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It’s an information dreamland and the best place to share your data innovations.

And this is my story about my data innovation that was born out of a very niche requirement.

The Accidental Viral Dataset(s)

Now, let’s get one thing straight — I never set out to make a viral dataset. I just wanted to solve a problem, and in doing so, I ended up creating something that resonated with more people than I thought.

Dataset #1: Dog Intelligence Comparison Based on Size

Yes, you read that right. A dataset that compares dog intelligence based on their size. Because why not? Who doesn’t want to know if their tiny Pomeranian is secretly a genius or if their big, goofy Labrador is just… well, big and goofy?

For one of my college assignments, I wanted to do something different — something that would grab my classmates’ attention and add a little humor to the daily grind of lectures. So, instead of a standard dataset, I decided to explore the world of dog intelligence.

I compiled data from various sources, structured it, and made it accessible. Before I knew it, the dataset gained traction, with people analyzing it for fun and even using it for machine learning models. I mean, imagine training an AI to predict if your future dog will outsmart you — absolutely worth it.

Dataset #2: Indian Names Corpus (NLTK Data)

This one came from a more practical need. While working on an NLP project during my internship at HSBC, I discovered a frustrating gap — there was no comprehensive Indian Names corpus available online. The ones I did find were either too small or lacked last names entirely.

So, I decided to build my own. Using manual data collection techniques and a bit of Python magic (a.k.a. BeautifulSoup), I wrote a script that scraped first names and last names from various baby name websites. The goal was simple: create a structured, accessible dataset for anyone working on NLP projects involving Indian names.

Turns out, I wasn’t the only one who needed it. This dataset quickly became a go-to for people developing NLP models for chatbots, identity verification, and text processing. The demand for diverse datasets is real, and I was happy to contribute something meaningful.

One day, I casually uploaded a dataset. The next, I was watching it take off like a rocket. Kaggle’s algorithm pushed it to more users, people started using it in their projects, and suddenly, I had my first (and then second) viral dataset.

My datasets didn’t just find a home on Kaggle — they sparked curiosity, inspired new analyses, and led to some fascinating notebooks created by other users exploring them in unexpected ways.”

Lessons from the Kaggle Fame

1️⃣ The niche is your best friend — You don’t have to create the biggest dataset on Kaggle. Sometimes, a hyper-specific dataset serves a bigger purpose.

2️⃣ Data Science needs diversity— Whether it’s dog intelligence or Indian names, there’s always a gap to fill. Find it.

3️⃣ Kaggle is more than competitions — It’s a space to share, collaborate, and innovate. Uploading my datasets wasn’t just about sharing data — it was about contributing to a community that thrives on curiosity.

What’s Next?

Now that I’ve experienced the excitement of sharing datasets on Kaggle, will there be more? Definitely. What’s coming next? Well, you’ll just have to wait and see. 😉

Till then, if you haven’t already, check out my datasets here:
🐶 Dog Intelligence Comparison Based on Size
📜 Indian Names Corpus (NLTK Data)
👀Hair Eye Color

And if you’re on Kaggle, say hi! Let’s geek out over data together. 🚀

Stay tuned for more content on how to build a Kaggle profile and thrive in the Data World!

Hey, reader! If you’ve landed here again, welcome back to my corner of the internet where we celebrate life, one milestone at a time. Today, I’m sharing 25 significant experiences that shaped me into the wonderfully chaotic (yet fabulous) person I am as I turn 25 (Still getting used to saying/writing it out loud). So, buckle up!

PS- Before I begin, thank you for reading this and being a part of my journey on this funny little thing called “life.” I know that it's hard for you and it's hard for me, but together, things seem a little bearable, don’t they? :’)

PSS- The list is in no chronological order and some experiences might stand out a bit more than others. But overall, I am much much grateful of having averted the so-called-quarter life crisis :p and coming out stronger on the other side. If I have learned anything from getting through my teenage years into my youth, is that no experience in life is less significant than other. And the common urge of wanting to get over or forget the unsightly ones seems like a good idea at the time but it does contribute to who you are as a person today. So ladies and gentlemen, embrace it. And love yourself a little more for the unpleasant ones and celebrate your wins loudly.

Without further ado, here goes everything-

• Seeing THE Taylor Swift live at Wembley Stadium, London, with 92,000 people
  Need I say more? This was a once-in-a lifetime event. This was MY life’s main event. This was the culmination of all the pining and crying and obsessing I have done over Taylor Swift and while listening to her songs. Period. No one forgets their first Taylor concert. Even in my wildest dreams, I thought I would travel intercontinentally to fulfil my childhood dreams and cry over video call with my parents on seeing Taylor. (There is video proof, all thanks to my beautiful brother!) I will still cry over “All Too Well” (10-minute version, of course) like I did the first time I saw Taylor live on stage for the first time. And relive every single moment for the rest of my life? Most definitely.

• The FIRST woman in my family with a Master’s degree
  Breaking barriers and shattering glass ceilings with my degree in Data Science! It was no small feat, but someone had to do it. 😎

• Gold-level Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador
  Climbing to Gold-level was no small feat — it was a coveted achievement! I judged hackathons, hosted workshops, and made appearances at Microsoft Build 2021 and Ignite 2021. Basically, I went from student to tech VIP, and yes, it was every bit as awesome as it sounds!
• Taking my parents on their first foreign trip
  Watching them marvel at new sights felt like the ultimate win. 11/10 would do again.

• Going to London
  London had me on a cultural high. I walked, I soaked in the rain, and yes, I did all the touristy things. I couldn't get enough of London. I cannot stop talking about London. London will be hearing from me very soon!

• Meeting the love of my life
  A beautiful, intelligent, and slightly shy human (you know who you are) that made life just a bit more magical. I cannot wait to live out all my upcoming adventures in life with you!

• Landing a job at one of the biggest companies in the world
  Imagine my excitement. Cue the proud dances in front of the mirror. There’s nothing like achieving a goal you’ve dreamt of for so long. And even more so, when it is your parents’ dream too. That look of pride on their faces makes it all worth the late nights, hard work, and every challenge along the way.

• Learning art
  Art had always been my first love and forever will be. From my scribbles to my reckless crayoning, drawing sunglasses on faces when I couldn’t draw eyes to hiding in my room and painting all night when the high-school study pressure used to get to me. Art has always been there for me. And although I hardly practice and majortiy of the time feel like an imposter when I tell people I paint, Art backs me up and is more forgiving to me than anything else in this world.

• Living on a hill station for a year
  Lavasa tested my adaptability. Bad internet, no Swiggy — but incredible views and inner peace. You win some, you lose some.

• Experiencing beautiful food in Malaysia
  Travel and food are the ultimate love languages. Nasi Lemak is proof that the best experiences are the ones you can taste.

• Moving to a new city at 18 for my undergrad
  Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science. Triple major, triple the chaos. The move was terrifying, but I came out stronger (and nerdier).
• Giving guest lectures at universities
  From VIT to LPU, I got to share my knowledge with future tech geniuses. Teachers really do learn the most from teaching.
• Helping my Dad start a translation business at 19
  Internships pay off, people! I helped kickstart a whole business and learned a thing or two about entrepreneurship along the way.

• Mentoring over 200 people online
  Watching mentees grow in confidence and skill is a chef’s kiss experience. It’s like planting seeds and watching a forest grow.

I have recently been active on Topmate and trying to accept as many bookings as I can. Giving back is truly one of the greatest joys.

• Becoming a published author
  Books, research papers, and even a blog on Microsoft’s tech community! Who would’ve thought I’d have this many words in me?

• Moving into my first big girl apartment
  It’s big, it’s mine, and the rent doesn’t scare me (most days). Adulting feels like an achievement, one IKEA thing at a time.
• Fostering cats and dogs
  Billo, Barfi, Laddu, Creamy, and Billie Eyelashes were my fur babies. They taught me about love, patience, and cleaning up a lot of kibble. And converting my entire family into cato-holics 😄

• Traveling around India
  From the misty hills of Ooty to the bustling streets of Mumbai, India’s diversity is its own adventure. Hyderabad’s ShahGouse Kebabs are my new-found obsession in life. The air of Coorg, Chikamangaluru and Kodaikanal is something I miss and the views are something I often reminisce.

• First camping trip for my 25th birthday
  Sleeping under the stars? Yes, please. Camping was an unforgettable way to usher in my mid-20s.

• Visiting the Microsoft Bangalore office
  I didn’t just visit; I basked in it. Being an ambassador came with perks, and this tour was one of them.

• First offsite at HSBC
  New environments, new people, and new opportunities. This offsite experience gave me a fresh perspective on work-life balance.

• Spoiling my parents
  Buying them things they deserve but wouldn’t buy for themselves brings me a level of joy I can’t quite put into words.

• Speaking at Microsoft Reactor events
  From Bangalore to Europe, I had the mic and the platform to share my story with fellow tech enthusiasts.
• Turning online friends into real friends
  This shoutout goes to my MVPs. You know who you are. Online friendships can turn into the best IRL adventures.
• Watching Ed Sheeran live with my brother and crying during “Photograph”
  Photograph holds a special place in my heart as it was the background score to a video I made for my brother. ( In case you want to watch for some major retro video editing skills, click here) Seeing Ed perform it live? Tears. So many tears. Sorry, not sorry.

Turning 25 has been a journey of self-discovery and cherishing the person I’ve become. It’s all about balance, reflection, and appreciation. Every year brings more adventures, and I’m eager to embrace whatever comes next. To celebrate this milestone, my brother Gurkeerat Singh created a touching documentary about me, capturing the essence of my journey so far. You can watch it here.( Yes, we all are really into making videos about each other :P) Here’s to more memories, growth, and the exciting adventures that lie ahead!

Until next time, dear reader.

Lots of love,

Young at heart, older on Paper and Forever grateful- Jasleen xo

The last time the pandemic stole the show in my blog and this time I bet it’s going to be ChatGPT. (I know what you are thinking. Another ChatGPT generated blog. But no, ChatGPT did not write this. Not a single sentence, not a single word. I value my audience way too much to deprive them of the awesomeness of Jasleen’s writing xD)

I know, I know. It has been a while. There is an article missing a Part III and there is so much to catch up on. I knowww. But please bear with me. (I promise to publish the third part soon, meanwhile you can read Part I and Part II here.)

So without much ado, I will address the elephant in the room before going to the fun part of my blog. And even before that, dear reader, I am sure you are wondering- “Why does Jasleen keep doing this? All these milestone blogs in the age of tech blogs and how-to blogs. Just why?” Well, to answer your question, I can write an entire other blog. But I shall spare you of the pain of reading 85489659 words from literally-motivated( more like passionately irked) Jasleen, who feels that as a generation, we despise anything that evokes emotion.

So dear reader, all I want is even just one person reading this and feeling as close to words, literature and language as I do while being married to it. If MY words on YOUR screen, make you feel something, then I have done my bit. And ofcourse, milestones are to be celebrated and I shamelessly love celebrating mine.

Back to the much ado elephant, “Is a Master’s degree worth it?”

Yes. Yes it is, if you are driven enough to pursue the subject that doesn’t let you sleep out of excitement. “Do you have a INR 30LPA job now?” No. That only happens with years of experience, hard work, remote jobs or sheer luck.

Now back to freshly- graduated- pandemic Jasleen. The triple majors was sure challenging but not enough for me. I still felt I had alot to learn and alot to grow before settling down with one career choice. So a Master’s degree seemed like the answer. However, a Master’s degree in Data Science was still pretty unheard of in the country while I was getting enrolled into it. And this wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg.

I started my first semester in the midst of the pandemic. I couldn’t wait to get out of my home and be on campus. And boy oh boy, when they called me on campus in Lavasa, Pune, I couldn’t wait to be home. Your home, my home, my 13th follower’s home. Anyone’s home would have sufficed at that point.

For the uninitiated, Lavasa is a small hill-station, 60kms from Pune and a place only filled and run by students of all ages above 18. And it is also a place with bad network, barely any internet, trekking paths, no Swiggy, Zomato, Ola, Uber. You get the gist right?

I mean don’t get me wrong, it’s gorgeous as hell. (Proof below)

But what about our technology-dependent lifeforms? Especially me, who has never trekked a day in her life? What do we do?

The answer is simple. We adapt. Begrudgingly or happily. You suck it up and do your best. And I swear you will not believe how fun that was. (Although, that wasn’t true all the time. There were terrible days, there were tears and there were battles that no one ever talks about. But hey, even our brain, over time, prefers to only remember the good bits and hence the good bits are the bits that I want to capture and remember forever in this blog.)

So here are some astonishingly fun, sometimes hysterical and sometimes purely innocent and joyous moments of my Master’s degree-

• We all dressed up for things. Alot. ALOT :D

. We did alot of assignment, some very fun and some made fun

. I taught alot of things to a lot of people!

. Painted things!

. Watched gorgeous sunsets ~

• Sent my mum cute selfies every morning to let her know I am alive :p

. Amazing times with amazing people

• Played with all the cute doggos!

• Had the best parties and the not so good parties too xD

• Got my first boss girl job :D

• Won things

• Watched the football world cup and went on 60kms bike rides for a movie!

• Took my Maa on fancy dates after getting a job

• Celebrated my 23rd Birthday :D

• Had reallllyyy early morning breakfast dates

• Graduated with my degree ❤

• Andddd saved the best for the last-

Thank you for reading this far, dear reader.

Now some free career advice after that hopeful dose of serotonin -

Know somethings about everything and everything about somethings!

That was my most valuable learning in these two years. Career wise, if you have decided something for yourself, you are bound to succeed in it. Some doubtful periods might come your way but those tests are necessary to strengthen your resolve and help you grow as person.

That’s it. That’s the bit for today from Jasleen’s Medium.

Onto the next adventure now and hopefully a new blog way sooner than this one xx

Come say hi on Twitter if you wanna know more about my Lavasa adventures :p !

Mind you, this is not a show-off kind of blog. But more like “I am gonna re-read this 10 years later” kinda blog xD

So here are the 21 highlights of my 2021-

1.Gave my very first Guest Lecture at Vellore Institute of Technology, Bhopal!

2.Started my Codecademy Chapter, which is almost 140 members strong now.

3.Gave my second Guest Lecture at Siliguri Institute of Technology.

4. Was a virtual audience member at Microsoft Build 2021!

5.Started working at InterviewBit/ Scaler Academy( and signed a 1-Year contract with them!)

6.Made my first official Open Source contribution to the Microsoft VSCode Repo!

7.Attended the GitHub Graduation and graduated with a Triple Majors.

8. Received $100 from Anita Borg for my participation in OSD 2021

9.Mentored Project Rowy @vGHC OSD and moderated an event for Rocio Montes.

10.Hosted QuaranTeam Hack for Codecademy which had 700+ registrations

11. My book on R programming, in collaboration with IIT Bombay, finally got published!

12. Was invited to judge TechTogether New York!

13. Started working at Relevel by Unacademy

14. Started my Master’s degree in Data Science.

15. Bought my first stock and started investing the right way!

16. Moved to Lavasa, Pune.

17. Got my driver’s license :p

18. Participated in the Adobe Analytics Challenge.

19. Was a virtual audience member (for the 2nd time!!) at Microsoft Ignite 2021

20. Collaborated with AIESEC, India.

21. Mentored a Power Apps workshop for Imagine Cup!

Here’s hoping 2022 is even more fun and just as productive!

But can I make the cliched promise that all top-notch filmmakers make? It's going to be worth it!

So without making you wait any longer, let's talk about Campus Ambassador Programs!

If you’re someone in college reading this right now, I am sure you know what I am talking about. Campus ambassador programs are all the rage at the moment and to be honest, why shouldn’t they be? They are every college student’s wet dream.

For the uninitiated, a Campus Ambassador or a Student Ambassador Program is a program wherein a student represents a brand, company, or organization on their campus. What do students get in return, you ask?

Skills, skills, and some more skills! ( And also goodies but SKILLSSS)

Through a campus ambassador program, a student gets equipped with leadership skills, team-building skills, public speaking skills, marketing skills, and the list goes on.

So if I have to talk about myself, I was lucky enough to do 3 of them! (Still trying my luck in a couple as long as I am still a student!)

The first ever student ambassador program that I cracked was the Internshala Student Program (ISP11) by Internshala.

Internshala Student Program gave me the perfect opportunity to show my skill set, promote Internshala on my college campus and meet new people. During this program, I encouraged a lot of students and got them to enroll to Internshala and kick-start their careers. I promoted Internshala as a brand and endorsed the educational/professional training programs offered by their platform.

The second program that I cracked was the Campus Hero initiative by GirlScript Bangalore!

I hosted my first ever webinar on “Getting Started with Git and GitHub” for my college- Mount Carmel. Its safe to say it went well and was a great experience!

I also made several friends across universities in Bangalore which is something I really cherish.

The third and most important student program that quite literally changed my life is the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Program! It has been over a year for me in the program and every day is transformatory. So far in this program I have-

Achieved the Alpha milestone within the first month as an ambassador.

Achieved the Beta milestone.

Conducted 5 workshops.

Helped 5 students during the ambassador application process.

Got selected to attend Microsoft Build 2021 as a part of the virtual audience.

Impacted over 100 attendees.

Completed learn paths on Microsoft Learn and attended webinars organized by Microsoft.

Interacted and networked with professionals working at Microsoft.

Working on starting a publication on “Diversity and Inclusivity” with another ambassador.

Got selected to attend Microsoft Ignite 2021 as a part of the virtual audience.

Working on starting a Club at my Master’s university.

On a daily basis, you’d find me talking about the program to anyone and everyone! And I could talk about this all day. So that’s exactly why I will write another very detailed but interesting article on my experience as an ambassador!

Before I conclude this article, here are some tips I would like to share with you-

Apply to Student Ambassador Programs of companies that resonate with you.

Don’t just apply to it for the benefits but with a passion to learn.

Be your authentic self while applying.

Be confident in your present skills and be open to upskilling as and when required.

Be prepared to have a lot of fun!

If you want to know more about applying to the MLSA program, check out the article I wrote about it.

See you soon, dear reader!

Feel free to come say hi- https://linktr.ee/jasleen101010

First of all, if you clicked on this and are reading this, thank you. And if you love honest, raw, and real writing, please stick around!

I write this as my birthday draws close to an end and I am so thankful for the fact that this year was one of the happiest years of my life.

I am someone who learnt things the hard way as all of us do. But I want to capture this feeling, this phase of life, this wisdom I think I have at 22.

So, without much ado, here goes-

1. Love yourself. Not in the cliched way that most Bollywood movies or Self-help books tell you to. Accept your flaws and all and work on yourself because you love yourself.
2. Being kind never goes out of fashion. But never be so kind that you forget to be clever.
3. Work on yourself, by yourself, and for yourself. Don’t compete against yourself.
4. Make friends. Shit load of them. I kid you not that’s the best class of life you will ever attend. Their sorrows and stories and their laughter and love shape you in a way that romance never can.
5. Start seeing your parents as people instead of parents. Trust me it's the greatest life hack to exist.
6. Fall in love but never lose your sense of self in that said love. Keep doing it until you find someone who doesn’t make you feel like love is something you fall in but something beautiful that you experience and live through.
7. Buy that book, go visit that museum, watch that movie regardless of whether you have company or not.
8. Put your independence and self-sufficiency over everything else. I repeat! EVERYTHING ELSE.
9. Live alone by yourself, away from your family at least for a while and you’ll understand what they mean when they say life is the greatest teacher.
10. Do not ever try to pour from an empty cup. It never works. Be like the passenger onboard a turbulent flight. Help yourself before helping others.
11. Don’t date people who are scared of your P.O.W.E.R.
12. Grey’s Anatomy re-runs are the best pick-me-ups.
13. Listen to a lot of Taylor Swift when sad. It’s free therapy.
14. Good health in your 20s will surely help you in the long run.
15. Dye your hair all shades of the rainbow if that’s what your heart wants.
16. Hug your Mom randomly while she’s busy doing something.
17. Smash the hell out of your goals. Whatever they are and wherever they take you. Leap into it, take the plunge and feel the adrenaline soar through your veins.
18. Do THAT crazy thing on your list before you are too old. And even if you are too old, still GO DO IT.
19. Keep those people close who feel like sunshine.
20. Travel. That’s it. Just travel. Whenever you can, however you can.
21. You’re amazing just the way you are.
22. Keep writing these lists on every birthday.

Thanks for reading!

A special welcome to all of you who decided to join me on my Medium journey after reading my last article about doing a triple majors degree.

So as promised, I am going to divulge the really obvious but sooo hyped-up secret of having a successful college life.

Sorry to pop your bubble- it's sheer hard work :p

The title of the blog clearly gives away what I am going to talk about in this article so without wasting any more time let's dive into it!

Let’s talk about internships first.

We all want them. People tell us to get them. And on LinkedIn everyone has them!

Every fresher in a college thinks this is some complicated HP Horcrux that we have to have but it's sooo difficult to find. I was the same. So I started looking in the first semester of college itself and that’s how I started off on my journey of 7 internships.

My first ever internship( which was also paid!!) (I know!! Much excite for fresher Jasleen xD) was at JavaTPoint as a Technical Content Developer. I was filled with enthusiasm as I got to combine my love for tech and my passion for writing. I gained experience and earned a decent stipend. I got a taste of being a “grown-up” and the high of independence. That is what exactly lead me to my next one. ( All thanks to Internshala!)

I landed my second internship at GradeUp and my third one at Multibhashi. Now, quick reality check. It was only the first one that came easy to me. The others came after applying to almost 50 openings, giving telephonic and technical interviews for at least 25, and after being rejected at 13. And let me assure you- that is completely normal! You don’t ace anything on your first try. You fail, you learn more and you level up. The failure at one opportunity makes you better for the next one. Always remember that!

The next company I worked for was MyTAT Pvt. Ltd. and then came another company, which sadly didn’t pay me neither certified me. Again, another reality check for you. The takeaway from this for you is that you need to be brave, speak up and ask questions even if you are the one being interviewed. I’d say you should do that especially if you are the one being interviewed. You should always be clear about the job role, expectations, and the brand that you would be working on.

Also as Ankur Warikoo says, do multiple internships at the same time if possible. It helps you grow in terms of time management, commitment and motivation in ways you can’t imagine.

That’s 5! In case, you lost count. The next internship that I did was at Yay-Let’s Celebrate Education as a Python Mentor. I loved the fact that I met so many new people through it and the impact I had on the students I mentored. Definitely goes down as one of my memorable experiences!

And the latest one that I did, right before graduating, was at SirpiDataScience as an R Programming Developer. To be really honest? I couldn't have asked for a better company to have as my first official industry experience. The only bad thing about it was that I had to discontinue it very soon because of my final exams.

So now that we have reached the end, I know you must be wondering how I did it, right?

Here are my honest tips for those who clicked on this article wanting to know my answer-

1)Make a resume.

2)Make an account on platforms like Internshala, Internworld, Letsintern, HelloIntern etc.

3)Have a complete, up-to-date LinkedIn and GitHub profile.

4)Apply A LOT. LIKE ALOT. Trust me, there is no lack of opportunities.

5)Improve your resume, skill-set, and mindset after every successful interview and also after every rejection.

6) And sometimes, if there is an opportunity you really see yourself excelling at but don’t have the skill-set to apply? Use that opportunity to make a list. ( I am a hardcore list fanatic so please bear with me xD) Write down the skills that the job demands. And then start learning them.

That’s all for this article folks! I will be putting out more articles talking about campus ambassador programs and how I got published twice by the age of 21.

So stay tuned for more :D

Find me on my socials if you wish to come say hi- https://linktr.ee/jasleen101010

From the day I started college to this day, whenever I am asked “What are you studying?”- I proudly answer “Triple Majors in Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science” every time. And the look of shock and bewilderment turned into confusion is worth it, every time :P

Not a lot of people are aware of the concept of doing triple majors in India. And that is partly the reason why I am writing this article. The major reason is the fact I wrote my very last Bachelor’s degree exam almost a week ago and I am ecstatic. I did it. I made it to the end and how sweet this journey has been.

As someone who loves asking the most obscure questions, is always lost in thoughts about unthinkable things and constantly wondering about what the world means, you’d think pursuing this degree was such an obvious choice.

But it wasn’t and I wasn’t ready to accept that when I was 18. Serendipity makes sense to 21-year-old Jasleen but 18-year-old Jasleen? She was stubborn as hell and had a lot to learn. (Sidenote- I still am, maybe a little less, and still have a lot to learn.)

Unlike the popular notions that I had about college life, no two days are the same when you are on your own in the world, let alone 3 years.

The 3 years of my bachelor’s degree were all unique, exciting, and hard in their own ways. Now that they have come to an end, I can clearly see what they signified and I just want to capture this realization and remember it. (Yay, Medium!)

The first year was all about what my degree was all about and justifying my choices to myself AND to people around me. ( Cool senior advice to all the current students out there- If it feels right, keep doing it. And even if you feel like you made the wrong choice, own it and improve. Life has a lot to offer. I promise.)

Coming back to what a triple majors is, it is just like an honors degree that we have in India but offered for three subjects. As far as my information goes, colleges in Karnataka are the only ones who offer this kind of Bachelor’s degree. (If you want some names, hit me up!)

I started interning in my first year itself and completed 7 internships by the time I graduated! (Psst- The next article will be about how I managed to do that, so keep an eye out :D)

Soon enough, things started feeling amazing, the Bangalore weather finally started agreeing with me and so did my grades :P

But lo and behold, the pandemic came into the picture and ruined all pre-made plans. I still remember the day I made the decision to head back home on an impulse and not realizing that I would never go back into the same place(physically and mentally) ever again.

Coming back to your childhood home after living alone for a while is a huuuge deja vu. Sometimes good and sometimes bad. I felt myself slip back into patterns I had as a kid because of the sense of familiarity at home.

Took me a while to break it and I am kinda proud to say, I didn’t look back after it. Here I am after a year of online learning, writing this, and having achieved a bunch of things.

It sure would have been easier to have given up and blamed anyone but myself. But you know what feels even better? Making a promise to yourself and keeping it.

The day I left home when I was 18, I swore I would be different. Live differently. Feel differently. Love differently. Work differently. And honor the different path I was taking.

And today, if I sit down and list out the things I have achieved-

as a woman

as a woman of color

as a woman from a non-tech background

as a woman who started living alone at the age of 18

I have to say I did a pretty good job :D

And there is so much more yet to come- things to do, places to visit and experiences to be lived out. And I for one, absolutely cannot wait for it.

Signing off with the cheesy, “If I can do it, so can you!”

Stay tuned for a couple of more honest, deep and real articles about my life if you liked reading this!

Love,

Jasleen.

Find me on my socials if you wish to come say hi- https://linktr.ee/jasleen101010

So the topic for today is “Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming” and can you guess what I am going to do?

Well yes, you thought it right! I am going to explain it as I would to a 6-year-old.

So, let’s suppose we have a Tesla. What is a Tesla? It’s a car. A car enables you to go from one place to other with ease. Now a really simple question- Does one really need to know the inner mechanics of a car to actually drive it?

The answer is no. One only needs to know how to drive a car and voila! They can use it to travel just by having a driver’s license and by knowing how to drive. This clearly depicts that the background details can be hidden so as to focus on details of greater importance. That is “Abstraction” for you.

In the case of self-driving Tesla car models, you don’t even know how to drive a car because the car will navigate on its own. That’s an entirely new level of abstraction altogether!

By definition, abstraction is the concept of object-oriented programming that “shows” only essential attributes and “hides” the unnecessary information. It is one of the four cornerstones of Object-Oriented Programming.

Now let’s talk about “Encapsulation”, the second cornerstone of OOP. Now imagine you are driving the Tesla down the road. You place your foot on the gas pedal when you want to accelerate and on the brake pedal when you want to bring your car to a stop. This causes the internal state of the Tesla to change. But it definitely will not affect the cars around you. Thus, clearly, the internal state of the Tesla is encapsulated.

By definition, encapsulation is the concept of bundling of data and methods that work as a unit. It also helps in hiding the internal representation of an object from other objects.

Till now, we were only talking about a Tesla. We could even have a Ferrari, a Honda, a Lamborghini. They could be of different colors, different models and different specifications. But at the end of the day, they are all just one thing- a car. A car here is nothing but an object. Hence, we can say a car can be available in different forms. That is what “Polymorphism” is.

The word polymorphism simply means having many forms. In OOP, polymorphism is the ability of an object to take different forms. It can also be used to define a method that performs a single action in different ways.

Coming to our last fundamental OOP concept, think about all the other ways you can travel. You can travel by driving a truck or by riding a scooter or a motorbike. What is common to all of these? They’re all vehicles- some two-wheelers and some four-wheelers.

Now think about “Inheritance”. In English, it simply means inheriting or getting something from someone. In OOP, inheritance refers to the mechanism in which one class acquires the property of another class, just like a child inherits from their parents.

Circling back to thinking about all the other ways you can travel- A car is obviously a four-wheeler vehicle and thus inherits all the properties of being a vehicle. Hence, inheritance is at play here where “vehicle” is a parent class and “car” is the child class.

To conclude, now you know all about the four cornerstones of Object-Oriented Programming.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

First things first, why should you apply to this program-

1. Once you become an MLSA, you can upgrade your skills and also get mentored by Microsoft professionals in various domains. You can also earn several certificates, badges, and networking opportunities.
2. You will be hosting your very own events and workshops and impact so many people around you.
3. Your network will be on a global level now, all thanks to this program, and the learning and collaboration opportunities will be endless.

I came across this program when I had just started my final year of Bachelor’s and I submitted my application around early June 2020 and got my acceptance email on 8th August 2020. And ever since then, the entire experience has been an absolute joyride!

Perks of the Program

· A personalized swag kit from Microsoft when you attain the Beta Milestone.

· Azure Credits- USD 150 monthly credits

· Your own student ambassador email and free access to Office 365, Visual Studio Enterprise, Techsmith Snagit, and Camtasia.

· You also get your own name.com domain, access to LinkedIn Learning, and even MTC certification vouchers.

And so much more!

How to apply for the Program?

1. Go to the official student ambassador website, click on Apply Now and get started!
2. The application process is pretty straightforward and asks for your basic information, technology skills, resume, 2 written essays, and 1 video essay.
3. The video submission is your choice. You will be given 3 topics and you have to make a video on one of them. I chose to explain a technical concept as my video submission. You can check out my video submission here.
4. Submit your application and you’re all done!

Things to Remember

· The intake for ambassadors happens on a quarterly basis so sit tight!

· You can edit your application even after submission until it goes under review.

· The video submission is essential to your application. So don’t skip it and give it your best :D

If you’re selected, you will receive an email on your registered email.

Next Steps

After being selected and attending a great orientation by Mr. Pablo Veramandi, Director of Microsoft’s Global Student Developer Programs, all ambassadors were eager to work towards their first milestone.

The three milestones in the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program are-

1. Alpha- Once you complete a learn path on Microsoft Learn and choose the leagues you are interested in, you will achieve this milestone and unlock your Alpha Milestone benefits!
2. Beta- You can now host your very own event after achieving the Alpha milestone. You also gain access to event support and resources. After successfully conducting your event and reporting it, you will receive your Microsoft Beta Swag Kit! You would also receive an invite to the yearly Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Summit.
3. Gold- You will get invited to this milestone based on your efforts and hard work for the community. Have an idea that can serve and impact your local community? Implement it with the support of Microsoft. Once you reach this milestone, you can even become a Student Ambassador Regional Leader and may even be invited to be Microsoft Most Valued Professional!

This experience is surely once in a lifetime. You meet really amazing people from all across the globe, learn from the best and realize the value of serving and uplifting your local community!

Don’t let the self-doubt stop you. If I can make it, so can you!

So wait no more, apply now!

Watch my application video for some inspiration!

If you still have any queries, feel free to message me on LinkedIn.

Let’s learn and grow together and be a force for good :)