1 00:00:10,580 --> 00:00:15,450 So in this very brief lecture, I'm going to tell you the secrets of how to succeed in this course. 2 00:00:15,470 --> 00:00:18,890 Please note that this is a summary of the full How to Succeed lecture. 3 00:00:18,890 --> 00:00:23,240 So to view the full lecture, which includes more background information about why these guidelines 4 00:00:23,240 --> 00:00:27,860 exist and where they came from, please visit the FAQ at the end of this course. 5 00:00:28,130 --> 00:00:33,410 So there are three guidelines you should follow if you want the highest chance for success in this course. 6 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:38,500 Guideline number one, use the Q&A. 7 00:00:38,890 --> 00:00:40,780 This goes for any and all questions. 8 00:00:40,780 --> 00:00:45,400 Even if you think they are not worth asking, or that the costs might outweigh the benefit. 9 00:00:45,430 --> 00:00:50,340 One common objection I see is that students believe it will take too long to get an answer. 10 00:00:50,350 --> 00:00:54,130 In fact, questions are typically answered within 24 hours. 11 00:00:54,430 --> 00:00:59,050 Another common objection I see is that students say they don't know what question to ask. 12 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,500 In fact, you are exactly who should be asking questions. 13 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,200 The fact that you cannot even think of a question is a sign that you haven't thought about the topic 14 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:07,920 enough. 15 00:01:08,100 --> 00:01:13,380 Understanding the material enough to even formulate a proper question is part of your homework as you 16 00:01:13,380 --> 00:01:14,460 take this course. 17 00:01:14,490 --> 00:01:20,190 In fact, oftentimes simply thinking about how to formulate your question clearly leads to finding the 18 00:01:20,190 --> 00:01:21,270 answer yourself. 19 00:01:21,870 --> 00:01:27,000 What I do not want to see is people being afraid of asking questions because they don't want to be corrected 20 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:28,470 in front of their peers. 21 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:33,330 As a reminder, this place is totally anonymous, so you should have no fear of being wrong. 22 00:01:36,870 --> 00:01:39,270 Guideline number two This is simple. 23 00:01:39,300 --> 00:01:41,550 Meet the prerequisites for this course. 24 00:01:41,790 --> 00:01:45,960 To clarify, the prerequisites are not an obstacle or barrier to entry. 25 00:01:45,990 --> 00:01:48,810 They are simply information for you to make use of. 26 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:53,310 For example, if you come across something in this course that you don't understand, you can bet it 27 00:01:53,310 --> 00:01:56,880 relies on some prerequisite that you haven't completely fulfilled. 28 00:01:56,910 --> 00:02:01,890 Therefore, the prerequisites tell you where to go when you don't understand something and you need 29 00:02:01,890 --> 00:02:03,510 to refresh your background knowledge. 30 00:02:05,910 --> 00:02:07,170 Guideline number three. 31 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:08,550 Get your hands dirty. 32 00:02:08,580 --> 00:02:12,930 There are two types of lectures in this course Conceptual lectures and coding lectures. 33 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:17,340 For conceptual lectures, the best way to stay engaged is to take handwritten notes. 34 00:02:17,370 --> 00:02:20,580 Importantly, written in your own words, not mine. 35 00:02:20,670 --> 00:02:26,580 For any derivations, make sure you follow each step and use the Q&A if there's a step you don't understand. 36 00:02:26,670 --> 00:02:31,410 For coding lectures, the best way to stay engaged is to actually code what you see. 37 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:35,070 If you're not coding in a coding course, something isn't right. 38 00:02:35,100 --> 00:02:38,550 See the lecture called How to Code by Yourself in the FAQ. 39 00:02:38,820 --> 00:02:44,310 If you're unsure about how to approach coding exercises, the key point is that every coding lecture 40 00:02:44,310 --> 00:02:46,020 you see is an exercise. 41 00:02:46,050 --> 00:02:50,820 Sometimes I'll even give you further exercises verbally inside those lectures. 42 00:02:51,810 --> 00:02:56,970 Ultimately, it's up to you to do the exercises I've suggested so that you stay engaged and achieve 43 00:02:56,970 --> 00:02:58,800 the learning goals for this course.