If you see this title, you would assume that this post is published at around May or June. Unfortunately, it’s nearly the end of October when this post sees the light of day.
Start of 2023 was turbulent with difficult coursework, but it ended up with me pursuing unconventional projects and ideas. Let’s see what happened (with both accomplishments and failures)
A snippet of accomplishments
Academics
- Over 15 courses in computer science, math, statistics, social science, and humanities, received the summa cum laude honors (top 2% in school)
- Wrote a 20 page research paper on designing an optimal metaverse
Leadership
- Founded and lead a 100+ hackathon at my university to support unconventional technology in sustainability, ai, and local needs
- Cofounded and hosted a SF hacker house that housed exceptional people with ambitious start ups and projects w/ 6 fig+ funding
Startup
- Attended a 6 week school on how to build a start up
- Built powerful connections and mentorship system with YCombinator and exceptional college students
- Pitched for Vigama, an AI automation start up that automates task for you
Creativity
- Wrote 6 major blogs + a few smaller pieces on medium and my personal website on philosophy, exceptionalism, life
- Composed 7 songs on SoundCloud for an upcoming OST album
- Wrote a quarter of a full length psychological sci-fi thriller fiction book about sinking into the depth of emergent technology
Tech
- Built a real time language parser using computer vision and AI powered translation
- Took a one month challenge on learning advanced data structures (Aho–Corasick algorithm anyone)
Random
- Dived into a 200+ ft cave
- Got viral on TikTok with millions of view
- Lived in a coworking space for 3 weeks
- Read 6 interesting books (unfair advantage, how to win friends and influence people, where you go is not where you be, taking down the house, the art of not giving a fk)
A snippet of failures
Personal
- I failed to be fully productive this year as I had many periods of unproductivity
- I failed on choosing a conducive environment for my growth, focusing too much on the short term
- I failed to fully embrace the trip within Tibet
- I failed to prioritize in a few instances, resulting in golden opportunities missed
- I failed to set up a good financial foundation for my 20s
- I failed to not focus enough on my career
- I failed to value time as one of the most important commodities
Projects
- I failed to build enough projects with new tech stacks. Building more projects is the best way to learn
- I failed in my gamification project as I don’t have anything significant published in October of 2023 (the project was realized in June of 2021)
- I failed to oversee a new research cohort at my university that had large potential to produce leading CS research
- I failed to manage a generative research project as I burnt myself out during the time period
Relationships
- I failed in multiple occasions to deepen relationships I have made at networking events, losing on a lot of potential on connections and collaborators
- I failed in being there for my friend and listening enough which resulted in really unfortunate close friends splitting apart
- I failed to say no a few times that resulted in regrets in toxic relationships
So what’s next
Well, after looking back at my life for the past 10 month, I have decided to create a (late) mid-year resolution that will guide me through the winter.
Here is my resolution
Personal
- Staying consistent everyday and be 1% better everyday
- Say no to time wasters and insignificant things
- Complete Operation Froshlings
- Finish that book!
Relationships
- Meet 10 exceptional human beings and develop a deep connection
- Build and ship with awesome people
Projects
- Build build build! Build apps that people need (utility tools)
- Get Ophelus out as well!!
- Tech Internship in emergent tech
If there is one goal I want to achieve, it’s build awesome products with awesome people! So that is going to be my main focus.
If anyone is interested feel free to reach out @thejackluo at whatever social you can think of!