All CS Students at the Dalhousie Faculty of Computer Science must take the course CSCI 3110, Analysis of Algorithms. The course is known for being rather... challenging. It is either feared, loathed, or respected by any student in the Faculty. We call it Algos, a single word that can lower the temperature of the room.

Recently, the members of a forum that I frequent dispensed some advice to a student taking Algos this summer. I have collected their gems of wisdom on this page, completely without their permission. Some of these are mine, some of these were said by others. Here we go.

• Steps for success in Algos:
  1. Gather all required materials - algos reference books, many pencils, assignments from past years, lots and lots of paper.
  2. Throw all that shit in the garbage - its not going to do you any good.
  3. Register for algos in the fall.
• Start the assignments now. All of them.
• Pray that you get a TA that will at least pretend to want to help you guys out in the tutorials (and if by chance he wants to do it in English that will no doubt be incontrovertible proof of the existence of at least one (but probably multiple) gods).
• I'd suggest trying to get more involved with religion. Pray a lot.
  “besides, you'll probably have to take it more than once anyway.”
• In class, don't sit where people can see you. You'll want to cry a lot, and that could get embarassing. People won't generally make eye contact in that class, but its best to play it safe. For the same reason, work on assignments in the privacy of your own room.
• Remember, choosing when to take Algos based on the professor teaching it is like trying to choose which barrel of boiling oil to swim in based on the color of the barrel. Besides, you'll probably have to take it more than once anyway.