Over the summer, I was struck down by chickenpox. As a result, I had a large block of time in which my chief responsibilities were lying around and trying hard not to scratch a variety of very itchy sores. One of the things I produced in this process is the below - a Computer Scientist's Christmas Carol, to the tune of "The 12 days of Christmas". There's a list of items for those short on time or know the lyrics already.

In the first week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Get to all your lectures early".

In the second week of leng term my tutor said to me,
"Comment your code and get to all your lectures early".

In the third week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Use the rocks, comment your code, and get to all your lectures early".

In the fourth week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Go to seminars, use the rocks, comment your code, and get to all your lectures early".

In the fifth week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Don't pla-gar-ise... Go to seminars, use the rocks, comment your code, and get to all your lectures early".

In the sixth week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Get a good night's sleep, don't pla-gar-ise... Go to seminars, use the rocks, comment your code, and get to all your lectures early".

In the seventh week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Work in the reading week, get a good night's sleep, don't pla-gar-ise... Go to seminars, use the rocks, comment your code, and get to all your lectures early".

In the eighth week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Learn to use raptor, work in the reading week, get a good night's sleep, don't pla-gar-ise... Go to seminars, use the rocks, comment your code, and get to all your lectures early".

In the ninth week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Start coursework early, learn to use raptor, work in the reading week, get a good night's sleep, don't pla-gar-ise... Go to seminars, use the rocks, comment your code, and get to all your lectures early".

In the tenth week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Read the course newsgroups, start coursework early, learn to use raptor, work in the reading week, get a good night's sleep, don't pla-gar-ise... Go to seminars, use the rocks, comment your code, and get to all your lectures early".

In the eleventh week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Textbooks are in the library, read the course newsgroups, start coursework early, learn to use raptor, work in the reading week, get a good night's sleep, don't pla-gar-ise... Go to seminars, use the rocks, comment your code, and get to all your lectures early".

In the twelfth week of lent term my tutor said to me,
"Talk to lecturers, textbooks are in the library, read the course newgroups, start coursework early, learn to use raptor, work in the reading week, get a good night's sleep, don't pla-gar-ise... Go to seminars, use the rocks, comment your code...
and get to all your lectures early!".

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The List

12: Talk to lecturers
11: Textbooks are in the library
10: Read the course newsgroups
9: Start coursework early
8: Learn to use raptor
7: Work in the reading week
6: Get a good night's sleep
5: Don't pla-gar-ise...
4: Go to seminars
3: Use the rocks
2: Comment your code
1: Get to all your lectures early.