Imagining Life in Your 20s in 202312

20231231

• Premise

  • This is not a life plan
    • Executing life according to a plan is difficult and unappealing as it lacks the charm of a harmonious life.
    • Thinking about specific occupations or ways of life seems meaningless, like living in a fog.
  • Without a direction, one can get lost, so it’s beneficial to sketch out a scenario once to use as a compass.
    • Similar to narrative thinking or fortune-telling, or imagining “If there were a Wikipedia page about yourself, how would it be written?” may increase the chances of a successful life.
    • By creating a scenario as an experiment, one can perceive life in relation to it.
      • Having a point of comparison allows for thoughts like “I prefer this” or “Essentially the same,” leading to various considerations.
  • Additionally, I want to grasp the sense of a 10-year timespan.

• First, jot down various feelings

  • Firstly, what do I want to do?
    • Experimental creation or research
    • Things related to a broad sense of philosophy or computer science
  • I want to pursue a PhD program
    • Compared to a year ago, the world of VR/HCI academia seems very clear now.
      • Attending conferences like UIST, CSCW, reading papers in classes, and writing papers in labs have provided insights into how academia’s system and community function.
      • Understanding how funding is acquired and what kind of work people are doing.
    • Based on this, I am currently thinking of choosing to fight within this framework/game.
      • There are many interesting people among PhD students.
      • I appreciate the benefits of “1) getting paid, 2) having a mentor, and 3) having a place to conduct research.”
        • Having an environment where even if what you do doesn’t immediately make money, you still earn, is good.
  • However, I don’t want to end my 20s just competing in academia.
    • I want to do things other than research.
      • And, based on my personality, I think I will want to do them.
  • I want money.
    • I have no desire to ride luxury cars and live in high-rise buildings.
    • However, I want financial flexibility to not struggle when I want to have good experiences, start new things, or involve others.
    • Watching people like Researchers Who Get on Board Themselves to Win Budgets and Positions and 20230824 TeaRoom岩本さん, it seems that with inherent abilities, exploration of possibilities, and initiative, one can find ways to attract money to pursue what they want.
      • 202312 Life Consideration: Business vs Research

• Scenario

  • 2024 (20 years old)
    • Spring
    • Fall: Take a leave of absence while conducting research on Asymmetric Reality simultaneously.
  • 2025 (21 years old)
    • Spring
      • Resume studies
    • Fall
  • 2026 (22 years old)
    • Spring
      • Senior year
    • Fall
      • Extra semester? If I can live in NY while completing the remaining credits, I might live there.
      • Graduation
    • PhD application, job hunting, finding investors, etc.
  • 2027 (23 years old)
    • Need to decide calmly on what research or business to pursue; otherwise, I won’t have anything to bet on in the future.
  • 2028 (24 years old)
  • 2029 (25 years old)
  • 2030 (26 years old)
  • 2031 (27 years old)
  • 2032 (28 years old)
  • 2033 (29 years old)
    • If going directly to a PhD program after undergraduate graduation, might graduate around this time.
  • 2034 (30 years old)

=> For now, refer to 202402 Considering First Career After Graduation.