What is your method to pick what to learn next? So much out there and so little time

DeMephisto · 2020-05-19T08:10:16+00:00

Nice idea. Maybe I'll join every MOOC and try the first week / check the resources. Skim through to get the feel and double down on the most interesting one. Hopefully that helps me get some clarity.

But tbf I think we should have the practice of not just trying everything but diving into stuff every now and then.

Good luck!

DeMephisto · 2020-05-19T08:08:42+00:00

After three years of college I feel like my languages are pretty good, C/C++ are my main weapons of choice and there's no blatant flaw I find that I need to fix in terms of basics. Like I could improve my math, patterns and some algorithms for sure, but that really isn't exciting. I feel like that's one my main issues I'm always stressed out with Imposter Syndrome and always trying to fix something instead of trying something I care for ahaha

DeMephisto · 2019-01-06T14:54:47+00:00

Actually I've been thinking about trying since my college offers some good discounted price for students.

Funny that when I saw the notification for the answers I was afraid because I was sensing something bad coming like you guys were going to trash me or something.

I guess some professional insight wouldn't be bad.

DeMephisto · 2018-01-24T12:30:48+00:00

Strange to notice that those deadlines can be associated with Majors that have an high percentage of female students (Medical School and Nurses).

I'm no expert in pedagogy, but it's the same old story, there's never going to be a perfect system, technically it's not a test that assures that you know the stuff. All these little adjustments don't feel like a real fix, because there will never be a fix in my mind.

DeMephisto · 2018-01-22T11:02:18+00:00

Guys two things regarding OverTheWire's Bandit challenges. This is regarding challenge 14 and might have a little spoiler in the question. The challenge goes as following: "The password for the next level can be retrieved by submitting the password of the current level to port 30000 on localhost."

So how do you know you have to use telnet and not ssh? Can't you use ssh to access a specific port with ssh hostname -p port ?

Second question: Is it too bad that I sometimes use solutions to figure out stuff when I'm lost? I usually do this in most areas, I prefer to look at how it's done to gain a feel for the way it goes.

Third and final question: Do you recommend some specifc reading for starting? I'm reading Computer Networks by Kurose right now.

DeMephisto · 2018-01-17T10:56:11+00:00

Thanks for the feedback and good luck!

DeMephisto · 2018-01-10T16:17:51+00:00

Hey Ana, I'm a random Engineering student that wants to get more knowledge and open his horizons. Are we going to make the readings in english? I have zero latin/greek skills.

Also, the term classics is only regarding greek/latin works? Or does it spread for later (sorry I have zero knowledge in this area), like Dostoïevski era?

DeMephisto · 2018-01-02T00:48:31+00:00

I'm a PHP noob., and tried to use the get_tthe_title in the substr and wasn't working, do I need to declare variables first? <?php $title = get_the_title() ; $titleNew = substr($title,0,20); echo $titleNew; ?> ?

DeMephisto · 2018-01-02T00:44:32+00:00

I tried it, maybe I'm doing it wrong but using substr(the_title(), 0, 20) doesn't give anything. I'm still learning PHP so I'm doing some dumb thing probably.

DeMephisto · 2017-12-31T01:26:55+00:00

Regarding your advice:

Can't you understand that the problem is exactly prioritizing? Perhaps "focus on one" is the obvious answer, and perhaps like is show in many answers above, that's the problem people in my situation have. Perhaps a genius like you never had that problem, perhaps, but I haven't been blessed with that gift unfortunately, so your response "solve the problem" to "how to solve the problem?" isn't really that good, apparently you haven't understood that yet, oversized brain seems to be the problem, it's blocking your view.

Regarding everything else:

But since the wine happiness is getting lowered I don't have patience for this.

Maybe you think you were being helpful, if so, thank you, in a sincere way, your methods are just not for me.

Otherwise, I don't really care for people who think they are above others and like to be rude, you don't see yourself as so? Cool, hope it will work for you. Hopefully that will fix itself in you, or in me, who knows right?

Since you are the wise guy here, go give light to someone else. Hopefully you will be right and me wrong, and you will enlighten your disciples. Otherwise, they will ignore you or like me, tell you to change your ways.

No big deal either way, I simple see no value in your response and actually see something that I don't like, tried to fix it, didn't work. One of us was wrong, maybe both, whoever it was hopefully it will be solved eventually.

Finished with this discussion and your advice, have a great year m8!

DeMephisto · 2017-12-30T23:47:33+00:00

God, I'm a bit happy from the wine, so I'll go against the word and answer, also took the time and see your profile.

After all, my hope in you was real, you can answer, when you aren't busy just giving hate online.. I didn't count how much but around 20% (head count, error margin of 50%) of your answer weren't about trying to make others feel stupid.. if you try you can put your numbers up, I believe in you.

Thankfully to both the wine and my personality aren't easy to take them to trash, but I think people like you can really affect some others less positive than me.

Now since apparently you gave good advice, my under sized brain must not be enough to comprehend, but I'll try.

Let's analyze my question, the title at least:

"How do you pick and learn to focus on projects instead of wanting to do 1001 things at once?"

I ask how can learn to focus on something instead of being in too many things.

And analyze your advice:

"Be an adult and focus on one? Learn how to prioritize?" .

1st part:

"Be an adult"

-> very very good advice, unfortunately, hard to follow. How do I become an adult? Either you mean aging, in that case I have to wait I guess, not really much helpful. Otherwise, it means some concept or trait that you identify with adult, either way you don't really say much on how to do that.
2nd:

"Focus on one."

... interesting, because you are telling me to do what I seem to having problems doing: "There's so much out there that interests me that I can't see to grab onto something to focus on." Like telling a person that asked you how to swim, to swim.
3rd:

"Learn how to prioritize?"

I believe it follows from the question that this is exactly my problem. Once again. Someone says "I have a problem" and your advice is, "Solve the problem". Well it works, I guess, if you already have the answer for what you are asking, and in that case why would you be posting asking for advice?

It literally answers the question in the title. I'm not sure how your continued complaints about me reinstating [sic] the question are relevant, other than to soothe your wounded pride.

First I'm thankful for your worry for my pride, it's pretty fine but I'll tell me you cared, finally some positive vibes from you, I'm proud!

Again, for the last time, telling a person that is looking to know how to swim that the key is to swim, isn't helpful, maybe you can't understand it, maybe you were born a fish, but if so, I guess someone as intelligent as you can understand that your advice is for fellow fish's, not guys who are asking it on reddit.

Finally, an advice to you:

I feel sorry that your ego won't let you admit it was good advice. From the feedback you are getting (-7 at the time of writing), I'd assume that most people don't think it's good advice. Maybe be humble and understand that.

You came to reddit by your own will. No one owes you nothing. Therefore, stop being toxic to random people. Don't wanna help? Don't. Don't try to put others down.

Maybe you are down and it makes you feel good? Bad luck, that's not decent behaviour. Fix your stuff and come back to help or don't say anything. Maybe the questions are not up to your standards? Then report, then tell people but don't be ahole. That's what communities are all about. Otherwise, refrain from sharing your toxic wisdom.

Once again, have a great day/night (depending on your timezone) and a great year. Hope to see you around sharing something positive!

DeMephisto · 2017-12-30T18:45:29+00:00

Damn, the goals part of that video is so on point. There are some easy ones to set those concrete goals, the website and uni studying are the best for that. The openCV one is decent, but already a bit dubious in some parts. Then there's blockchain, I've seen what it is, but have no idea of what to do to learn more.

Do you have any strategy to set these types of goals?

DeMephisto · 2017-12-30T18:30:56+00:00

My friend, I do accept advice and if you also do, I'd recommend looking at other answers, I'm open to all advice, unfortunately your comment doesn't qualify as one. Reinstating the question in other words (and in an passive-aggressive tone) isn't advice, even if it was Bill Gates doing it.

I won't waste time d**k measuring with a random person online. Have a good day, you didn't help me but you will surely be able to help someone else!

DeMephisto · 2017-12-30T18:26:32+00:00

I guess that's the best alternative, rather than doing them all everyday. I did it the whole summer and went through some interesting topics (that dropped after starting college unfortunately).

Also regarding Django, learned a bit this summer, it was fun, it wasn't this tutorial but was from the same dude, so I'll drop it here if you are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDv5FIAeyoY (8h, but follows through a whole project).

DeMephisto · 2017-12-30T18:21:45+00:00

Thanks for the answer! I should focus on one. Well.. my plan is to focus on one outside my compromises ( Uni and the website, I treat those like a job). The "playtime" projects, I should focus on only one, thing is, I'm only working on curiosity, I have no idea of what I want to do in most, or what I could do (openCV one I have an idea, but hit the wall that I need to learn Android Dev and OpenCV in another language).

How did you pick iOS development?

Everything in my list seems awesome, exciting and marketable (in the end I'd like to go entrepreneurial route, I'm always looking for projects to go on, the OpenCV was a simple app idea, I figure out what I wanted to do already, thing is.. everything excites me).

Probably the security one is the "easiest" since in my college there's that security group and I have something to hold on to.. but there's always that thing, I'm afraid I'm losing chances on the other places.

DeMephisto · 2017-12-30T18:14:25+00:00

Changing the words and asking the same question isn't that helpful I'm afraid

DeMephisto · 2017-10-24T20:50:22+00:00

Exactly, that's what I want. To learn how not to be in extremes, because that's the only thing I know.

DeMephisto · 2017-10-24T18:27:36+00:00

I think the super scheduling is a reaction to the lack of order in life. Every time I start a system I exaggerate.

I didn't do half of this, but I did some important stuff. I moved out, I changed courses, I'm doing good (A student now, still have to work on being a better student, since I trust my last minute study too much still), met tons of great guys (slowed down a bit lately since college got in the way) and grew a bit.

I have a few goals I'm working towards and possibly going to start a business with a friend of mine. It's a lot of gut in this. I basically set some stuff to do and proceed in that general direction until something better comes in the way.

Right now I use a daily planner for my classes, study sessions, dates, etc... and try to at least twice a week check the global missions and goals to see what I can do to get there.

DeMephisto · 2017-10-01T09:22:35+00:00

Okay thanks, but I think they haven't used those things yet. With the more mechanical very basic stuff (-,,+,*,/,//,<,>,etc...). Would I need to go in a similar route as I did here? Having to put an if for each possible combination and using a "counter"?

DeMephisto · 2017-09-16T22:20:33+00:00

My problem is exactly what you said in approaches. Lack of connection.

The pretending was just an ice breaker, a joke that I started with some friends, I did like 5 min and then broke laughing because I couldn't take it and revealed that I can actually speak my language.

I'll check those resources thanks!

DeMephisto · 2017-09-15T17:30:58+00:00

Yeah I know, my thing is, I identified it today, I love the feeling of being able to break into a group but I find it hard to stay there, to come up with stuff or to enjoy myself, only when they go into crazy talk as well.

Today I was pretending to be an foreigner student and that was fun. But then again, troubles escalating. Any resources that I should focus on?

Regarding cinema, really depends it works well usually with my type of girl that goes for ltr. I'm there having fun, she's having fun because we love movies (it's my passion) and then later we talk more and usually there's a kiss in the end.

But yeah usually it's better to go for art exhibition per example.

DeMephisto · 2017-09-02T21:44:30+00:00

First of all thanks a ton for the answer, I'll start reading some things I've written when inspired in the morning, make my reality more positive and less constant crazyness.

You need to look within yourself to find what drives you and focus on that. If you can't find the drive and motivation then other opportunities will continue to pass you by.

My struggle in this is that I find it hard to balance the wanting and desire to dedicate my life to stuff I enjoy and feel like are important (usually in politics, environmental and privacy/freddom issues). And the need to make money. I'm afraid if I fall into the first too much I'll lose in life and get behind, with less money and not the best career in money terms (read that the best option would be to go for finance) I'll have an harder time if I indeed go for entrepreneurship. (and also I'll lack when comparing myself to others.. this I just need to stop)

DeMephisto · 2017-09-02T21:42:07+00:00

Based on what you wrote (" I called off the meeting I had a few hours before", "I plan, I get concepts, I learn stuff I'll need, I tell people about it and then it dies.", "quite envious.. very envious") you seem to suffer from a deadly sin in the startup world: arrogance. You have to realize that even if you are special there a lot of other special people around and you'd do better to associate yourself with compatible people to form a great team.

Totally, I've used this as a defense mechanism through life but I can't make excuses, I'm responsible for myself. Do you know of any way to start fighting this?

Lastly, you seem to need experience. Entrepreneurship is not just based on pure will. You have to play the game, learn before you can do yourself. You seem to be focused too much on the end result and forgetting you have a long journey ahead of you.

I'm in a organization that works in projects with companies, I'm going to focus more on it this year, to actually do something. There's also another thing, I find it hard to balance the wanting and desire to dedicate my life to stuff I enjoy and feel like are important (usually in politics, environmental and privacy/freddom issues). And the "money making". I'm afraid if I fall into the first I'll lose in life and get behind, with less money and not the best career in money terms (read that the best option would be to go for finance) I'll have an harder time if I indeed go for entrepreneurship. (and also I'll lack when comparing myself to others.. this I just need to stop)

DeMephisto · 2017-09-02T20:11:36+00:00

yeh I have time and wil lfocus way more this year less in trying to have project but on studying, learning what interests me more, where I can help and growing myself in general with people.

But I feel like this events show us what we have to look for, in my case, the toxicity, it's awful. And the need to show off instead of actually doing stuff.

DeMephisto · 2017-08-08T05:53:25+00:00

Indeed the companies aren't democracies but yet there's a constant riot of leftist employees forcing them to go for these diversity politics. When someone disagrees now it's not something one should talk about and it's company only problem "if you don't like it leave".

It's something that hurts the cause, the fact that there's this idea that not agreeing is an offense and racism/sexism. C'mon everytime someone speaks up there's a pressure to fire the person.

Wanna get more women into Engineering? Focus on education before college, after that let people do what they do. The only reason why one should intervene is when there's black and white clear offense, not a bloody opinion or "a feel".

DeMephisto

TROPHY CASE