I haven’t updated in quite some time, what can I say? I’ve been busy. So I’d like to start this blog off with saying that you’re looking at the new Junior Programmer of SelfHelpWorks! Yes, yes. They asked me to come back as the Lead Intern few weeks back, and now they would like to bring me on as their Junior Programmer. How amazing is this? And how lucky can I be! An internship is already hard to come by, let alone a paid internship, but being able to work at an Entry Level position for my field? What an amazing opportunity this is for me and my career!

Aside from my new job, school has been doing great! That 75% fail rate class that I was so scared of? I earned an 81% (without a curve) on our first midterm. I’m still awaiting the answer of my two other test, which I think I did pretty well in! I also finished a program for my class with a higher efficiency rate than this other student in my class who acts all high and mighty. When the student found out how I coded my program, she was surprised with how little code I had compared to hers (less code is always better code).

I feel like this year has just been getting better and better. It seems like everything is falling into place! In no time, it will be graduation time and I will be making 70,000 a year. I can’t wait till that day comes. But till then, gotta keep pushing and striving till the very end! There’s no signs of giving up here.

“Do we measure it long way or short way?” says the student in the back of the classroom. Come on man, you’re in physics class. Use proper terminology.

I feel like celebrating. I have yet to take my CS560 midterm but I am super happy because of the progress I’ve made in the two hours of studying I did today. It has only been frustrating till only a few moments ago when I figured out how to do my homework. These problem sets can go on about 2 to 3 pages for one problem depending on how much detail you write.

I feel very confident with myself right now. BUT! I can’t let that become an excuse to sleep just yet. I have to ensure that I know this stuff so that come tomorrow, I’ll be set and ready to ace this midterm.

I’ve been on my computer this entire past weekend up to now, my eyes are sore. I’m not browsing or playing games, I’m intently looking at my programming code and scanning each line as I read through it numerous times. I told myself tonight that instead of studying for my midterm on Thursday, I will sleep early after I work on some homework and get a fresh start tomorrow morning when I wake up early. Well, that turned out to be about two hours of doing homework and it’s 11 and now my eyes are sore again. I’m running out of midrin because of this class. I need a break from my laptop or else I’m seriously going to need glasses.

Bright side, I’m almost done coding my project for my programming class!

I was so close to applying to retail jobs again just for the season. I even made a resume specified for retail. I actually had a Target application halfway finished one night. I closed that application and pretty much said “I don’t need a job that badly, especially not at Target.”

I hated working retail.

My school work seems to be piling up too. I didn’t even realize we are 5-6 weeks into the semester already. I have a few projects due and a couple of exams soon. My load seems to be a never ending pile of school work.

Then came a sigh of relief, sort of.

My old internship, who I was with for about 9months, called me and asked me to come back as a paid Lead Intern. What trickery is this? I never thought this would happen, ever. I was informed I was their first pick over any other interns they’ve had since I left, which was in June 2012. Now to top it off, the next day a company, Insight Global, came across my website, www.robbiepecjo.com , and gave me a call & left a voicemail. They were looking for a full-time Junior Java Developer for 70k a year! Unfortunately me not being done with school yet led to the interview cut short and me unable to obtain it. But this, plus my ex internship wanting to hire me again, has encouraged me that what I am doing is worth it. That whatever I’m doing, I’m doing it right and I’m heading in the right direction!

It’s amazing how I was thinking I’m not as good as those other programmers that sit in the front row and always answer the professor. I guess I just really needed that acknowledgement from someone outside of my social bubble to see that what I was thinking was completely wrong. I guess I just needed that push to really get me going. I’m glad I’m heading where I’m supposed to be going. One more year and I’m done, son.

It’s been sometime since I’ve written here.

School is getting pretty busy. Three upcoming exams, couple programming projects due, and a few other things that have not been given a due date yet. I’m trying my best to do good this semester but as much as I don’t want to follow it, C’s do get degrees. I believe this is one of my toughest semesters yet only due to the fact that I am taking one of the hardest undergraduate courses for my major with its prerequisite. Did I mention that the class has a 75% fail rate? 

Aside from the Fall term, I received  a phone call earlier today. A phone call that I thought would never happen. My past internship called me this morning and have asked me to come back not only as a Lead Intern, but as a paid Lead Intern. How amazing is that? I’ve been thinking about it all day and I came to the conclusion that I would accept the internship, again.

Buckle up and hang on tight. This Fall semester is going to be a bumpy ride.

A student asked for partial credit in my class tonight. My professor responded to him by asking him where does he live. The student said San Francisco.

My professor then said “Would you want to fly home with a pilot that earned an A on taking off the plane and only passed landing the plane because he earned partial credit?”

Back when I was very … young

This “Throw Back Thursday” hashtag has got me looking back to old pictures of me. Perhaps when I was 14? Or 15? I wasn’t really fond of taking pictures so pictures from when I was young are rare; majority of the pictures are from family events. So as I was looking through these pictures, I was very active when I was younger. Playing variety of sports, sprinting against people riding bicycles, hopping over things like it was nothing, break dancing, etc.

I’m not sure if it’s because I have gotten older and I have the feeling of “I shouldn’t be doing these kinds of things anymore” just because I’m older or that I just decided completely to not do any of it anymore just because. Or maybe I just took on more responsibility as I got older and have forgotten how it is to be young? It can be anything.

I feel like an old timer when younger kids think they can beat me just because they don’t see me play sports like how I used to. I guess it just comes with age that the younger generation thinks they’re better than you in anything.

Well, I ain’t that old. That’s all I know.