On Academic Survival Mode and Post-bac Pursuits
During my time as a serially overcommitted and sleep-deprived engineering undergrad, it took every ounce of remaining energy just to stay afloat in my classes. While the start of each new semester brought me renewed hope, this would quickly fizzle out after the 4th or 5th week of classes. Don’t get me wrong, I still did well (or at least was sufficient), but I didn’t have the bandwidth to accommodate a side project or take that additional programming course, you know, the one that could’ve inspired a fascinating personal project or other extracurricular pursuits. I was constantly trailing magnitudes behind my peers in my classes and exhausted from playing catch-up. To put it quite frankly, I was in academic survival mode.
After graduation, and with a few months at a large aerospace/defense company under my belt, I decided to plunge into structured self-enrichment and online learning to see where that would take me. My intentions were to broaden my horizons in aeronautical engineering (my newfound passion), while also strengthening areas of knowledge I felt lacking in (programming, data science, etc).
Fast forward a few months, and much to my chagrin, this post-bac adventure has been extraordinarily rewarding. Some courses I selected as “fun” refresher courses, while others I chose knowing completing the assignments would be a bit of a stretch. I was hesitant to jump back into a learning rhythm, but without the physical and mental toll of “academic survival mode”, I quickly fell into a regular cadence with the help of my replenished internal drive.
For the curious souls, I’ve included the details of my post-bac plans below
Completed:
- Stat110x — Introduction to Probability & Statistics
- MIT 6.0.2x — Computational Thinking & Data Science
In progress:
- MIT xPRO — Systems Engineering and Architecture (4-course program)
- TU Delft Aeronautical Engineering
On the horizon:
- IBM Machine Learning with Python
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- Structure of Materials
- Thermodynamics & Phase Equilibria
- iOS & Swift App Development
This post-bac journey isn’t without its trials, though. Stat110x was supposed to be a refresher course on probability & statistics, and yet, I found many of the topics esoteric and difficult to learn without the aid of synchronous meetings or office hours.
The interactive and iterative nature of CS courses made MIT 6.0.2x easy to follow and to make progress; however, the assignments were incredibly long and difficult, and I barely eked out a pass.
TU Delft’s Aeronautical Engineering is absolutely riveting, and I’ve been able to gain competence and confidence in basic aeronautical concepts. On the other hand, without the benefits of office hours, peer-to-peer conversations, or hands-on activities, I find it nearly impossible to fully internalize the physics of engine combustion, airfoil pressure dynamics, and wind tunnels.
Over the next few months and years, I am certain of two things:
- My learning plans will ebb and flow with my interests and free time
- The virtual floodgates are wide open for me, and I intend to keep a regular learning cadence as a permanent fixture in my life
Transitioning from the constant throttle of academic survival mode to academic exploration in an unconstrained environment has brought infinite freedom and joy. Cheers to a lifetime of learning.
