The 8085 computer has been a standing project in the lab. Based on work from previous years, students are called to utilise the knowledge they've acquired during the first semester (which I did not take) to construct the computer based on the schematics provided. Furthermore, each group is assigned a side-project, which usually is the addition of one of a few peripherals available, such as a keyboard, character LCD or, alternatively for the most daring, a full-graphic LCD, external sensors and so on.

My story was a bit braver, though. Not having attended the first semester of Microelectronics, I decided to take the second half of the course and see what happens. I originally was the third member of a group (which are always comprised of two) but I soon decided to go on my own. To make things worse —or better, depending on which side you look at it— the schematics we were given were wrong.
Fortunately, I never looked at them but relied on a basic logic map and the datasheets of the components. That added a little more to my accomplishment. Pursuing a different wiring strategy than the rest also made an impact, as did the fact that my board worked from the beginning, without any corrections.

Finally, that project got me a straight 10 that semester, but that was not the best I got from it. Being able to pull this off, it made my reputation in the Electronics Lab and paved the way for more.
Thank you, little 8085!