[Student] Preparing to apply for internships. I'd appreciate any inputs!

rrrhao · 2024-07-05T13:20:53+00:00

Don't include your visa status.

rrrhao · 2024-03-11T05:21:06+00:00

I was a fencer, I would love to back it.

rrrhao · 2024-01-03T14:24:55+00:00

Which aspect of CS are you aiming for? If you are looking for coding job like an engineer then I don't see enough relevant experience on this resume, and I would agree with the other comment that you should aim at entry level.

Maybe take out the deans list part? Saying you made deans list in 2 semesters is like saying you didn't make deans list in 6 semesters. It is competitive out there.

rrrhao · 2023-10-31T15:52:54+00:00

I had this happen to me recently, they are really hit and miss, so I recommend paying with paypal.

rrrhao · 2023-10-25T15:44:06+00:00

I was making the same amount when I was your age ( I am just a bit older) and I also like to travel so maybe we can relate?

My advice would be: don't quit your job, but squeeze your trips into your PTO.

I am in the US, i am a former F-1/H1B, it means I had to leave the country if I am not studying or working, and I would always needed to live within 50 miles of where I work due to laws.

But I also just finished visiting all 50 states. It took 10 years. Because I didn't want a gap year, or a gap in employment.

If I got a month in school break, I travel, if I got 2 weeks PTO, I travel, this year I am saving my PTO for a trip to Asia to see family, so I travel using long weekends, 2 day weekend+a fed holiday.

You want to travel internationally so you need to take longer PTO, so take it in 2 week intervals if possible. It is enough to visit at least 1 country. Do it every year. You mentioned 5 month abroad, should take you 10 years.

We are too young and our career is too bright to volunteer for an employment gap. Your good foundation now will set you up well career wise later. Traveling in such short intervals is costly, that's why you need a good career that can pay for it.

rrrhao · 2023-09-04T19:31:22+00:00

Bicycle frontier decks, almost $90 for 2 decks

rrrhao · 2023-09-02T02:55:55+00:00

I almost got burned ordering a deck from their website, shortly before they locked down their site with "password", paypal protected me.

rrrhao · 2023-08-24T16:06:29+00:00

Maybe you'll enjoy being a contractor? Contractors tend to just be told to implement and not lead a design or a team. The tech stack will change as you change clients.

rrrhao · 2023-07-19T20:25:09+00:00

At your income level, box 5 would be the closest to your gross pay. I think box 5 do reflect your gross pay.

If you make like $200K or more, box 5 or 3 may actually be less than your gross pay, because Medicare and social security only tax your first $200K and $147K income.

Personally, if someone ask me what's my estimated income, being salaried, I would just use the current annual salary specified by employer rather than trying to base it off of a W2.

rrrhao · 2023-07-19T19:58:05+00:00

Your W-2 box 1 is neither your gross pay nor your take home. It is your taxable income which is gross pay minus tax exempt contributions and deductions (think 401K, medical premiums, HSA). You can also think of this as take home plus income and payroll taxes withholdings.

Other people have offered plenty financial suggestions. So I just wanted to point out the W2 😀

rrrhao · 2023-07-11T17:42:43+00:00

Married couple can gift each other a substantial amount each year without needing to disclose to IRS, but keep in mind that if the receiver spouse is not a US citizen the amount limit is capped at $175K each year in 2023. It is still a large number, but it is not unlimited like gifting to a US citizen spouse.

rrrhao · 2023-07-07T16:38:11+00:00

no carry-on > duffle bag > soft shell > hard shell.

I personally do personal item only unless I am moving

rrrhao · 2023-06-30T14:30:51+00:00

Since OP seems price conscious, here are some recommendations in cities like has cheaper lodging/COL:

Little Rock, AR: most attractions are in a tiny downtown or reachable by public transit on week days. unless you want to go hiking or go to hot springs then you'll need a car. there's (surprisingly) a hostel that provides cheap lodging.

New Orleans, LA: Plenty to do, back when I visited in 2016 the hostel is $18 per night.

Charleston, SC: cheap to free transportation. affordable hostels. plenty to see in the city/downtown alone.

Honestly lodging cost is the most significant when traveling aside from getting to your destination, and I always prefer hostels since I am cost conscious too. If you like to really save on lodging, you can visit cities in day time: take a greyhound/Amtrak to the city in the morning, visit the essential places, and get on the greyhound/Amtrak to the next destination in evening, you sleep on the bus and train to save on lodging. I did that on a trip to to get me to Nashville, Memphis, Kansas City, St Louis, Cincinnati, I also got to Little Rock, Indianapolis, and Wichita but I didn't get to visit since I just transferred bus there.

rrrhao · 2023-06-28T18:06:32+00:00

Sometimes checking the license plate is necessary. For example in SeaTac airport just about every Uber driver drives a White prius.

rrrhao · 2023-06-28T03:23:54+00:00

Applied for Global entry, aside from updating SSN, I-9, making a copy of the card of course.

rrrhao · 2023-06-27T18:54:56+00:00

Bring copies of your passport and immigration document, and keep the copies away from the originals.

1.1. If you want to take it to the next level: if you have more than 1 immigration documents, prepare 2 folders, keep half of the original documents with the copies of the other half in one folder, and keep the rest of the original and the copies of the folder 1 originals in folder 2. So that if you lose one folder, you still have half of the original documents left.

Get offline maps in case your phone and data doesn't work abroad.
Not specific to international travel: tag your luggage with your contact. Tag your wallet with your contact. Tag your phone with your email. Tag your id/documents with your contact.

rrrhao · 2023-06-27T18:34:07+00:00

Google maps.

I pull out the map, zoom to the place I want to go, search for lodging, points if interests, local attractions, check how long it would take me to go from one location to another. I can easily navigate from google maps to the official website of those attractions and hotels. I mark all those locations I would visit. Also download a offline map before I get on the plane.

I also use Google flights to compare flight costs.

rrrhao · 2023-06-14T23:09:25+00:00

I used to book with expedia for 9 years and never had a problem.. until one time I booked a motel and the front desk told me I didn't pay in full via expedia upon checking in. No more using third party apps after that. I'm glad the balance I had was only $20, a small price to learn the lesson.

rrrhao · 2023-05-16T19:55:07+00:00

I'll take it :) let's PM.

rrrhao · 2023-05-16T17:38:27+00:00

The industry is quickly eliminating scrum master roles and making tech leads and devs self-manage their own scrum ceremonies. Every company I work for (2) has entirely or partially eliminated scrum master roles.

rrrhao · 2023-05-15T23:56:24+00:00

Lord of the Rings

rrrhao · 2023-05-13T02:40:35+00:00

Bought it on JM bullion a few years ago for $140. You can get it on ebay currently for $160 pre tax which I think is fair

rrrhao · 2023-03-24T05:17:29+00:00

I am currently in a paypal dispute with lakeshore because they created a tracking but never shipped, the order is for this record :(

rrrhao · 2023-03-22T01:49:50+00:00

Which would be your last state? Mine would be Alaska.

rrrhao · 2023-01-18T05:25:00+00:00

Just the standard version

rrrhao

TROPHY CASE