What I've been up to (02/03/2025)

A lot has happened since my last post. The spring semester started a few weeks ago and besides the Sensors class that I have to take, I've decided to unofficially follow the Fundamentals of machine learning class, both out of personal interest and especially to help a friend of mine who is officially enrolled. Additionally, I've managed to pass the preliminary tests to become a volunteer firefighter and am now completing a mandatory MOOC before each training session.

I've also been reflecting on my professional future. Over the last few years, I've realized that I'm not particularly interested in becoming an engineer, at least for now. I struggle to detach from work and my mind gets too preoccupied with it, preventing me from making meaningful progress on my projects, especially Math From Scratch. I'd love to have a job that doesn't intrude on my free time (unlike my studies at EPFL), allowing me to focus on research.

One career path that has caught my attention is becoming a professional firefighter. Helping people would be rewarding in itself, but beyond maintenance and training, I believe I'd have enough free time to dedicate to my projects, as I would only be deployed in emergencies. I've decided to pursue this goal, starting with becoming a volunteer firefighter. However, I'll have to overcome several challenges: the number of positions is limited, the selection process is competitive (which means I need to be not just physically fit, but better than other applicants), and most importantly, I only have three years to secure the job, as Lausanne only accepts candidates under 29 years old.

I've decided to take a risk and postpone starting a master's degree to focus on becoming a volunteer firefighter, which is a prerequisite for professional recruitment. This will also give me time to train, particularly for the swimming test, as I'm currently not a strong swimmer. If I don't manage to become a professional firefighter by 2028, I have a few backup plans: I could try applying in another canton, such as Geneva, where the maximum recruitment age is 30, or I could return to EPFL for a master's in robotics. Another alternative I'd prefer is becoming a high school math teacher, but that would require a master's degree in mathematics. Unfortunately, I doubt I have the necessary background for admission. Getting another bachelor's degree in mathematics isn't an option, as EPFL doesn't allow it (not to mention the cost and time of starting over). However, with a master's degree in robotics, I might still qualify to teach math at the high school level or at least gain access to a second master's degree in mathematics. I'll need to look into that.

A more immediate challenge I'm concerned about is renting an apartment near the fire station. Renting an apartment in Switzerland is difficult without a specialized, well-paying job. From what I understand, landlords typically require a salary at least three times the rent for at least the three months preceding the lease. To make things more complicated, my parents are planning to move back to Portugal by the end of the year, meaning I have a limited timeframe to secure my living situation. If I can't, I won't be able to continue my commitment to the fire department, and my ongoing naturalization process will be in peril. My mom insists that it's possible to earn a sufficient salary through a non-specialized job, and I hope she's right.

For now, my plan is to continue my studies while keeping an eye out for job opportunities. Once I finish my bachelor's and secure a job, I'll focus on training for professional firefighter recruitment while studying in advance for the robotics master's in case my main plan doesn't work out. By the end of the year, I also hope to have officially become a volunteer firefighter and be available for emergency calls. If that doesn't happen, I may have no choice but to return to my studies, assuming I can afford it.

Returning to the present, I've prepared a weekly task list:

1. Stay on schedule with the firefighter MOOC
2. Stay on schedule with the Sensors class
3. Train for professional firefighter recruitment
4. Stay on schedule with the Fundamentals of machine learning class
5. Memory training
6. Do stuff from my personal to-do list

The priority of each task may vary from week to week, and new ones may pop up, but the core list remains roughly the same.

These past two weeks, I've only been managing to complete tasks 1, 2 and 4 (in fact, as I write this, I still haven't completed tasks 1 and 2 this week). With more discipline and better control over my emotions, I should be able to complete all of them.

The "control my emotions" part might need some explanation. Without dwelling into details, I had an unpleasant interaction with a teacher on Monday that left me anxious and disrupted my sleep. Whenever I'm feeling low or face a setback, I tend to distract myself. Just as some people drown their problems in alcohol, I drown mine in tasks I shouldn't be doing (fortunately, I don't drink or use any kind of drugs, and my tasks are usually self-improving). This time, instead of sticking to my weekly to-do list, I ended up proving theorems for future chapters of Math From Scratch, speedrunning and procrastinating on YouTube. I need to stay strong and focus on what needs to be done!