Microblog 30 Sept

Gave TIME Mock 1009. Just cleared QA and VA cutoffs.. Couldnt clear DI cutoff..
Also took CL Online Mock CAT 12. WAs a very lacklustre performance.. Waiting for the predicted percentile... The prep is slowly gathering pace...

Utopia Callling!

I read The Letter from Utopia, written by Nick Bostrom. One of the most inspiring and motivational pieces I've read in a long time.

IIM Ahmedabad, my Utopia, i am coming!

Proc Mock 5: A Disaster!

Scored just 29 marks in all. A mere 69%ile. This has come as a huge jolt to me. I couldn't clear the cuttoffs in any of the three sections. Clearly, it is by far the lowest moment of my CAT preparation. I will have to have a new strategy. This won't work.

Blah!

As usual, didn't do any CAT prep today. Instead wasted time in colg till about 3PM and then went to the boys' hostel. Played Cricket and Basketball there.. Been long since i did that kind of physical activity. Really tired now.. muscles are paining and i feel weak and sleepy.

Was expecting Proc Mock 5 to go live on SIS today.. afterall the window period is over. By the way, I prefer taking proc mocks from home. No disturbance, no internet disconnection problems, good comfortable seat and ample supply of rough sheets are some reasons. Will have to wait till tomorrow.

Thinking of filling IRMA form soon..

By the way, Quick Gun Murugan was one HELL of a movie. Just too good. Enjoyed it to the hilt. And down with those movie reviewers who gave it two stars. They don't what parodies and satires are. Fuck the reviewers, go catch the movie!

87 Days: Kick Me!

Didn't do any of the "To DOs" from yesterday.. Wasted the whole of yesterday over a stupid CUDA Problem in Topcoder. And the whole of today in I don't know what!

Parents are planning to go for movie. I don't have the heart to tell them that I want to stay back to study. They will beat me sticks... "you waste the whole day, and now you want to study..."

Here's a consolidated To Do

1. Prepare for Colloquim coming thursday
2. Read up on OpenMP for Pt 1.
3. Do lots and lots of quant and DI practice.
4. Study DIP and complete the (ASS)ignment.
5. Start re-learning C++ with special focus on details.. Prepare lots of interview questions - Do Kanethkar to start with.
6. Proc Mock - 6 coming up. Stick up a toothpick in your ass if you don't come out a topper.
7. CUDA Superhero Challenge day after tomorrow. How will you find time you sunn0fabitch?
8. You can do it!

Will post an update on how I wasted my time over a crappy movie.

Here's a piece of Wisdom, quoted by me!

You want to do a thousand things, but when given an opportunity, you don't do them. Simply wanting to do is not enough. Action is greatest.

88 Days to Go: To Do

1. Do 4 quant and 3 DI TIME tests
2. Didnt do OpenMP yesterday - do today.
3. Take a full length mock.

And for god's sake do them!

Online Mock CAT 4 : Got Raped

Literally. When the cutoffs are hovering around 40s, I got scores in early 20s. Some 40%ile in both quant and DI. Was the worst performance ever. Doubts are creeping in as to whether I can really improve or not. Need to work like hell. I have to spend atleast 24 hours for CAT prep over the coming weekend. I will go to sleep now, have a long weekend ahead tomorrow. :(

PS - Didnt attempt Verbal section at all (since that is supposed to be my strong section). Shame on me.

Wasted today again: 87 Days to Go

What a big waste. I know that I have to work really really hard for a good percentile. And I get all the time in the world to put in the effort. But I don't (put in the effort). I just keep doing some stupid stuff wheeling away every second I've got. I have to stop doing that and concentrate on my studies!

Huff. I want to beat myself up. Countdown is going on. Only 87 days to go...

Thinking of taking a mock before this day ends. Will update the score here. But before that, I have to fill up the application form for First Urban Habitat Summit Fellowship.

I already have the answers ready. Just need to copy paste them.

It is 6PM right now. Plans for the rest of the day

1. Take a Mock CAT - and analyze it.
2. Start the long-pending Image Processing Assignment (and study for the sessionals coming up man!)
3. Consolidate the first 4 chapters of MPI Programming Book.
4. Ask partner to prepare for colloquim.


Funny Moment of the Day - Bagal vali aunty came in with a bouquet of flowers to wish my mom happy birthday! Only, my mom's birthday comes next month, same date.

Update: Just submitted the Habitat form. Let us see what happens!
Update: Got Selected as a UHF Fellow, but not attending the conference because of my internal exams being scheduled during the same period. What a waste!

NO need to buy new Voucher!

Yay! I had written to IIMA admissions office yesterday, and cc'ed the mail to dean and director. Just received a mail from the admissions office advising me not to buy a new voucher and contact Prometric again for an update on the issue. Looks like I don't have to spend 1400 again. Will wait and watch.

Wasted my time since the morning.. Did a quant test from TIME Package.. but got bored of it.. Then just for kicks, i picked up a book on OpenMP programming. Now it is around 5 PM. Feel sad for a wasted day.

Btw it just occurred to me. The date I registered for with my voucher is 5th Dec. So, I have around 80 days time to go.. That's an eternity. I can do it.

Start on a bad note

I officially started my journey to cracking CAT yesterday.. and how bad the start was.. made a huge blunder while filling the online application form. I didnt fill my HSC and SSC details. So now I have to procure a new voucher. That's the way you waste 1400 rupees. But seriously, this is a flaw with the Prometric website too.. How can it allow me to book my test slot and get an admit card when I haven't even entered the academic details. Shouldn't there be appropriate checks on the website?

When I broke this news to mom, obviously I wasn't expecting her to congratulate me! But she did lecture me, her talk beginning with the usual "the biggest problem with you is.... ". She must have pointed atleast a crore "biggest problems" to me in these twenty twenty two years. Surprisingly, dad was uber-cool. That's what I like about him. He trusts me and treats me as an adult. Whereas my mom still thinks I'm a 5 year old who can't do nothing. It is another matter that I behave like 5 year olds a lot of times.

Anyway, coming to CAT, verbal is my strong point. DI is on the verge of being comfortable. Quant is weakest. In the next 2.5 months I am going to document my preparation details on this blog. I have taken just one CL mock right now, proc mock - 4 (5th one is live right now..) in which I didnt attempt the quant section. DI was okay with 90%ile and verbal got me 96%. Quant is really a weak area I need to work on.

Some might say this is one of the most unrealistic goals they've ever seen. But deep in my hearts I know that I can make it to the hallowed portals of IIMs.

A couple of quotes to motivate myself
"Without urgency, desire loses its value"
and
"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little."

It is 9:30 AM right now..

My plans for today
1. Do atleast 3-4 take offs on quant.
2. Spend an hour on MPI Programming (for final year project)
3. Call the CL fellows to get a centre transfer (long story, don't bother)
4. Spend an hour on DB2 fundas, for the certification exam.

The 5th mock is going right now. I will wait for it to get over and take it at home. Hope to make it to the toppers' list this time.

As an end note, read this article by an american expat on the indian english translation idiosyncracies..

I'll tell myself to
Do one thing, Crack CAT!