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Kernel

⚡️ The Back to School Issue

+ save the date for Kernel launch parties!!

jessica dai

Sep 2, 2022

It’s been quiet around here — one, because I just went back to school, and two, because we’ve been putting the finishing touches on the second issue of Kernel, our annual print magazine.

And on that note… RSVPs are now open for in-person Kernel launch parties in SF and NYC!!!! Tickets are $10, which you can apply towards the cost of a magazine. We’ll also have a free online event during launch week, including a Q&A with one of Kernel’s authors and a community social :~)

San Francisco on Thursday, 9/15 — register here
New York on Saturday, 9/17 — register here
Virtual on Sunday, 9/18 — register here

Stay tuned for Kernel cover reveal… SF event graphic by Justin Carder :)

🏫 advice for students (of all ages)

Last week, I asked Reboot readers in Threads for what advice they’d offer to current students.

By far, most people said to hang out and have a good time with friends:

Remember to make friends,, — Tianyu
Enjoy the social scene. That opportunity will be over before you know it. — Leon
Build out support systems… life is hard but being able to lean on friends/ peers/ mentors goes a long way — David

And some miscellaneous life & career advice:

Don’t be afraid to be really earnest about things — Jake
Depending on your career goals, your major and grades probably don’t really matter; just take whatever you want. Trying to upkeep high school straight As is not worth the time tradeoff vs taking more risks in and out of the classroom — Jasmine
Your .edu address gives you the power to cold email almost anybody in the world. The likelihood they respond and take you seriously is higher than you might think — Kevin

💓 find out what you care about and run towards it

A few weeks ago, we published a piece by Jacky Zhao outlining his research on building a decentralized system for data neutrality (support his work here). He’s since written a beautiful personal piece on his research journey. I wanted to share a few excerpts from it here because while Jacky is still a student and his path has been partially shaped by internships and hackathons and all that comes with a CS undergrad, I think these reflections are something we could all stand to keep in mind:

To do independent research is to learn how to confront the infinite possibility of a blank canvas. To not be intimidated by the possibility of making a fool of yourself, but to embrace the courage to even put brush to canvas, pen to paper. To assert your freedom and power to act.
…

Every few months, I’ll get an email or two along the lines of: “Help, I’m stuck in Leetcode hell, how do I escape and do other things?” I love these emails because I know these are people who have started that introspection process, an internal questioning of “what do I actually care about and why?” and are looking for containers and institutions for their work.
Sooner or later, that line of questioning leads to a question of hypothetical utopia. In a world where you don’t need to work to stay alive, what would you do? What gives you excitement and joy? Completely ignoring what other people tell you is useful or good, what do you find intrinsically beautiful and good to do in the world?

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