What should I concentrate my study on for the next few months?

[mint_thins]

Im due to study CS in a Canadian university starting September and Im wondering what I should be doing until then.
I'll try to explain my skill level as well as I can. I've read through several books on C, C++, C#, Python, but haven't had a lot of hands on experience. The largest piece of software I wrote was one that utilized a webapi and did some really easy string manipulation. I'd say I'm just below what some may call a scriptkiddy. Oh I built the computer Im typing this on now, but thats hardly a feat these days..
One thing I can say with confidence however is that Ive dabbed into many fields in computing, and know more about them than the average user.

Now here are things I am interested in
Python. My uni's introductory language will be Python. I can read and understand code, but not write it without going back and forth through documentation.
Web development. is all the hype or has been for a while now, but somehow Ive avoided it as it felt "messy" if anyone could understand...
Computer Vision. I leaning towards specializing in CV and AI. I did play around with OpenCV a yr ago for AR project that never got finished...
Mathematics. is the foundation so I know I should be revising it but I didn't go to a Canadian high school so I don't know what level of maths is expected and to what extent.

So what should I do??
Try to master python?
Just work on getting my foundation firm ie. HS level maths, physics, ....English?
Try to set up a website, preferably something dynamic and uses a CMS such as Django?
I guess I could also do mobile dev. iPhone or android.

My ideas are all over the place so if there are things I should be doing instead of any of these, or any tips at all, please comment.

[jcollins1991]

Even if you start studying for stuff in university the truth is it won't help that much past the first term or two since there's so much stuff covered... Also, knowing programming languages may be useful but in general knowing actual theory is more important but there's really no way to know exactly what you need until you actually get into the courses... IMO try and get a job to get work experience and aside from that just do whatever interests you most (programming on android might help with finding a job, iPhone too but their development tools only run on macs >__<)...

ps. If you REALLY want to start learning ahead for cs try reading up on stuff like lists, trees, pointers, big O notation (efficiency), etc... for math courses I wouldn't suggest trying to get ahead, there's way too much stuff covered in first year to learn it all in a few months, if anything just make sure you understand everything from HS math...

[chrisbrown]

If you want my advice:

mint_thins @ Thu May 27, 2010 4:28 am wrote:

So what should I do??
Try to master python? No.
Just work on getting my foundation firm ie. HS level maths, physics, ....English?
Try to set up a website, preferably something dynamic and uses a CMS such as Django? No.
I guess I could also do mobile dev. iPhone or android. No.

Three of those things are not things to do in your spare time to prepare for university. If they interest you, find a job that pays you to do so.

You time would be best spent getting as solid a grasp as possible on everything taught in HS math.

Other than that, write small programs in Python and practice debugging. You could memorize all the programming textbooks in the world, but without actually coding hands-on, they won't help in the slightest.

[yoursecretninja]

Have some fun... enjoy your summer! You've got 4 years of hard work ahead of you.

[Prabhakar Ragde]

I'm with yoursecretninja. Read some good novels. Try cooking something new. Do a road trip with friends.

[jbking]

Essays on Calculus has a lot of material though down near the bottom of the page are some links to an introductory Calculus course that may be worth reviewing and seeing how easy or hard it is for you to understand that work. I'd also consider if there are things outside CS you enjoy and would be where you'd take some electives as I'd imagine some programs would want you to take some non-CS stuff.

Another thought is to make sure you know how you learn. Does reading the textbook work for you? Do you do well when working with others around you or better solo? How many practice problems do you do to make sure you know how to do something? These are just some starting questions that I'd think may be useful in helping prepare you for university in some ways.