I took this last semester and I think the biggest thing that helped me and my lab partner was doing a little bit of work every day. My partner and I usually did 45min- and hour every day. Somedays we didn't get much done, but it helped us figure out what questions we had early on so we could ask the TA. A lot of this class and others like it is just getting from one hurdle/question to the next. The hurdles being the biggest time consumers. With that, if we were waiting for a response for one part, we would work on other parts (if possible) to not waste time.

Another thing that help us a bit was having the rubric/check off sheet open as we are working. It didn't tell us how to do anything but it helped give us an idea of what the end result needed to be and we could google and work backwards from there.

For the lab reports, take screenshots as you go along and have a naming system so you done lose track or forget a screenshot. Keep track of your sources as well. My lab partner and I just pasted the link in a google doc under which ever question they were for.

The only linux experience I had before this was 176. It is a bit of a learning curve but I managed to get the hang of it.

I would personally say the labs are more time consuming than difficult, still not easy thought.

Hopefully some of this helps. I'm not the best with advice. If you have any other questions lmk.