Below is a converstation between me and my good friend. I think I would listen to his advise more often now. He is good at advising.
A: Hey?
P: Hey!
A: I don’t think I am doing anything right?
P: Why? what happened?
A: Nothing particular, but the things are not going very well.
P: Like?
A: For start, DDP is not going any well. It was supposed to be a work of worth 30 credits. I think I have done like 6 credits work at max.
P: That is fine, you still have time.
A: Yes, The deadline is extended, but I don’t feel like working, I waste my time all day in meaningless thing, I am not able to do anything properly. I am truly lost. Also I am trying my hands on graudate applications and also on placements, nothing is going particularly well.
P: For what is worth, I think it is same for everyone.
A: I don’t think so, everybody seems to have done pretty well this semester. This was the semester where I have to work the hardest, and what I have done, dropped three courses and still didn’t have a clue about how this sem will pan out.
P: I think dropping courses was a wise option, since you were sick for some time as well. And let’s not look at others’ everybody got their own struggle, you have to focus on your own. Ok, so let’s start with sorting out one by one. If we look at all the problems together, then it seems like a mountain, but its just a heap of stones, we could start picking up one stone at a time and mountain would move, eventually. So first tell me what is most important this semester for you?
A: I think right now, having a decent DDP project would be the top priority. But then I could not neglect my graduate applications, since deadlines are close. And still I am very unsure about the placement thing, if I should go for it or not.P: Ok, so lets see about the DDP first, so the deadline for report submission is 11th of Dec, and today is 12th of nov, close to 1 month. Now since there are placements in between, it will take 10 more days. So basically 3 weeks. Lets say you need atleast 5 days to finalise the report, so basically you are left with 15 days.
A: 15 days are not enough.
P: Maybe, but it would be better than zero and since it would be consicutive, it would compound very quickly. Now if you could work for 8 hours in these 15 days, then it would be 120 hours, basically one month of work, which is practically speaking a work of 2 months.
A: 8 hours are too much for one day, dude.
P: Agreed, you can’t actully work for 8 hours straight, but then you could maybe differentiate the work. So you so the research for 3-4 hours and then write the latex format of the report. Since you would have many parts of the report as very mundane work, it won’t drain you as much. And then maybe could throw CV making for your graduate applications, this would also be not very tiring as the research work. So you would effectively could work for more hours.
A: Seems plausable, but again difficult due to my schedule, its messed up big time. Sleep cycle is terreble, and I feel tired all the time. I think of exercising but, couldn’t do it in time.
P: I think it is very important that you do regular exerxicise - Checkout this link, seems nice to me. You don’t need to do full sets, all the time, just 5 or 10 minutes, several time should be suffice.
A: I guess I could do that.
P: This should solve your lethargy issue to some degree, but there is no substitute for good sleep. So you should switch off all the electronic devices near you by 1 am max. You will get good sleep.
A: I will try that.
P: And for the universities, the deadlines are approaching, you should make a list of all the universities that you want to apply, with their requirements and prepare accordingly to that. Also don’t forget to ask for the recommendations.
A: Yeah, I will try to ask within this week, lets hope.
P: Write an email to profs that you are considering.
A: I will try, but I don’t feel like it.
P: Do it, and specially do it if you are feeling scared, as soon as possible.
A: Ok, I will write the draft tomorrow and maybe show it to few freinds and then send it to people. Maybe ask some of them to send their emails for asking the recommendations.
P: Good. Now on to the issue of Placements. I think you could do it all, since now you would have more time because you have dropped your courses.
A: I guess so, I have started to code, hopefully will get to something, but the thing is there is no time.
P: Ok since there is not time, you should solve learn the important things first, use the resources, ask for help with resources from someone who is good in programming. And start gathering interview specific things. Prepare for the resume.
A: Cool, make sense.
P: And you would need a proper schedule around you. Its very important. Fix the time of eating and sleeping and everything. Use google calendar extensively, and no matter what happens don’t forget the exercise, its vital.
A: I think I would start with this, lets see where I could go from here.
P: Don’t worry, even if you hit your target with 50% accuracy, you have a chance to improve next day. But only thing is that you don’t have time to lose. Set deadlines.
A: Ok, you are right. Let me set deadlines.
DDP: DDP report draft: 30th of Nov
Algorithm for the DDP: 15th Nov
Coding part finishes: 23rd of Nov
Result compilation and validation: 27th of Nov
In-depth presentation to Guide: 27th of Nov
Apping: CV draft finishes: 14th of Nov
CV review done: 16th of Nov
Final thing ready: 16th of Nov
SoP first draft: 15th Nov
SoP final draft: 18th of Nov
Initial sweep for universities : 13th of Nov
Comprehensive list for programs and deadlines : 15th of Nov
LoRs: 20th of Nov
Other required docs: 20th of Nov
Place: Vectors: 12th Nov
Set & Maps: 14th of Nov
Algorithms: 16th of Nov
Lambda and revision: 19th of Nov
Leet code: Daily atleast 5 problems
Leet code marathon: 21st of Nov - Total finish 100 problems
Interview prepration material : 16th of Nov
Interviews prep: 24th of Nov
Company Prep: 25th of Nov
P: Ok, looks very promising. Only thing remaining is to work like hell in this month. Let’s call the hell November. Make a proper scehdule around these deadlines and put it on the google calendar.
A: Ok, will send you my schedule. The preference is something like, DDP = Apping > Placements. It would also reflect in my schedule.
P: Also, listen to one thing, that I heard from somewhere and thought about it. So it goes like this, we spend our time thinking about either past, present or about the future. But the though given to each times are very different, we spend like 80% of time thinking about the future and 10% and 10% about the past and present. The numbers might be incorrect but it feels very reasonable to me. We overwhelmingly think about the future, but the thing that affects us most is our present. This shook me and gave me a some perspective. It is important to have a sight of future, but it is important to not decorate with details, have a general path and don’t think about it too much. Work towards it and work in present.
A: Seems interesting, definetly worth a thought.
P: Ok, go to work or sleep you, don’t have much time. I will be here, if you need me.
A: Thanks buddy! Good night.
P: Good night.\