The Final Stretch at FAST

It only seems yesterday when you wake up, pack up your bag and come to university for your first day of the semester. First forward twelve weeks and the final week of the semester starts. Soon you forget all the good times and all the bad times of the semester only this week matters.
Undoubtedly, the biggest feature of the final weeks is the mysterious feeling of joy and fear. Joy that the semester is about to finish and the fear that the finals are about to start. Additionally, the final week is combination of deadlines. There are projects to submit, reports to finish and presentations to give. The classes slowly finish but the workload only increases since revision for the finals start. The library gets filled and there is no space in the computer lab. Everyone wants to give their best and perform well.

It is during this week that you realize the caliber of this university. For some the pressure is too much and they can’t take it anymore.

In my opinion it’s the best week of the semester.

By: Nashit Bin Mashkoor

BS(Civil Engineering) at FAST

The Civil Engineering degree is based on the HEC/PEC approved curriculum. In the first year the students learn the fundamentals of Civil Engineering supported by essential mathematics and physics courses. These courses are followed by breadth courses which introduce students to different aspects of Civil Engineering. In the senior year students choose a specialization stream and study advanced courses.

In the highly competitive job market a graduate engineer is not only required to be knowledgeable in technical areas but is also expected to have excellent communication skills and an appreciation of cost effective engineering solutions. Students are offered courses in communication skills to prepare them for challenging environments. Courses like Professional Ethics contribute towards enhancing soft skills that help prepare a well-rounded personality. This degree program opens careers in different areas of Civil engineering.

By: Hassan Arshad

BS(Electrical Engineering) at FAST

The Electrical Engineering degree is based on the HEC/PEC approved curriculum. In the first year the students learn the fundamentals of Electrical Engineering supported by essential mathematics and physics courses. These courses are followed by breadth courses which introduce students to different specialties in Electrical Engineering. In the senior year students choose a specialization stream and study advanced courses. Currently specializations are being offered in three areas, Telecommunication Engineering, and Computer Engineering. In the highly competitive job market a young engineer is not only required to be knowledgeable in technical areas but is also expected to have excellent communication and managerial skills and an appreciation of modern day economics to design and implement a cost effective engineering solution. 

Students are offered courses in communication skills, engineering management and economics to prepare them for challenging environments. Social Science electives and courses in Professional Ethics contribute in enhancing the soft skills and help prepare a well rounded personality. The course work is supported by state of the art engineering labs. During four years, students work in twelve different labs where they perform experiments using state of the art instruments, equipment and simulation software.
The offered specialization streams are : Telecommunication Engineering Computer Engineering Electronics

By: Nashit Bin Mashkoor

BS(Computer Science) at FAST

The purpose of Computer Science degree programs is to produce computer scientists, who can form the backbone of the rapidly growing computer industry. The BS program is focused on developing an in depth understanding of both the theoretical and practical aspects of computer science through a rigorous course work spanning over a period of four years. Students are given unique opportunities to go beyond traditional computer science and get themselves involved in research activities through various research and industrial collaboration programs carried out at the campuses. This ensures a broad based educational foundation that prepares them for leadership roles along diverse career paths. 

To equip students with modern trends in the ever changing field of computer science, courses are offered in concentration areas of Semantic Web, Multi-Agent Intelligent Systems, Networks, Data Mining and Data Warehousing, Software Engineering and Quality Assurance, Graphics and Game Programming, Image Processing, Soft Computing, Corporate and Business Computing, E-commerce etc. Students select courses from these areas to match with their future career options in a broad range of industrial, corporate, multinational, governmental and non-governmental organizations. Our courseware is tailored according to the international standards to nurture capacity building and original thinking in our graduates for life-long-learning. No doubt that our graduates are highly sought after by a majority of national and international IT industry. 

By: Nashit Bin Mashkoor

Make time for Creative Thinking at FAST

Every textbook on creativity affirms to the importance of setting aside clearly defined time for creative thinking and innovation. For example, Google asks its teams to allocate at least 20% of their time to creative thinking or new projects.  But often, even if we show up ready to innovate, still something doesn’t work and fresh ideas fail to pop up like popcorn. There are two reasons for this stalemate. The first is that we don’t practice dreaming, and the second is we don’t practice focusing on cohesive ideas.

Therefore, the next rule of creative thinking is very simple: allocate time – it   might be an hour per day or per week – in which to exercise creative thinking       about something specific. A teacher told me that when he was a student many years ago he started musing about mobile phones – what they would be in 10 and 20 years’ time.

By: Nashit Bin Mashkoor

Dealing with Three Major Study Problems at FAST

Procrastination

Procrastination feeds on itself. The trick is to get started quickly. If necessary, fool yourself. Plan to work for just a few minutes, then get back to procrastination. Try thumbing through the chapter to build interest, before really studying, or read the introduction. Generate exam-type questions with classmates. Use a schedule. Work for short periods. Think positive.

Concentration

Reduce or remove external distractions. Use paper and pencil to transfer internal distractions to a list. Try talking about the subject with yourself. Or try imagining the author or teacher sitting with you. Ask them questions. What is most important? Why? Let the book answer the questions. Study with others or see a tutor.

Boredom

Plan to work shorter periods. Switch subject matter more often. Try to develop interest by using a pencil and scratch paper to sketch the 3 most important ideas. Vocalize, visualize and symbolize to engage ail of your brain. Study with others or see a tutor. Ask the teacher why the subject is important.

By: Nashit Bin Mashkoor

Eating-Disorders at FAST

Many of FAST students – both women and men – develop eating disorders during their University years, and a vast majority does not seek help or don’t realize the extent of their issues.

Eating disorders areNational Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD):extreme behaviors, emotions and attitudes that revolve around food and weight issues. These disorders cause serious mental and physical problems that can result in life-threatening issues when left untreated. According to statistics provided by the 

• People ages 12-25 represent 95% of those with eating disorders
• Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness in adolescents
• 91% of University women attempt to control their weight through dieting
• 25% of University women binge and purge to manage their weight

Though the numbers do not often reflect the number of males who suffer from eating disorders, they are nearly as likely to develop a disorder as women. Due to cultural views of eating disorders, however, they don’t often seek treatment; bulimia and anorexia are seen as women’s issues.

By: Nashit Bin Mashkoor