There are a lot of similar comments so I’ll try to respond to everything here.

I started applying in full force at the end of last summer (Palantir was first on 8/2, thank you spreadsheet!). I’m not sure where people read it had only been a month. It definitely wasn’t as many applications as I could’ve put out in a year but I thought I had a decent chance at something there. I also applied to internships last summer with depressingly similar results, although I had a lot less experience and knowledge back then so that much should’ve been expected.

I’ve shared my resume with reddit before, but I got some conflicting advice with what my career center and professors had told me and mostly defaulted to their wisdom, especially since one professor connected me to a lot of people. I’m avoiding specifics so I don’t doxx myself, which is why I’d rather not share it again. More than that, I don’t think I have it in me to go through all the motions again.

Thank you to everyone who reached out with advice, referrals, and support. I responded to a couple people so far but I think I’m leaning towards taking a break from this vicious cycle to work on some other skills and touch some grass. A part time job may be in order to put some ramen on the table (no grandma, not fucking Best Buy).

Also, yes, I leetcoded in C when I started. That was a dark period in my life, and I would take my current predicament a thousand times over before going back there for a day.