You define yourself by the work you do

A recent post at Seth's blog (http://feeds.feedburner.com/sethgodin)
stuck a chord with me.

Have a read...

"Like bending a sapling a hundred years before the tree is fully grown
and mature, the gigs you take early will almost certainly impact the
way your career looks later on. If you want to build a law practice in
the music industry, you'll need to take on musicians as clients, even
if the early ones can't pay enough. If you want to do work for Fortune
500 companies, you'll need to do work for Fortune 500 companies,
sooner better than later.

The definition of "can get" is essential. Maybe it seems like this gig
or that gig is the best you can get because that's all you're exposing
yourself to. Almost always, the best gig I could get is shorthand for
the easiest gig I could get.

Surviving is succeeding, no doubt about it. Doing the work is better
than not doing the work. Waiting for perfect is never as smart as
making progress. But, and it's a huge but, you define yourself by the
work you do, and perhaps you need to redefine what you're willing to
take and where you're looking for it."

I fully agree and hope that AeSI students do remember these words when
they come out of AeSI. Don't take the first thing that you are
presented with. Don't just jump into the next bus that's coming your
way.

Decide on a destination and then board that bus. Otherwise you will
just spend the initial years of your work life meandering.

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Some thoughts on my-aesi

Many students of aesi email me asking for all sorts of things. Some
ask me advice on specific books, some on how to study maths, some on
how to pass workshop technology and many more.

Well I try to answer this questions as well as I can and as time
permits but most of the time I feel that half of the questions are
already answered on the blog. And this was very reason I added the new
google search functionality in the blog so that older posts are easily
available.

In many earlier posts I have already covered how to study mathematics,
how to study wt? How to study propulsion I, II etc. Well all this
posts were written from what I was learning at those times. All came
from my personal experience.

Now since I am not connected to aesi as a student, I post more on
topics that encircle aesi but are not specific on study techniques.

I hope a existing student start a blog that deals with these issues.
He/she will be more current and will have richer experience to share.

As always I am thinking loud, what do you think?

visit http://my-aesi.blogspot.com and give search a try. It won't
disappoint you. Cheers

How AeSI fails you?

Here are some of the things AeSI throws at you to fail you. Knowing
them will help you navigate your AeSI journey without bumps.

By concentrating on one topic? Syllabus is vast but during exam time
we see 70% of questions coming from one section of the syllabus.

By following a completlely different pattern of questions. For years
same pattern of topics are repeated and all of a sudden, the focus
shifts and the pattern of questions changes without warning.

By asking wrong questions in the wrong papers? Take flights question
paper, some questions in this mostly borders on the subjects of
propulsion and structures subject.

By surprising you with the easiest paper? Most of the mathematics
questions that I have faced, I was surprised twice how easy they were.
I practised all the tough questions and did them again and again but
in the exams I found the simple ones which stumbled me.

By making the paper lengthy? Some papers, especially with papers like
workshop technology, rocket propulsion, etc. questions are set such
that if they aren't answered correctly they become lenghtly and
completing the papers in time becomes a challenge.

By asking the same questions for 4 consecutive semester. In propulsion
2, I saw same three questions coming in 4 consecutive semesters. It
was as if AeSI wanted to get those questions engraved in it's students
mind!

By creating a sense of excitement or resentment. Sometimes the
questions are so ridiculously simple and sometimes so very out of
place that you want to burn down the question setter. This is what
aesi question setters frequently aim at. Exciting you to such a point
that you mess up at the examination hall.

Well these are some of the surprises that AeSI has thrown my ways in
my journey of AeSI. All you need to do is figure them out and be
prepared for it. As art of war dictates, knowing your enemy is half
war won. So remember this ways how aesi fails you!

Read more study techniques for exams by clicking http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/search?q=study+exams

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Opportunities and shortcuts do not mix!

Great opportunities come not from shortcuts but from the main roads.
As somebody said roads lead to everywhere while shortcut just leads to
one place.

When you are taking a shortcut, you are restricting yourself, you are
putting yourself at a disadvantage.

From studying for AeSI, to learning new software, shortcuts might
help you learn fast but in the long run they decrease your abilities.
They might help you gain a certain short term advantage but are lame
over the long haul.

So seek the long roads. Shun the shortcuts. Study the whole chapers
than just reading someone's readymade notes. Read the main theory than
just going over the back question answers. Use proper menu comands
than relying on toolbars. Extend your tutorials and explore beyond
what it says, than just aiming to complete them.

So aim to travel the main roads, short cuts always by passes
opportunities.

Read more about how shortcuts slow you down by clicking http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/search?q=shortcuts

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Reflection

True understanding comes from reflecting on your experiences.
Similarly true learning occurs when you reflect on what you have read
or learnt.

In my own experience, I see that I still do remember topics that I
have reflected upon while studying.

Working of gas turbine, moment of inertia, entropy etc are still as
fresh in my mind as they were few years ago.

So how do we reflect?

We reflect by turning on the mental cinema of mind. By poking at the
new information. By attaching and connecting it to the already present
knowledge and by discussing.

After each study session, get some time to do each of this. Imagine
what you read, talk about it to your friends, see how it applies to
your life, understand where it connects to your life.

This is the only way you can hope to truly learn what is there in the
textbook.

The good thing is it takes little time. So just get started and you
will be surprised how much you can accomplish in with this simple
practice of reflection.

Read more study techniques for exams by clicking http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/search?q=study+tips

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NAL's pasteboard is window of Indian aerospace

NAL Pasteboard (http://www.nal.res.in/pages/pasteboard.htm) is the
webpage i visit to get a glimpse on what is happening in Indian
aerospace scene. Although its primarily highlights NAL's activities
but by doing so provides the flavor of Indian aerospace industry.

Form Highlights on new Ramjet / Scramjet propulsion research to new
composite wings, From ISRO's launch vehicle test to GTRE's engine
screen test, NAL reflects all the major projects working in Indian
aerospace.

I have been reading it since 9 years!! And as far as i know, this is
one page that gets updated every week. After this the other Indian
aerospace page that gets updated is ISRO's website.

This page is a must for any student of AeSI who is desirous to get
training in NAL or any other labs and organizations.

Visit http://www.nal.res.in/pages/pasteboard.htm

Read more about other aerospace related materials by clicking http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/search?q=aerospace

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Five ways of study to crack AeSI exams

I have already restated all this before but again it needs a reminder.
Aesi is tough. It needs more time, more effort and more concentrated
effort. So here are five simple yet powerful ways that one can
incorporate in his or her study habits to crack AeSI.

1. Study with the syllabus book. Read all the topics. Pick and
studying just what is taught in the class is not sufficient, one need
to study systematicly and cover all the topics listed in the syllabus
book. It did cost me twice in my aesi exams so don't ignore the
syllabus book. Read more about it by clicking http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/search?q=syllabus+book

2. Go for the basic theory. Master it, digest it, marinate on it, chew
it. Once all this is done go for the questions, just reading onces and
solving tons of questions won't help. Understand and digest the basics
and then go for the questions. Read more about it by clicking http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/search?q=basic+theory

3. Pen and paper study. Don't just use your mind and fingers to read
and study. Get a rough copy and pen. Draw brainstrom and study. Don't
just write the definitions draw them, connect the new info with the
already present information. Connect different topics and strengthen
your understanding and cement your concepts. Read more about it by
clicking http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/search?q=study+tips

4. Revise everyday, every topic. Whatever new you study revise it the
next day, the next week and thereafter. This helps you to keep you
immersed in the subject. Helps you quicly connect the new to the old
and during exam times helps your recall much more easily. Read more
about it by clicking http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/search?q=revision

5. Read thoroughly. Read the full chapters. Read the full text. This
is where the main core is. Justing reading once and concentrating on
solving questions, papers won't help you. Read throroughly. Read
thrice. This is the only way to get to imprint what you read on your
minds canvas forever. This is what will help you in the long run. Aim
for the marathon than sprinting for the exams. Read more about it by
clicking http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/search?q=amaesi+exams

These are some of the things one should keep in mind and follow to
pass aesi exams!!!

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Website of AeSI alumnus www.aesiaa.org launched

I know i am very late in announcing this but better late than never, so here we go. The website of AeSI alumnis has been launched. Its located at www.aesiaa.org

Here's what Rituraj Shrivastava, president AeSIAA announced.

Dear AeSIians,

It's a pround moment for all of us to announce that first ever website of AeSI alumnus www.aesiaa.org is released and functioning. In its first version, it has all the basic information about AeSIAA. The following features will be added soon in the next version
1. Members Data base
2. Various online forms for registration and different events/seminars organized by AeSIAA, and
3. Email id (example: user@aesiaa.org)

I really admire the effort of our vice-president Mr. Lalan singh to drive this activity. He himself put a lot of effort after his office hours to make it happen. I would also like to thank Mr. amit Kr. singh and Mr. Rakesh Patel for valuable support to Mr. Lalan singh.

Once again a great team effort and it's really exciting feeling to go one step closer to our goal!!!

At last, I request you all to come forward with your expertize and support Mr. Lalan and his team to make AeSIAA website more atractive and informative.

Best Regards,
Rituraj Shrivastava
President, AeSIAA

So what are you waiting for take a look at www.aesiaa.org

Announcement about After-AeSI career guide to AeSI

Here's an announcement. I am going to release the ebook which I have
named 'After-AeSI, career guide to AeSI' in this week.

The ebook is essentially a collections of blog posts that have
appeared in my-aesi till 2008. I have selected those post which I get
most questions from.

From passing aesi, to interviews, from job search to writing cover
letters, I have tried to incorporate the major philosophy of this blog
in one complete ebook. Hope you all will benifit from it.

I completed compiling the ebook long back, but from laptop breakdown
to irratic net connection forced me to delay the launch. I am hoping
that by the end of this week the book will be available for
downloading. So don't forget to check www.my-aesi.blogspot.com this
week!

Colour by numbers or a blank canvas approach

We all have began our coloring by using books that help us colour by
numbers. These magazines/books provided the sketch and the numbers and
we as kids fill in the appropriate colours.

I wonder how many of us skipped this step and went straight to the
blank canvas and drew something. Yes we eventually graduated to this
step but not before we mastered color by numbers.

Similarly when learning a new software, step by step tutorials are
the colour by number canvas. They give us the feel of the software.
It's after this steps that we move to the blank canvas, where we
formulate the problem from start to finish.

Colours by number is essential and should not be skipped. It's
provides the feel, understanding and the preliminary cups of knowledge.

Read more about learning software skills by clicking http://my-aesi.blogspot.com/search?q=tools

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