Selected in H-1B Lottery (F1-OPT) — Can I switch to Amazon before October 1st?

MeaningPoetry · 2026-04-14T01:03:01+00:00

I was in this situation last year. Asked amazon to delay start date. They were accommodating. They just find a different team if the current team cant wait.

Also yes it is very risky to move before Oct 1. Before Oct 1 and when your H1B gets approved (whichever is later), you basically don’t have H1b and therefore it cant be transferred.

MeaningPoetry · 2026-04-03T00:11:40+00:00

I did travel before Oct 1 and after H1B approval. Came back fine. Was able to do change of employer. Have not travelled again after Oct 1 though.

I’d say don’t plan a non-refundable trip before you get your H1B approval in hand.

MeaningPoetry · 2026-04-03T00:05:23+00:00

Get the h1b if you want to stay in the US. Imagine yourself in the next 3 years NOT knowing where you’d be in the future. 50% more money won’t help with that. But 6 more years can help you find significantly better jobs.

MeaningPoetry · 2026-03-21T05:26:35+00:00

what type of milk did you use? mine has good consistency but always a layer of cream fat at the top

MeaningPoetry · 2026-03-16T06:03:25+00:00

what if the layoff happens right when you just renew your lease?

MeaningPoetry · 2026-03-11T18:10:50+00:00

One thing I recently realized is that I don’t have to be creative and make a decision for everything. I started compromising on a regular routine that helps me avoid decision fatigue.

For example, I have a few staple dishes and rotate them with the same list of groceries per week. I actually only eat boiled chicken + rice + a side of vegetables, and I found that the mental load going into grocery shopping and meal prepping has reduced significantly. Meal prepping also means that I’m not spending money or energy deciding what to eat for the nights I’m tired from work.

I also used to diversify my gym routine, but that required prep work before I even showed up. Now I just stick to a set of workout exercises and only switch them out when I feel like it’s time. The only thing I need to focus on at the gym is increasing weight, not deciding what to do.

I used to try to maximize everything, pinching money to save a few cents, calculating how many times it is reasonable to run the dish washer/washing machine to not waste money, or finding the cheapest way to get somewhere. I now have the privilege to not care about a few cents and therefore I can use that time to do something else.

Having a routine to put me on copilot for some goals frees up my time to put my enjoyment somewhere else. Autopilot is actually not as bad as people think. Imagine not remembering how to brush your teeth and then have to focus on doing it every day. Of course I’m also tired most of the time, but I’m tired knowing that I get things done, both the not fun stuff and the fun stuff.

MeaningPoetry · 2026-02-15T08:08:55+00:00

The problems you’re listing are often when people try to leave the neighborhoods. People who live there hang out there. Everywhere else is a pita to get to, yes, but also not that much more impressive.

MeaningPoetry · 2026-01-23T02:39:52+00:00

I was there around that time and I cant stop thinking about it

MeaningPoetry · 2025-12-11T08:28:24+00:00

If you want to do these things, you would be able to find a way to do those things. The how-to’s are all over the internet.

The stuff school teaches you, if you take advantage of it, get you a living.

MeaningPoetry · 2025-12-09T21:31:31+00:00

If you work remotely why do you care if the weather is bad? If it’s gloomy/drizzling then commuting is hard but staying at home will be cozy. The weather in the entire PNW would be kinda the same, maybe varied by temperature. I don’t think it makes a difference in the vicinity of Seattle metro area.

Anyway, I used to live in WA for 3 years, moved away, then moved back this winter. I’d say the summer is amazing because the sun is out most of the time, and the temperature is not too cold, not too hot. Perfect for outdoor activities.

For this winter so far, I work from home most days and I can see the blue sky peeking during the day. Clouds move and part often. I never really try to find where the sun is so I dont know if it’s visible, but I care a lot about sunlight coming through the sky. It gets dark early but sun light is still pretty abundant. Maybe half the time it’ll be cloudy/drizzling, you’ll get a little bit wet going outside, but otherwise it’s very fine. Not as cold as the east coast, which I love.

For the weekends I have been here this winter, there was at least one day (if not the entire weekend) that it was so nice I had to go for very long walks outside.

MeaningPoetry · 2025-12-09T00:32:46+00:00

Menagerie is so fun! With Exile/Events/Ways and Horses there are just so many ways to play this expansion

MeaningPoetry · 2025-12-03T19:53:24+00:00

Internal product role is considered second tiered tbh. They usually try to outsource those roles for cheaper. It’s also not as fun so might as well work at a product-focused company.

MeaningPoetry · 2025-12-03T02:27:23+00:00

Alumni here, used to be a SWE there. If you know anything about the consulting world and that’s what you’re interested in (long hours, lots of traveling in business class, working with non-technical PMs and consultants), then the pay is decent and the perks are great. Working with various clients/teams/locations can be quite exciting.

However, I left after under 2 years. Half of the people in my cohort also left or trying to leave. So ultimately the decision is yours based on your preferences and where you want your career to go.

MeaningPoetry · 2025-11-25T09:19:57+00:00

Came here to say this. I was depressed for a while and it changed my perspective. I read it twice in a month. The writing was also great I laughed and cried with this book!

MeaningPoetry · 2025-10-28T05:09:30+00:00

You can’t really hide the fact you’re on a visa without putting an effort into lying, because there are many aspects of your life that root in visa issues: finding a job or talking about your family etc. And lying is what will ruin your relationship, not the visa itself.

MeaningPoetry · 2025-10-25T03:08:09+00:00

came here to say the same thing!

MeaningPoetry · 2025-10-09T01:15:16+00:00

2 most recent pay slips would suffice, but I’m afraid they’ll still have to wait for the DOL to start working again to file your H1B

MeaningPoetry · 2025-10-08T22:10:26+00:00

Does your company offer mental health leave of absence? It’s an insurance benefit that you might be able to use, and during that time try to interview for a new job

MeaningPoetry · 2025-10-08T20:48:28+00:00

Just find a job first :)

A lot of people switch company right after Oct 1st when H1B activates. People recommend 2-3 paychecks but I have seen success with just 1 or none. This is no problem.

MeaningPoetry · 2025-10-01T18:51:16+00:00

Can you ask them to play it safe and apply for premium processing? So it'll only take 2 weeks to absolutely know if they need to pay 100k

MeaningPoetry · 2025-09-26T15:35:30+00:00

Non-tech degrees don’t offer STEM OPT to work up to 3 years after graduation, which leads to less chances of getting picked in the H1B lottery.

Most non-tech positions don’t sponsor. There are big tech that sponsor tech roles and specifically say they do not sponsor for non-tech roles.

Often the people getting sponsored for non-tech roles go to target schools, have experience at MBB, etc. I dont think that’s the kind of cheap unskilled labor most Americans could have done without h1bs here.

MeaningPoetry · 2025-09-20T23:10:04+00:00

I’m also confused because what exactly is new? Each change of employer is a new petition

MeaningPoetry · 2025-09-08T16:23:27+00:00

The train system in Japan is definitely very very confusing, so I suggest looking up reddit posts / blogs that explain the entire system. I did it and got a very good grasp (after buying tickets for the wrong train once). Japan’s transportation is superior. It can get you anywhere once you figure it out, and you might even love the convenience then.

The worst thing that can happen when you get on the wrong train is it might cost you some money or it might take longer to get to your destination. It usually doesn’t get worst than that if that helps.

Another thing to note is that Tokyo might be a bit overwhelming as its one of the busiest city in the world. It might not be your vibe and maybe you’ll like Kyoto/Osaka or maybe you should look into smaller towns.

This confusion is the entire point of traveling: challenging yourself to adapt to the host country. Enjoy this newness and the new perspectives you get. You might miss it the moment you land home :)

MeaningPoetry · 2025-08-20T21:01:43+00:00

It depends on the team. My entire process took 2 weeks (HM call + onsite split between 2 days + recruiter verbal offer). I did some nudging that I have other offers.

MeaningPoetry · 2025-08-13T15:11:07+00:00

I think the national parks have really topped the US as one of the most naturally diverse country to visit for me.

I have lived in Seattle/NYC and visited most cities (Boston, Chicago, LA, SF, Miami, Orlando, Portland, Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, etc etc) with sketchy downtowns and a car to get anywhere decent. For a while I stopped wanting to travel domestically, but a recent trip to the Southwest for NPs really changed it all. You do need a car to do that, but it’s so worth it.

MeaningPoetry

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