u/eXorCisTfucks

I apologize for posting it here instead of the megathread. This is way too big of an ask to comment.

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for some guidance, and I'd really appreciate any advice from people with more experience.

I'm currently a Software Engineering student in my 3rd semester (trimester system) at a well-known private university in my country.

When I chose Software Engineering over Computer Science, it was because I genuinely enjoyed building software more than working with hardware. I already had some exposure to web development, so pursuing software felt like the natural choice. At the same time, AI was rapidly gaining momentum, but I still felt that software engineering aligned better with my interests.

Like many students from developing countries, one of my long-term goals is to pursue a fully funded Master's or PhD abroad through programs such as Erasmus Mundus, Chevening, Australian Awards, or similar opportunities. Initially, I believed that building meaningful projects and contributing to research would strengthen my academic profile.

However, after some reflection, I realized I didn't want to build projects solely to improve my chances of studying abroad. I wanted to work on problems that genuinely matter—projects that could have a meaningful impact on people and society. If those efforts also help me earn research opportunities or scholarships, that's a bonus rather than the primary motivation.

That realization made me think beyond traditional software development. I became interested in embedded systems, IoT, computer vision, robotics, and the intersection of software with hardware.

Around that time, one of my relatives, a Mechanical Engineering student, was working on Formula Student cars with his university team. They even represented their university in competitions in China and the UK. Seeing what interdisciplinary engineering teams could accomplish made me realize that I already had close friends studying Mechanical Engineering and Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE) at different universities.

So I reached out to them with a simple idea: "Why don't we build something together?"

They liked the idea, and we formed an interdisciplinary team consisting of Software Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and EEE students.

We're all from the same academic batch, and because of how our university curricula are structured, many of us haven't yet reached our core engineering courses. Instead of waiting for the curriculum, we've decided to learn independently through a project-based approach.

Our plan is straightforward:

- Choose a meaningful engineering project.

- Learn the concepts and tools required to build it.

- Build the project.

- Reflect on what we learned.

- Move on to increasingly challenging projects.

At the moment, my responsibility is to build a strong foundation in C, since it remains one of the most important languages for embedded systems, microcontrollers, and low-level programming. I already understand the basics, including pointers, but I want to learn C properly—from fundamentals to the level required for serious embedded development.

My problem is that I don't know what the best learning path looks like.

I've been using AI as a learning companion, and it's been helpful, but I don't think it should replace a well-structured curriculum. I feel like I'm missing the depth, structure, and perspective that come from good books, official documentation, and experienced engineers.

So I'd really appreciate your recommendations.

If you were starting over today with the goal of becoming a strong engineer capable of contributing to interdisciplinary projects involving software, electronics, and mechanical systems, what would you do?

Some specific questions I have are:

- Which books would you recommend for learning C thoroughly?

- Which official documentation or reference materials are worth studying?

- Are there any courses (free or paid) that you consider exceptional?

- What kind of project progression would you recommend for a team like ours? Should we start with simple embedded systems and gradually move toward robotics, autonomous systems, or something else?

- What kinds of projects teach the most valuable fundamentals without becoming overwhelmingly complex?

- How important are data structures and algorithms in embedded systems, robotics, IoT, and computer vision? To what depth should I study them at this stage?

- Beyond C, what topics should I prioritize next? Embedded C? Microcontrollers? RTOS? Electronics? Communication protocols? Linux? Something else?

- Looking back, what do you wish you had learned earlier when you were in our position?

- Are there any common mistakes that students like us tend to make when trying to learn through projects?

I'm willing to put in the time and effort. I just want to make sure we're building a strong foundation and choosing projects that develop the right skills rather than simply adding items to our portfolio.

Any advice, resources, or even criticism of our approach would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

(I may also post this in other relevant subs, so please excuse any inconvenience it may cause you if you end up seeing this post multiple times)

I thought our little old dude never really expressed his feelings for anyone in the novel (since I haven't read it, so i didn't know but I thought he didn't because of all the posts I had been seeing forever).

Was that real or Arthur/Tessia was dreaming or something?