Embracing the Unplanned Journey

The path led me to Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology for Computer Engineering. It wasn't my first choice, but it marked a new beginning. The initial phase was a whirlwind. Delayed exams and admissions meant the first three semesters were a race to catch up. Online lectures and exams became the new normal, an intense atmosphere indeed. Freshman year was a blur of physics, chemistry, maths, and electrical engineering basics. The only familiar comfort was C Programming, a language I already felt at home with. Despite the academic chaos, I clung to the skills I’d honed during lockdown; every line of code then was a step toward mastery now.

As the second year dawned, we dove into the core of computer science: Data Structures, DBMS, Object-Oriented Programming with Java, and Python. To my surprise, my earlier self-study meant these subjects felt more like a review than a new challenge. While the demanding schedule made acquiring entirely new skills tough, I poured my energy into developing projects. The shift to departmental subjects also meant the end of purely offline lectures, and finally, meeting friends in person whom I’d only known through WhatsApp chats added a much-needed personal dimension to college life. My team and I managed to build a Grocery Shop Billing System and an Airline Ticket Reservation System, drawing heavily on my Java and SQL knowledge. Two years of engineering had flown by, a journey not as planned, but a unique tapestry of unexpected challenges and triumphs nonetheless.

Unleashing Creativity in a Month-Long Break

After two intense years, a month-long vacation felt like a breath of fresh air. With a decent grasp of several languages and data structures, I was itching for something new. Android Application Development caught my eye. I started with Google's free resources, which were good, but CodeWithHarry's YouTube playlist on Android development truly unlocked it for me. The course culminated in building a music player app, and with it came a surge of confidence – I could build my own Android apps!

With time still on my hands, I embarked on a personal project: a School App. It was the perfect playground to practice Android development and refresh my Java and database concepts. The thrill of transforming an idea into a functional app was incredibly rewarding. As this project neared completion, our university mandated an academic project. After discussions with our guide, we settled on a Timetable Generator. It sounded straightforward, but oh, how wrong we were! What we initially brushed off as a routine task quickly revealed its complexity. The more we researched, the more we realized that timetable generation is an NP-Hard problem. Undeterred, we dove into AI and discovered the Genetic Algorithm. The project transformed from a simple task into an exploration of AI, blending our coding skills with an algorithm that mimicked natural selection. It was a profound lesson in embracing complexity and finding innovative solutions.

Unleashing the Power of Learning

Another month-long break, another learning adventure! This time, Machine Learning was the target. LinkedIn, with its six months of free premium access for students, became an invaluable resource. The premium membership unlocked a treasure trove of courses in AI and ML. As college resumed, our ambitious timetable generator project continued. However, with on-campus recruitment looming next semester, I knew I had to sharpen my problem-solving skills. Enter LeetCode. I committed to solving at least one problem daily. It wasn't always easy; some problems felt like climbing a mountain. Aryan Mittal's YouTube channel often provided the solutions and clarity I needed for those tricky daily puzzles.

Academically, the semester introduced cloud computing, with a focus on AWS. We instantiated EC2 instances and deployed projects using Elastic Beanstalk – a practical introduction to the cloud. The third year ended, and another break began. I dived into Udemy for PowerBI, then Freecodecamp’s YouTube channel for an incredible Docker course. My final year saw the start of my Major Project, 'SimplifyMe', and further explorations into blockchain and machine learning. I also added JavaScript and NodeJS to my expanding skillset.

And now, here I am, on the verge of a new chapter, eager for opportunities as a Software Engineer. This journey, a rollercoaster of learning, challenges, and growth, has equipped me with a unique perspective and a relentless drive. If you're looking for someone with my skills and passion, I’m ready to connect and create something extraordinary.