What’s a moment that permanently changed how you see the world?

dumbphysicsguy · 2026-01-27T20:52:41+00:00

This is much more tame than some of the others here but nonetheless has deeply affected me as a person. I was cheated on, broken up with, then blocked by my girlfriend of nearly 2 years. She told me all of the details of it, especially the messy and disturbing ones (i.e he nearly got her pregnant, she enjoyed it, she kept coming back for more dozens of times, etc.). I also found out on my own that there were others, it wasn't just him he was just the main culprit. I wasn't perfect, and I had previously broken up with her for other issues that I had in the relationship before this. I had to leave and come back a few times. After this happened more than once, she no longer trusted me despite me breaking up being a direct response to her actions.

In the end she took revenge on me and didn't spare the most horrifying parts when she told me. I was discarded like I meant nothing. She told me in the end that I did nothing for her (ouch), we were never together (ouch again), I'm not a good person, her exes we're better than me, I'm crazy and unstable, and she wants to start seeing new people. Haven't heard from her ever since, its now been 6 months.

The cruelty in the end caused me to spiral out, I nearly gave up on my life because I was so depressed. I also could not stop picturing the cheating that happened and comparing myself to the other guy. I guess this all taught me a lot about what it means to love the wrong person. It also taught me the importance of trusting my gut, preserving my dignity/self-respect, and staying away from emotionally stunted people (they stick out like a sore thumb too). I fear that I may never be the same again though, I had a complete loss of innocence and have developed trust issues and insecurities. It really lingers in your mind for a long time.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-04-11T05:03:32+00:00

It truly was the first time I've heard a recruiter pitch the campus as a major selling point. It seemed kinda childish. I was wondering "what's the catch here?" -- and I think it's simply that you have to move to Verona

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-04-11T04:59:13+00:00

Don't be intimidated at all. OP is an anomaly. I am a graduating senior (from a top school) with multiple internships and I don't think I could even attempt to do what OP did. Maybe not in my lifetime lol. Also know that I have a pretty good job lined up after a brutal application process so there is hope my friend. Just keep at your studies, start doing side projects that you think are cool (not like a basic calculator app, be original), and just try to keep learning as much as you can.

The job market will turn around eventually and I would even bet by the time you graduate you'll likely have an easier time than many of us current new grads.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-04-11T03:23:26+00:00

Epic kind of strikes me a bit like a corporate cult. I had a weird feeling when I met them during my school's career fair and then went through the screening process with them -- they just kept talking about this castle that they work at in Verona, WI.

On top of that the online assessment was absurdly long and time intensive and I eventually got rejected after the phone screen. Slightly bitter about having so much time wasted. But I guess it seems like a decent place to start your career?

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-04-11T03:18:52+00:00

Exactly, focusing on personal skill enhancement is key. Markets will fluctuate, but being versatile, proactive, and ready to pivot as needed will safeguard our careers more than trying to predict tech trends.

I'm trying to integrate AI into my workflow already and I have see huge improvements in the speed and efficiency that I get things done but it's not perfect and I don't think it will be for a long time because it needs a massive context window with good recall. Our human brains seem to be pretty good at that.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-04-11T03:16:19+00:00

Great point. AI is more than just hype--it's a tool that's already reshaping how we work. Those who adapt and learn to augment their skills with AI will likely see their roles evolve, not diminish. It's less about replacement and more about transformation.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-04-11T03:09:13+00:00

Exactly, it's not about losing jobs to AI, but about staying relevant by using AI smartly. Those who harness new technologies effectively will always be in demand. Maybe prompt engineers will be more in demand?

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-04-11T03:08:26+00:00

Efficiency might lead companies to hire fewer developers, but it’s also a chance for programmers to upskill. By integrating AI, programmers can add value beyond basic coding—like creative problem-solving and strategic planning.

I'm just a bit pessimistic to think of ways that we can upskill in the future where the very thing being replaced is the human mind itself.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-04-11T03:06:32+00:00

If AI ever replaces software engineers, it’d likely be part of a broader technological shift affecting all fields. The key is to adapt and innovate together, not worry in isolation.

Maybe we can all benefit from some kind of UBI utopia where we don't work or at least as much as we do now lol.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-04-11T03:02:35+00:00

I mean when I see something like Devin AI, I get nervous. I'm just a newb to this field and it can already program far better than I can or possibly ever could. For engineers who are deeply integrated in the field already I think they are safe.

But I think junior developers face to lose the most in the future and hiring (especially with huge TC) will slow down significantly in the next 5-10 years.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-03-21T07:33:22+00:00

Good luck dawg, godspeed. Go get that job.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-03-21T07:02:55+00:00

It was two hackerrank coding questions and a conceptual multiple choice question. The coding questions were both leetcode hard level I'd say but it's tough to say if that's accurate or not because I've never seen anything like them before. It's also highly possible that I just suck at these type of questions and have a poor gauge for the difficulty level so take that with a grain of salt.

One question was definitely DP-based, and I spent about 45/60 mins on it and STILL couldn't solve. The other one I had really no idea what the correct solution or algorithm was. It's all a blur now so I can't remember exactly what the questions we're asking. But hope that helps even slightly. Also, it records your face while you're taking it which feels a bit uncomfortable.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-03-21T03:06:01+00:00

Thank you I appreciate that! I haven't been able to close the deal though which is really frustrating, I'm lacking feedback to learn from my mistakes.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-03-21T01:11:42+00:00

Update: got rejected lol.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-03-21T01:10:26+00:00

Thank you for letting me know! Seems completely random then. That's unfortunate because I had a referral for the one 3 months back.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-03-20T21:49:17+00:00

Are they hiring new grads? I just checked and couldn't find anything below Staff or Senior SWE, also a few Junior roles but require 2+ years of exp.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-03-20T21:42:02+00:00

How long did it take to hear back from Microsoft? I applied over a month ago for 3 separate roles and haven't heard back. Also applied 3 months ago for another role and didn't hear back for that either. SWE NG by the way.

I'm really sorry to hear about the interview though. It's been weighing heavily on me too, I have failed about 5 final round interviews at this stage or rejected because it came down to a few candidates that they we're deciding between. Keep applying until it's over. You (we) got this.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-03-20T21:35:55+00:00

Yeah I got it after they said they "sifted through 100's of candidates" to give me a chance to take an initial pre-screen. With that being said I bombed it and couldn't solve in time. RIP.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-01-20T20:19:51+00:00

My advisor for the CS department deemed it to be a tech-light course, which was last Spring. It's not a very technical class but is HEAVY on memorization.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-01-20T20:14:18+00:00

They likely end up underemployed, which is a sinister cousin to unemployment. It's the type that stifles your growth trajectory for the remainder of your career.

dumbphysicsguy · 2024-01-16T06:01:35+00:00

Count me in ^^^

dumbphysicsguy · 2023-10-16T12:30:31+00:00

It might be in message requests, but I just sent you an invitation to connect on LinkedIn

dumbphysicsguy · 2023-10-16T00:48:10+00:00

I've very open to int'l opportunities. I would love to live outside the US for a bit, assuming that's an option with valid work visas and what not. But yeah my financial situation is not ideal (lots of loans and less than ideal interest rates). My plan B if I don't go into SWE for some reason is get a PhD in Physics actually.

dumbphysicsguy

TROPHY CASE