Hello peeps,
Some of you might know me, some have heard about me, some had no idea about me. That’s okay you don’t need to know, my apologies for not writing the answer for, “tell me about yourself”. This is about more than one year long experience working on my project, that taught me many things, which I think can be helpful for you too.
Finally, I had some time to reflect. It’s been nearly a year since my final year project concluded and the research paper got published last month. My habit of sudden decision-making has often been a source of both learning and struggle. When I decided to work individually for my final year project, I encountered a spectrum of responses.
Out of them, I received only three distinct ones:
The regular answers were:
I couldn’t help but wonder why should I reconsider when I already made up my mind (the stubborn aura that makes me suffer every time). However, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown made my procrastination levels hit to its peak, posing a threat to my ambitions (obviously there were none at that time other than coming out alive). Since there are very few opportunities in the domain of additive manufacturing, which I had dedicated over two years to, I was literally questioning my life choices. I couldn’t let it go, so I really wanted to publish a research paper in the field. Nowadays, it has become very common to publish papers modifying the previous paper on the same topic. But when it comes to a new one, it totally sucks and I can assure you that.
I got approval from my professor to work under him, and he assigned me to scholars to guide me. When I started working on the project, few resisted to guide me thinking that this would go as the typical final year project, modifying the last year project report book and presenting it. I tried reaching out to them and the same few didn’t respond even until the deadline to submit the project name and topic leaving me feeling flabbergasted looking at the process, and there comes my first urge to regret the decision. Surprisingly I was assigned to another few, and I submitted in haste whatever he said in the phone call, without having a clear idea.
Clearly, after submitting I had to work for it and here comes the real struggle. I was given a book by Ian Gibson to learn a few chapters and it's the same subject which irritated me in my second year. I never knew I would touch it again, but yeah God likes to slap you straight on the face. I read the book, I got the concept and now it's time to execute. But we all know that the execution is many miles far from the textbook knowledge, so I went through a few more research publications. Here comes the mid-semester review, where no one did anything other than reading references.
Unknowingly, I got placed a few weeks before the mid-review. We had to make a ppt of 6 slides format with introduction and thank you slide being mandatory ones. The second time I thought of giving up is while I was preparing the ppt, no one was there to help, since it's an individual project and there is no time, I started working on the ppt when a lab class is going on. Somehow a senior noticed and silently came to me asking what I was doing, (obviously I performed ninja technique alt+tab) but still it was suspicious. Listening to his slang, I found out he was from the same state, same specialization and the rest is history. Thanks to him I didn’t give up. The review was nothing but explain what’s the project about and what’s the progress until now. And the feedback was a few scoldings about the progress, to change background color, font color, size, shape, style, fill, underline, bold, strikethrough, margin whatsoever.
Soon I got an idea on how project reviews work and there is nothing to be afraid, until the deadline is tomorrow. Since I have nothing else to do, I used to study and research in the library for the project, where I found an old friend who is also from the same lab, he used to give me inputs on how to work and all. Deducing equations from different surfaces and executing them in MATLAB now became a daily thing and I made quite a few good ones unique from the existing ones. Finally, we decided to go with three designs. This was presented in the end review in the first semester.
Now comes the algorithm part just taking the input as an equation, working in the backend giving the design as output. Addition to that we agreed on the part that we would provide the mathematical proof for the design, where the standard designs themselves didn’t have the proof at first place. Now think that as zero theory. We reached out to over thirty professors seeking for help and guidance, facing numerous hurdles along the way. Late nights in the lab became routine as I delved into research. I had sleepless nights in the room with calculations and experimenting with different software tools. Each new idea brought fresh challenges, yet also renewed determination.
I totally went crazy in this stage, and surprisingly I realized that all my friends in the circle got placed. So that midnight I knocked the doors shouting we will go for a trip tomorrow. Having friends with the same mentality as you is a bane and boon. No one said no, and as usual we had that one person, whose parents won’t accept. I along with another friend had the audacity to talk to her parents at that midnight, and negotiated that the place will be near one. We decided to go Hyderabad for the next two days. Look at the irony, we ourselves didn’t tell our parents, yet we convinced her parents. But we called them the next morning just to inform them and the reaction was “Oh is it, Okay”. We caught a train in the early morning and even there is nothing to see, we still visited every place possible.
Now we are back to the hostel and it's Sunday evening, I need to give the update, fortunately we got some references and worked on it. This was my second semester mid-review, in which the review board expected for prototype design, which I obviously didn’t have of the respective material mentioned in my project but I had with another material, fortunate enough that I at least had it.
Here comes the printing and testing the design. There are so many formalities in the college to get the samples tested and it really annoyed me, but that’s how a system works and we can’t help it. We had struggles with the mathematic proofs and software, so I consulted one professor who has expertise in design and software. I used to skip his subject classes and assignments, but still visit his cabin for my project doubts, how pathetic I can be. He explains really well, but it's just that I couldn’t focus on that subject itself. I was really excited about this project to work out.
I had been really busy with this project and my other friend circle was planning for a Pondicherry trip, when I literally just came back from home. I and my roommate initially refused to go, so they planned it for themselves. They were about to catch the train in the evening, and after looking at their plan, we decided at 3 pm to join the trip (My sudden decisions). I left my printing in the middle and went for the trip, that’s how messed up my life is. It was a pretty nice trip, glad I went.
I came back started working on the project, and everything went well, done and dusted with the final review. After the review, again I went to Hyderabad for a conference before leaving to home for one last time. And that conference trip is not less than a mini trip. Other than laughing and enjoying the whole day with my seniors, I did nothing.
And that’s the end. ta-da..
In throughout the entire process, I met several people from whom I learnt some or the other thing. Most importantly, I am thankful for those good friends, whom I still stay in touch with . I even got some souvenirs from them before leaving, even if it's just a year we met. I pushed myself as much as possible, so I can be a better version and I reached there at the end. I reached out to many professors in abroad universities, that consistency of seeking help, I never had in my life, I would do it by myself rather than asking others. But there would always be situations where experience beats the professionals, and I accepted the fact. Even I am done with the review, we still kept on working, until the paper got published. We sent them to several journals and got rejected and again used to modify and send to other journals every time, this cycle continued until it got accepted in ASME, should have sent the paper to it at the start, made a mistake. It increased my patience levels to the point where I never reached once, in these 21 years.
Now the answers from the questions at the start of the project decision were, Yeah, I agree it's risky, but it totally depends on how you take it. You might say, I should have prepared for placements harder to get a more higher paying job, but placements were never my concern because some or the other day, it will surely happen. And I am very satisfied with the team I’m working with now and I am not sure I would get that team for that job.
I honestly enjoyed my final year like no other year, I ate full and left no crumbs but maybe it's different from your enjoyment. I had a hectic final year, but I still went on trips. Finally, I realized that it was neither the result nor the process, it's the people you meet in the process and the changes you embrace confidently to yourself.