesn’t come from staying comfortable. It comes from pushing through the hard stuff, even when it feels impossible. And it wasn’t just about the academics. The camaraderie we built as a class, the way we supported each other during activities, and even the shared laughter in the middle of stressful nights made it all worthwhile.

This semester wasn’t perfect, but it was meaningful. And that’s what makes it unforgettable. I’m leaving this class not just with more knowledge, but with the reminder that effort, resilience, and a little bit of teamwork can go a long way.

To our professor: thank you for the lessons and the kind words. And to my classmates: we did it! Here’s to moving forward and taking everything we’ve learned with us. On to the next chapter (Final examination). 💡✨

This week, we explored a new topic: data mining. It was a lot to take in, but honestly, it felt like diving into a whole new world of possibilities. The discussion covered so much—from understanding data warehouses and OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) to unraveling concepts like association rules mining, clustering approaches, classification with decision trees, and sequential pattern mining. Each part felt like a mini puzzle that built on the last, making the whole picture clearer (well, sort of). 😅

After the lecture, we jumped straight into a group activity to apply what we had just learned. And let me tell you, it was no walk in the park. Working as a team meant plenty of brainstorming, debating approaches, and sometimes second-guessing ourselves. But there’s something about the chaos of it all that makes it exciting.

By the end of the activity, we may not have been perfect, but we gave it our best shot. Data mining is definitely one of those topics that feels like it’s going to stick around for a while—both in my brain and in the real world. It’s challenging, but I can already see how powerful it can be. 💡✨

So, while it wasn’t the easiest week, it was definitely one that pushed us to think harder and collaborate better. Another step forward! 🚀

Another week down, and this time it came with the dreaded first quiz for the finals. I wish I could say I went in confidently, but let’s be real—was I prepared? Kinda. Did I think it was going to be that hard? Absolutely not. 😭

I mean, I knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. But this quiz? It was next-level hard. It felt like the questions were staring into my soul, asking for answers I didn’t even know I had. Analysis, analysis, analysis—that was the vibe, and I just sat there wondering if my brain was secretly on vacation. 🧠✈️

How do I think I did? Honestly, no clue. I don’t want to check my results because they’re both good and bad until proven otherwise. But hey, at least it’s done. There’s some weird relief in just finishing it, no matter how shaky I feel about the outcome. ✔️

So here’s to hoping for the best but bracing for whatever comes. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll actually prepare better next time. (Famous last words, right?) 😂💡

This week, we tackled our second topic for the finals: APIs. It started with the basics—what APIs are, why they’re important, how they work, and some examples. Honestly, I thought I was keeping up just fine… until the activity. 😅

The task? Each of us had a role to play, and I was assigned to create a sequential diagram. 💻📊

Now, here’s the thing: I had no idea how to make one. Sequential what? Diagram who? For a moment, I felt completely out of my depth, staring at the blank page like it was mocking me. The stress hit me hard. 😭

But giving up wasn’t an option. With a deep breath (and a lot of Googling), I dove into the world of sequential diagrams. Lifelines, actors, arrows—it was a whole new language, and I had to learn it fast. Every little step felt like a win: figuring out the flow, understanding the design, and piecing it all together. 🧩

Minutes later, I finally had something that resembled a sequential diagram. Perfect? Maybe not. Functional? Absolutely. And honestly, the sense of accomplishment after finishing it was worth every ounce of stress. 🎉

This wasn’t just about completing an activity; it was about proving to myself that I could learn something new under pressure. And let’s be real—those are the “good days,” when you look back and realize you did something you didn’t think you could. 💪✨

Our final semester officially started. It felt surreal walking into that class, knowing this is the last stretch.

The session began with a lesson discussion. Nothing too heavy—just diving into the basics of what we’ll be tackling this semester.

After the discussion, we jumped into some activities. We worked on case studies, analyzed them, and answered the questions. It was a good mix of individual thinking and teamwork, which I guess is what this semester is all about—learning how to apply what we’ve been taught!

It’s only day one, but it feels like things are about to get real. Fingers crossed we can make it through!

Ah, the sweet promise of a week meant for rest—a break, a breather, a time to recharge. Or so we thought (Insert horror sounds), But if there’s one thing our team knows how to do, it’s turning downtime into “grind-time.” Yup, instead of binge-watching series or catching up on sleep, we decided to keep the momentum going with our app development. Because progress waits for no one, right? 🚀💻

The highlight of the week? Overnight at Josh’s house. 🏠✨ We packed our laptops, chargers, snacks (lots of them 🍕🍪), and maybe a questionable amount of caffeine. Coffee became our fuel, and the glow of our screens lit up the room like we were about to hack into the NASA. 🖥️☕

Speaking of coffee… I’m not used to it. Like, at all. But desperate times call for desperate measures, so I decided to give it a shot. The problem? I grabbed a pack of pure black coffee thinking it was one of those 3-in-1 mixes. So there I was, confidently adding three teaspoons to my cup, expecting creamy, sweet goodness... Instead, I got a supercharged rocket fuel as bitter as the color black. ☕🚀

I was wide awake for the entire night—eyes like saucers, heart pounding, thoughts racing. 😅

By 3 AM, we hit a weird point where everything seemed funny. By sunrise 🌅, though, we had made real progress—a few more bugs squashed, a few more features polished. And while our brains felt like scrambled eggs 🥴, there was this shared sense of accomplishment. Like, we were tired, but it was the good kind of tired. 💪

So yeah, this week wasn’t exactly restful in the traditional sense, but it was worth it. Because every keystroke, every brainstorming session, and every ounce of lost sleep (or caffeine-induced hyperactivity) is getting us closer to our goal. And isn’t that what really matters? ✨✨

Rest can wait. For now, we’re building something we’re proud of. 💡✨

Picture this: it’s the night before our PIT presentation, and we’re still tweaking code and polishing up every last pixel of our app. Last-minute chaos is an understatement! And Ray? Our fearless lead developer, held it down like a pro, steering every part of the project to almost completion. We pulled through, running on pure adrenaline, and on presentation day, we took a daring leap: we went first. No waiting, no extra nerves—just straight into the spotlight!

The nerves were intense, but everything went smoothly, and the feedback? Chef’s kiss. Our professor gave us great comments and even offered a chance to do a follow-up presentation on Friday. Fueled by this shot of motivation, we immediately got back to work. We refined our app even more, fixed tiny bugs, and added a few extra flourishes to make it shine.

Midterms finally hit, and, wow, it was chaos! My schedule was a full-on marathon: endless late-night study sessions, squeezing in practice problems whenever I could, and pushing through with coffee as my best friend. Each subject felt like a mini-boss battle, and while most of it went okay, there were definitely a couple that hit harder than expected.

So, I came into Quiz Saga Part 2 like I knew what was up. I had prepared this time, knowing the style, the tricky wording, and the type of questions I’d likely face. Feeling prepped and ready, I started off strong. My mind was set on serving answers, no hesitation… or so I thought.

But halfway through, those trick questions started popping up, throwing me off my game. I kept my cool, answering confidently, yet there was that nagging feeling that some of my responses might be a little too confident. The quiz ended, and while I felt mostly good, a tiny wave of doubt hit. As the day went on, I found myself obsessing over certain questions. Could I have been too hasty? Were there answers that I should have changed?

With classes canceled for the week, you'd think it was time to relax. But nope! My team and I decided to dive right into our Performance Innovative Task (PIT). We had a productive online meeting, hammering out ideas, tackling backend and frontend roles, and prepping for the weeks ahead.

This week was also my big dive into Android Studio for frontend work, and wow, it's been a rollercoaster! Learning to design and layout screens was a bit overwhelming. From understanding the XML structure to making things actually look good, it’s been a constant back-and-forth with errors popping up every other minute. But with the team’s encouragement (and some laughs over my “newbie struggles”), I’m slowly piecing things together.

I've got one thing to say.... YOU BETTER WERK!!! No, like literally, you better work GIRLL because if you don't then your life is DOOMED!!! Those where literally the thoughts that were running through my mind all throughout the entire session of class that we had last time... During discussion, It hit me that I need to start the front-end design of our project ASAP because while the time is running out, my code is still not running...

Although my mind was racing, I still carefully listened to what was being discussed. The topic last meet basically gave an overview of the essential software testing concepts. It was explained how testing is utilized to identify defects and ensures that the software works as intended. Black box testing was also introduced, where it basically looks at input-output without needing to understand the internal code, and we also discussed white box testing, where it checks the internal logic and code structure. Another thing highlighted was test automation, which speeds up testing by using automated tools, and we also talked about quality assurance practices in order to maintain high standards throughout the development process. Additionally, user acceptance testing using John Brooke’s System Usability Scale was covered, and it is a method utilized to gauge user satisfaction and ease of use.

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After the 2 hours long discussion, it was finally time for another activity so that we can apply what we have learned from the discussion. I actually thought we were still going to be grouped into 4 separate groups, but this time, there were 6 groups, which means that the members for each group were reduced. And because of that I was filled with a little bit of apprehension and trepidation when we were waiting for the instructions, thinking that there may be some plot twists with this activity. Thankfully though the activity was fairly easy, we basically had to find the flaws and errors of different instances that were flashed on screen, then we had to give corrections and suggestions to it. During the process, my team and I worked effortlessly and we managed to complete it on time. But during the last few minutes of doing the activity, our instructor suddenly announced about how we need to present 70% of our project proposal for the midterm!! I was so surprised and shocked that I had to stop writing for a second LMAO. After I processed that information, I quickly thought that my earlier realization about having to start the project soon was indeed a right decision after hearing the announcement! And as I was going home, I promised to myself that I am gonna start on that very evening, and it did came true... in my dreams!

Kidding aside, I really did start making the front end design along with my groupmates and our progress so far is quite good! All in all, this week was filled with quite a lot of turns and ups. And all I can say is Good God, Get A Grip Girl and FOCUS!!!

"2 weeks and your mom invites me to her house in long beach, is it casual now?" Just like what Chappell said, is it casual now that we're 4 weeks in or are we getting for real right now? Although I would like to think that it is still casual, the hard truth is that it's not. Over the past few weeks, the topics we've discussed have slowly increased until the load was nearly enough for us to have our first quiz the following week. At least that's what we thought when we first entered the room, however it soon changed when our professor told us that we were going to have our quiz that day, a palpable sense of panic and horror was felt by everyone at that very moment, including myself. Although I was slightly prepared because I did a light review on the first topic, it was still not enough to help me pass and salvage myself from the dreadful test. However the feeling was soon dissipated when our professor said that we were just going to discuss the second topic, everybody breathed a sigh of relief the moment our professor said that.

Attached here are the shocked faces of Ms. Gwen and Ms. April 😝😜

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As usual, before the class started we had our cutesy little game, the REBUS PUZZLE!!. And do you want to know what makes this different from the past games? It's because this time, I finally got a correct answer! YAYY!!! The answer was supposedly Jack-in-box but I said Jack-in-the-box, but the professor still considered it as correct, so it's still a win for me. (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

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Everybody was on a high after that mini-game and it was finally time to start the discussion...

The discussion began by defining the software design, where its critical role in the software lifecycle was emphasized. The purpose of software design was also highlighted, which was to create a blueprint for building software that meets specified requirements while ensuring maintainability, scalability, and usability. Then the core design principles were discussed such as problem partitioning, abstraction, modularity, and top down & bottom up strategy. Then the system implementation and its deployment were covered next. It was highlighted that we should follow the design blueprint closely so that we can ensure that the software meets its requirements. And that we should also note the importance of rigorous testing at every stage to ensure that the software is free of defects. And before deploying the system to the production environment, there should be strategies discussed first and also consider the rollbacks, monitoring, and maintenance of the system. And finally, the importance of code refactoring, it is the process of restructuring the existing code in order to improve the readability and also reduce the complexity without having to change the external behavior. Overall, the topic was discussed in great detail with numerous examples to further help us understand the topic.

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As expected, after the discussion we had another activity where we had to design a system based on the problem given to us. We were still grouped into 4,and also by pure coincidence, the problem assigned to us was similar to the current project that we were doing, to design an online bookstore where users can browse books, add them to a shopping cart, and make purchases, and what's even funnier is that I was in the same group with 2 of the other members from the project, so color us surprised! In doing the task, I was assigned to create the initial design diagram for the system. Honestly, with the amount of time given and the resources available to use, I think we did well with the interface of the system. Although there were critiques from the other group that COMPLETELY left us speechless, I thought that we still did a great job with our output. And of course, what's the best way to end the class with an announcement for an upcoming quiz the following week! (┬┬﹏┬┬) May we survive the quiz next meet... so not looking forward to it ಥ_ಥ So in conclusion, no it is NOT casual, WE ARE LOCKED IN!!

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And before we end the week, we did a follow-up consultation on the pre-requisites of our manuscript, the hard-work and perseverance of the team bore fruit as it led to us being in the lead to finish the pre-requisites first. However, our Activity 1 was completely wrong, I guess we got lost in translation. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ In the end, the consultation finished rather quickly, with minor adjustments here and there, and it finally ended in a positive note. 💖💖

I did not expect to have another full week without school, and though it was not in my plan, life happens and you grab it by its horns. Instead of having this period free and avoiding any work being done at all, my team and I deemed it proper to address the corrections from our last consultation. We all knew that the extra time could be a blessing if we used it wisely.

I found myself back in a familiar role—working on the interface designs. In the beginning, I was eager to get back to working with Figma, but once I began, I struggled with a new problem. After spending so much time on the project, I had become almost too familiar with our application. Everything started to look the same, and the excitement I usually feel when designing was fading. It was as if the design had lost its spark, and I was just going through the motions. I realized that I had to take a different approach if I wanted to light that creative spirit again.

That’s when I decided to take a different approach with the admin interface. Rather than playing it safe and going with the usual design, I challenged myself further by trying out new layouts, color schemes, and user flows. It was a bit risky, stepping away from what we had done before, but I felt it was necessary to breathe new life into the project. I spent hours tweaking every detail, and slowly but surely, the new design started to come together. It was fresh, vibrant, and, most importantly, it didn’t feel like the same old interface we had been staring at for week

I was a little anxious when I shared the redesign with my team; however, based on their response, I knew I had made the right decision. They liked it and we unanimously agreed that this will be the final look we will settle for. It was a great feeling, knowing that we had taken something that had become a bit stale and transformed it into something exciting and new.

Towards the end of the week, we strove to prepare all that needed to be done to prepare for the next consultation. This made us set our goal to be fully prepared to take our instructor through the improvements that we had made. However we weren't able to consult because we received news that the instructor was very busy, so we decided it was best not to add to his stress. Instead, we chose to postpone the consultation to the following week.