u/ExtensionSet1517

I’m a 22-year-old from India, interested in tech, cinema, and philosophy and sometimes it feels like these three parts of me are pulling in different directions.

Tech makes me think in systems and logic. Movies make me feel things I can’t explain. Philosophy makes me question both.

I’m curious do people eventually find a balance between building a career, appreciating art, and searching for meaning? Or is the tension kind of the point?

Would love to hear how others navigate this.

I’m currently a 3rd-year college student, and my placement season is starting in the next 2–3 months.

I’ve been working on a few AI-driven projects using RAG, LangChain, and LangGraph. I’m trying to understand how much weight these kinds of projects actually carry both for on-campus placements and off-campus opportunities as a fresher.

From what I’ve observed, a lot of people are building similar AI projects now, so I’m a bit unsure about how to truly stand out. I’d really appreciate insights from those who have already gone through placements or are working in the industry.

Some specific things I’m trying to figure out:

• Do AI/LLM-based projects significantly impact shortlisting or interviews?
• What aspects of a project actually impress recruiters (depth, deployment, real-world use cases, etc.)?
• What are common mistakes students make during placement season that I should avoid?
• How should I balance DSA, core subjects, and project work in these last few months?

Also, if you have any advice on:

• What to focus on in the next 2–3 months
• What to prioritize vs ignore
• Things you wish you had done differently

That would be really helpful.

Thanks in advance any honest guidance or reality checks would mean a lot.