2024 Review
Major Highlights
Bukuwarung (YC S21):
- Left Bukuwarung because of unfair circumstances despite being a top performer and pushing boundaries in backend development. Professionally, I identify as a data engineer.
British Petroleum (BP):
I joined BP as a senior data engineer (remote).
Faced challenges working with the worst team of my career:
I went six months without coding for office tasks (a first in my career).
Previously, I had never experienced more than a two-day gap in coding.
Despite challenges, I had time to explore personal interests and goals.
Preparation for IITH:
Choose to prepare for the IITH Master’s in Machine Learning entrance exam instead of taking the easier route of travelling, reading, or watching shows.
Successfully gained admission by clearing the written exam (similar to GATE but with easy-to-medium complexity questions) and an interview.
This was a significant academic achievement, as I hadn’t studied formally since 2018.
Running Goals:
Maintained a consistent running routine for 8 months:
Ran ~4 times a week with an average pace of 7’18” (worst) to 5’50” (best).
Covered 2.2 km per session—good progress for a beginner.
Set a goal for 2025: increase to 3.2 km per session with an average pace of 6’10” (worst).
First Bike Trip:
I undertook my first bike trip with my friend Archit.
Rode almost 200 km in a single day despite having never ridden a bike before.
This was a unique and special milestone.
BP Contract Non-Renewal:
BP unexpectedly refused to renew my contract at the last moment.
I learned that managers often prioritize salesmanship and marketing inefficient code over actual skills and performance.
Weight Loss:
- Lost 8 kg in the first two months of this phase—a personal health victory.
Tech Upgrade
- bought a new laptop, a tablet, and a monitor.
Major Learnings
On Career and Side Hustles:
Life is unpredictable and unfair; you never know when you might lose your job.
Stop relying solely on your primary job and develop a side hustle to diversify your income sources.
On Measurement and Improvement:
"Whatever gets measured gets"managed"—tracking metrics helped improve:
Running speed.
Focus hours and productivity.
Screen time management.
Sleep duration and quality.
Daily steps and calorie consumption.
Stress Management:
- Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) can significantly boost testosterone levels and is a game-changer for stress relief.
Learning from Academic Challenges:
Avoid passive learning methods like blindly copying notes—it’s ineffective.
I realized the importance of active engagement when I scored a B-grade in machine learning, which was disappointing after a history of straight-A grades.
Getting into IIT is easier, but surviving there is far more challenging.
Damn!! Normal distribution is everywhere.
Self-Reflection:
I recognized a lack of sheer determination for the things I truly want to achieve.
I learned that doing hard things builds confidence and resilience.
Resilience and emotional growth:
Developed greater resilience compared to previous years; now able to handle setbacks without overthinking or worrying excessively.
Stopped attaching negative emotions like frustration, sadness, and disappointment to work or learning activities—this shift has made learning more enjoyable.
Academic and Personal Achievements:
I completed my first semester at IITH.
I learned to master hard concepts and became better at tackling difficult subjects.
Things I Will Discontinue
Productivity Overload:
Avoid reading excessive productivity content, as it leads to "tutorial hell."
Focus on practicing existing habits instead of constantly consuming new strategies.
Sleep Habits:
- Stop sleeping late at night by identifying cues that trigger bad habits.
Task Delegation:
Get out of the mindset of doing menial tasks.
Focus on delegating them or raising the bar for engineering excellence.
Overstretching:
- Avoid forcing focus when distracted—take breaks to refresh and reset.
Dopamine Detox:
- Stop pursuing dopamine detox strategies excessively.
Passive Learning:
Discontinue passive learning.
Leverage tools like ChatGPT/Claude to regularly build practical projects instead.
What could have been done better?
I could have travelled more during the initial first 4 months instead of just doing menial work; nothing helped me in life. I wasted time, I believe.
Instead of a B grade, I could have got a straight A. If leveraged, the correct strategies
plan out in advance
active learning strategies
Increase speed.
Stronger intent and better intensity on how badly I want something.
Product Thinking instead of learning a technology and spending hours working on bits and pieces, identify a product idea, build it, and then deep dive.
Becoming a people person and handling corporate politics like a pro.
Self-branding and will consistently write more technical blogs.
Inspirations
Prof. J. Saketha Nath (IITH Faculty):
Taught machine learning with a focus on convex optimization and linear algebra basics.
Conducts lectures without supplementary materials (books/slides), writing flawlessly on the board.
Uses sarcasm effectively to highlight mistakes, which left a lasting impression.
Prof. P.N. Karthik (IITH Faculty):
He taught probability and stochastic processes with exceptional dedication.
Inspired a strong interest in research through his teaching and personal research contributions.
My Sister:
Currently pursuing a PhD with one patent and one published research work.
Has two additional research works in progress, serving as a motivating example of academic excellence.
Gratitude
My family
My friends, close and acquaintances,
Living close to nature
My mind, body, and soul.
Cheers for the next year!