The last requirement of the Capstone Project prior to your presentation is to reflect on the

process by writing a final journal reflection on your process and final product addressing the
following questions. You will need to answer ALL required questions WITH DETAILED
RESPONSES.

Final Capstone Reflection Journal Entry

The Capstone is a unique and demanding challenge. In completing it, what did you learn
about your subject? Your skill set? Yourself?
Throughout my capstone project, not only did I learn a lot about myself, and the process of
building a computer. I got an opportunity to apply my skills to something that I am passionate
about, and it helped me realize that I can achieve something once I put my mind to it. I have
looked into computers and have done a lot of research in the past, since it is one of my greater
interests, and whenever my peers had a question about computers, they would approach me.
But getting to actually build what I have always looked into was a dream come true and I have
learned that there is so much more to just putting parts together. I was very proud of myself
when my computer started on the first try, It is common for first time builders to make simple
mistakes like not plugging things in all the way, or accidentally breaking a component while
installing it.
How is your project relevant to you, the school or the community-at-large?
My capstone project is very relevant to me because building a PC, was in my bucket list. It is
something I have always looked into and want to build, but making it happen through a school
project had a greater meaning for me. I feel as if it is the only thing I have done right and the first
thing I can now be proud of academically, and now with an experience of building a computer, I
can help other “first time” builders in order for them to be successful in building their first
computer.
What impact if any did your Capstone project have?
My capstone project had a big personal impact, since it is a check off my bucket list, and I guess
it brought a smile to my parents face to see me build something I have always talked to them
about. It brought my friends together, since before I could not play the same video games as
them, but now we can all play as a group, they were very happy when I told them my capstone
project.
Thinking about the whole process and your finished product, what are you most proud
of?
What I am most proud of was carrying out an Idea into a physical product. It started from a
simple build on a website, then into a computer where I am filling out my final journal with. I am
proud that I could see the start and the end to something I have always wanted to do as a kid.
What was a difficulty you encountered and how did you solve the problem?
For the most part it was a smooth sail, but one minor difficulty/problem I encountered was my
motherboard having a different label for JFP1, I had to go through my motherboard manual to
make sure that it was the right port, turns out it was the right port I initially thought it was but it
was just labeled F_PANEL. I also got my mentor/dad to confirm it, since he has previous
experience with building computers.
What is one thing about your finished project you wish you could change? Why?
One thing I wish I could change about my finished project, was to initially have a higher budget.
Since it lead me to cheap out on the one thing you should never cheap out on, when building a
computer, the power supply. So the plan is to later in the future apply my skills and upgrade
some parts once my build gets outdated.
What advice would you give to a student who will be completing their Capstone Project
next year?
I was initially struggling due to choosing a unrealistic topic, for the weather we were going to be
dealing with. It lead me to be very unproductive during class time, since nothing was being done
for my capstone, but just do something you find interesting and passionate about, and make it
happen. It all works out at the end once you put your mind to it.
What source from your research helped you the most? (or least?).
A tool that helped me the most was YouTube and the internet in general, without YouTube I
don't think I could have had the physical or mental ability to understand what I was supposed to
do in the first place, I would not know what components are needed for a computer. YouTube is
what set the foundation for me to help me learn and understand, the basics of a computer.
Without the internet I could not have easily check that my components were compatible with
another using https://pcpartpicker.com/ .
What is one thing about your approach to your project that you wish you could change?
Why?
The one thing about my approach to the project that I wish I could change, is to choose a more
realistic idea in the first place. Choosing the wrong Idea lead me to waste a lot of my class time,
and not progress with my capstone project. My initial plan for capstone was to compare and
contrast the stock components to performance/upgraded components of a car. I am glad I had
multiple ideas/interests in the first place that I could fall back to. Without the backup ideas, I
don't think I would have been successful with my capstone project. So I think it is important to
always have a plan B.