2024 Year-End Summary

Why does time seem to pass faster the older we get? Is it because we’re aging faster, or is it because the clock’s hands are moving faster?

The Past

The past year and a half has been productive for me, at least in the areas where I’ve put in effort. I successfully switched my major to Computer Science and joined the Woodpecker Club. I’ve also taken on various roles in student organizations, such as the Information Management and Multimedia Club, the Computer Science Association, and the University Student Council.

However, I sometimes feel that I’ve spent a lot of time on things that may not have been useful in the long run. I’m not sure how I’ll look back on these experiences in the future.

One of the most significant events was joining the Woodpecker Club. I’m grateful to the club’s seniors for accepting me. After a year and a half of learning from them, it’s now my turn to teach the younger members. I hope I can successfully pass on the knowledge of the club’s projects, such as the Box, Course Stack, and Tea Garden. If possible, I’d also like to help with the certification of the Feishu project and contribute to the team’s foundation.

I often wonder what kind of people the current education system aims to cultivate. Are they supposed to be obedient, or independent thinkers? I’m not sure I fit the mold of the ideal student. In this system, one must always strive to climb the ladder of success. While research is often seen as the best path, I question whether this is always the case.

The Future

I don’t have much time left for myself, as I’ve already decided to pursue a job after graduation. I have many B-courses to take next semester, including the mandatory 25 credits of individual development courses.

Here are some goals I’ve set for myself:

1. Learn time management: I feel like I’ve wasted a lot of time in the past. I need to make better use of the time I have left. I’ve heard good things about the TickTick app, so I’ll give it a try.

2. Find an internship this summer: My dream companies are ByteDance, DJI, and Meituan. However, I’m realistic about my chances. If all else fails, I’ll consider graduate school.

3. Dive deeper into front-end development: I want to understand React’s hooks better and explore some other core concepts.

4. Practice coding on LeetCode: I want to solve two problems a day during the winter break and focus on dynamic programming.

5. Lead the 2024 team: I want to do a good job as the team leader and make sure the team’s projects, such as the Box, are successful.

6. Spend more time with my girlfriend: I want to make the most of our time together before we inevitably part ways in our third year.

7. Travel more: I want to explore more of China and find my favorite city. Right now, it’s Hangzhou, but I’m not sure if Alibaba will still have job offers by the time I graduate.

8. Maintain my GPA: I want to keep up the good work I’ve been doing in my second year. I also want to attend more classes, especially for important courses like Computer Networks.

9. Read more: I’ve bought many books but haven’t read them yet. I want to make time to read more.

10. Write weekly reports: I want to keep track of my progress each week.

Writing this has made me feel more anxious than I expected. I feel like there’s still so much I want to accomplish. But I guess that’s just the pressure of knowing that I have a limited amount of time left.

I’m sure I’ll make it big, right? I’m sure I’ll accomplish something, right? Right, SYJ?