Advice Animal - Avoid getting trapped by the Net

Internet addiction - digital dope of the masses now. Depriving millions from exercise, well rounded personalities and 20/20 vision over the past decade. Sporadically recognized as a problem, this personal vice is affecting people with alarming pace and magnitude.

After alarm bells were set off by my junior who apparently spent a huge part of the day on the internet, consciously ignoring more time on this vice, I decided to write the following mail addressed to both of us.


I noticed your computer usage is largely unproductive in nature and now that your student life is coming to an end, there has to be a drastic correction for your own significant benefit. Trust me, I am speaking looking back at my own and others mistakes.

Somedays I would be surfing FaceBook and share sites the whole day. The brain just happens to tune out of anything 'work' related. I read stupid jokes and forwards and procrastinate on things till the last minute when I would work through the night to complete things. I wonder why would I knowingly while away time so very very unproductively. Its scientific probably. We get so used to this habit of instant and constant internet stimulation that we rewire our brain to seek out this artificial hit of dopamine. Much like nicotine.

If one writes down what he/she has done the entire day they would realize how much value that day had and was lost. By value I dont mean constant productivity, watching a cooking show would teach you something new too. As long as you have your priorities right, you would know what is worth the valuable time spent. But this is very difficult, I guess only Buddhist monks can be the true practitioners of this wisdom - knowing what really matters. I am guilty of not practicing what I type.

Since you are not a monk, lets stick to the basics and get down to the point. Time/Life is getting wasted in front of a screen. What to do? Like it takes an injured man incredible resolve and perseverance to become fit again, a comparable and satisfying effort is required here too.

1.There is life beyond a PC. There is the great outdoors which is getting lost everyday due to pollution and what not. There are so many new activities done and they dont come as attachments or apps.

2.Maintain a strict schedule. Take a decision how many minutes and how frequently you thinking surfing is good, write it down and STICK TO IT.

3.Cultivate better uses for the internet. There are so many productive sites to learn so many things and add something of solid value to your life. Learn a Foreign Language (livemocha.com). Join a professional forum, if you are an electronics engineer there are robotics site. Blog..etc etc there are endless good things that can be done. Scheduling time is necessary as its very easy to get carried away with things so easily.

4. Most important - Donot neglect you have a problem which has a solution. Neglecting a problem is first and usual reaction; to escape from a problem by neglecting it. Like all bad habits, realization of its presence and knowledge of the solution immensely helps overcoming it.

I look forward to your reply.

A cliche'd new Beginning

I am an electronics fresher from mumbai - Bombay, and I have to say the four years of engineering has taught me a lot more than engineering.

Majority of my lessons were learnt in a brief period of time, called Robocon. The highest level of robotics competition held in India where the best institutes and minds of India compete to win this international event, and to get a chance to represent India. Simply said its the common Indian engineer's olympics. Replete with misadventures, misfortunes and missed ballroom dance sessions, this was the best time of my life...so far, so good.

Opportunity never knocks twice, yeah right....sometimes it comes and punches you in your guts till you acknowledge it. Thats when I 'became' , hell was bestowed to be the placement coordinator for my college electronics batch. Great way to experience an office environment, complete with water dispenser crass talk, back stabbing and some good old boot kissing. Better was the satisfaction of helping my friends to get a good job and a great career.

It dosent stop here, never can with the people and circumstances you come across while in Bombay and well life in general.