Question

So I'm done with the http://ai-class.com , http://ml-class.org , and http://db-class.org (if you haven't done them check them out anyway there are some different classes being offered, machine learning is offered again, and I think the class materials are still available) free public online classes offered by Stanford University as part of a growing initiative to deliver free online education to the world, and they've broadened my knowledge quite a bit, but I still don't know what to do with my life :( What should I do?

Answer 1

Yeah i also completed both ai and ml classes but not the db class. Both were really great and they are many new classes this fall.

Answer 2

I've got the AI text, as well as the DB text (the complete book) but I haven't found one for the machine learning class :(

Answer 3

I think you should start an online Database class i will be your first student!. or any online class

Answer 4

Do you have the DB class in PDF file?

Answer 5

I'm thinking about downloading all the db-class materials (lecture videos, slides, etc.), packing them into a single folder, and uploading them.

Answer 6

As a side note here, anyone taking CS101 from Stanford this February? :-)

Answer 7

Me :-D

Answer 8

@agdgdgdgwngo
There is course material for the ml class , it contains all the slides of what is taught .
Where did you get the one for ai class?

Answer 9

the AI text is Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach; 3rd edition authored by Stuart Russel and Peter Norvig

Answer 10

lol reminds me I haven't started the midterm yet!!!

Answer 11

yeah i have the book, so what about the final exam , are you done with it?

Answer 12

I mean the final*

Answer 13

I heard it's not too difficult

Answer 14

yeah i just completed a few questions and is left with some of them

Answer 15

I don't like particle filters though :(

Answer 16

don't tell me half of the exam is about particle fitlers :-P

Answer 17

no its not , you can actually view a pdf containing all the questions

Answer 18

We can write software to do the exam for us anyway! We've graduated from an AI class, so we should be able to write an intelligent agent that will do the final exam for us.

Answer 19

i don't know, probably one can write an intelligent agent that gives all the exams for us.

Answer 20

We have plenty of time to do it :) final is 72 hours long

Answer 21

They all seem easy

Answer 22

i believe we have got less than 36 hours left, so better get going

Answer 23

alright time to begin writing software to solve most of the questions, and leave the thinking questions for the last minute (because clarifications and hints might pop up)

Answer 24

yeah you are right

Answer 25

What do you mean that you don't know what to do with your life? At all, or just within the field of computing?

Honestly, I've always been a fan of searching for opportunities and following them. Often opportunities lead to other opportunities. Maintain connections with people you meet that may be doing stuff that's interesting to you. Ping them occasionally, have lunch, or just email back and forth a couple of times. Each person you know is a potential connection to an interesting opportunity for the future.

I had a girlfriend who was very torn about what to do with her life, and my advice was always (not that it was necessarily taken), dive in. If you're that confused about what you want to do, just start doing stuff. Don't be afraid to quit early if you're not interested. If you can experiment on your own, do it. If you can experiment by volunteering (i.e., if you can afford to and have the time to), do it. If you have to go work for someone, do it. If you're actually working for pay, you probably want to commit at least 6 months to a year, unless you're contracting or interning, just because people get antsy if you job hop too much.

Some people find what they want early, and because it falls in their lap. Others struggle for years. It's just part of lie. Most importantly, don't despair. Life is long, and its turns are unexpected. Even when you end up in a job you hate, you may meet people who are awesome. These may be the very people who give you an opportunity later. This applies to everything in life, not just jobs: it's an adventure, we have to have fun with it :)