CS373 - Lifetime Assignment: Ever Due, Never Done

Lifetime Assignment: Ever due, never done

In this course — and beyond it — your most important work will never be graded or complete.
The habits you build here are not assignments with deadlines, but lifelong practices that shape how you learn, lead, and live.

These are the “ever due, never done” commitments of a thoughtful professional: to keep learning, questioning, writing, reflecting, and contributing with integrity.
They are reminders that growth in computer science — and in life — is a continuous process of curiosity, humility, and care.

The table below outlines these enduring habits — a kind of lifelong syllabus you carry forward after the course ends.

Habit	Description
Keep learning new things	Never stop being a student. Stay curious about how the world works — in technology, in art, in people. Read, listen, build, and ask questions, not because you must, but because you get to.
Own your work and your words	Take responsibility for what you create and say. Whether it’s a line of code, an email, or a conversation, make it honest, clear, and kind. You are always the author of your impact.
Seek understanding before certainty	Be comfortable not knowing. Let curiosity replace fear when you encounter something new. Listen deeply, ask thoughtful questions, and revise your beliefs when better information appears.
Write and speak with care	Good communication isn’t decoration — it’s respect. Practice saying exactly what you mean, using enough words, no more. Choose clarity over complexity, empathy over ego.
Practice humility and gratitude	Remember how much of what you know came from others — teachers, mentors, friends, and strangers. Express gratitude often. Humility keeps you teachable; gratitude keeps you connected.
Balance ambition with rest	Work hard on things that matter, but also know when to pause. Reflection, rest, and joy are not luxuries; they are part of sustaining excellence and creativity over a lifetime.
Stay kind in difficult conversations	Dialogue is where real knowledge is built. Approach disagreement as collaboration. Listen fully, respond thoughtfully, and honor the humanity behind every perspective.
Nurture integrity in small decisions	The habits that define you form in the quiet moments — when no one is grading, watching, or rewarding you. Choose honesty, fairness, and effort because they are right, not because they are required.
Pay your learning forward	Share what you know freely. Teach, mentor, and encourage others. Helping someone else learn is one of the best ways to keep learning yourself.
Keep revising yourself	Just as no paper is ever finished — only submitted — your personal and professional growth is never complete. Revisit your assumptions, refine your habits, and edit your life toward wisdom.
Keep perspective	Remember that technology, careers, and even success are means, not ends. Measure your life not by how much you’ve built, but by how much you’ve helped others thrive.
Continue showing up	For your work, your people, your community — keep showing up with curiosity, humility, and care. Consistency over time builds both character and contribution.
Live with wonder	Find beauty in complexity and joy in problem-solving. Keep noticing how remarkable it is that you get to think, create, and connect — ever due, never done.