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Winter Break Plan

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The Calculus exam is finally over. As the dust settles on my first semester, I’m embracing a wide-open stretch of time: seven weeks of winter break.

After spending the last year self-studying CS61A and CS61B, I feel like I’ve got a decent handle on software abstraction and data structures.

Here is my roadmap for the Winter of 2026.

The Philosophy: “Low Level & High Dimensions”

Looking at my school schedule for next spring, the challenge is clear. I’ll be taking Engineering Math Analysis II(Multivariable Calculus) and Fundamentals of Programming B (C++ based). To survive (and thrive), I need to get ahead of the curve. My core focus for this break is twofold:

  1. Go Low Level: Understand C, pointers, and memory.
  2. Go High Dimensional: Build intuition for Multivariable Calculus before the semester drowns me in formulas.

1. The Main Quest: CS61C & The “Kilo” Editor

With the higher-level abstractions of Python (61A) and Java (61B) under my belt, it’s time to peel back the layers.

  • The Course: I’ll be tackling CS61C (Great Ideas in Computer Architecture). This covers C, RISC-V Assembly, and the hardware-software interface.

  • The Project: To truly learn C, I need to build something dangerous. I’m following the Build Your Own Text Editorguide to write “Kilo,” a terminal text editor in C.

  • The Strategy: I’m time-boxing the editor project to the first 3 weeks. My goal is to master pointers and memory allocation (malloc/free) before the CS61C curriculum shifts entirely to CPU architecture and Assembly.

2. The Pre-Game: MIT 18.02

Next semester’s math load looks intense, with both Complex Variables and Math Analysis II. I plan to use MIT 18.02 (Multivariable Calculus) to build geometric intuition and get familiar with basic ideas.

Side Quests: Sharpening the Saw

1. The Workflow: Neovim, but Personal

I’ve been driving Neovim using the kickstart.nvim configuration. To avoid the “configuration rabbit hole,” I will limit myself to focus on one feature per week.

2. The Engine: Rebuilding the Runner

I used to run daily. My personal best is a 21km half-marathon. But recently? I’ve been bored, and the habit slipped.

This winter isn’t about hitting PRs; it’s about falling in love with the road again.

  • The Routine: 2-5km “maintenance runs” 4-5 times a week.

  • The Challenge: One “Long Run” (>15km) per month to prove I’ve still got the endurance.

  • Cross-Training: Swimming twice a month to break the monotony.

3. Output: Writing & English

Input is easy; output is hard.

  • Blog: I’ll be documenting this journey weekly.

  • English: Since all my course materials (CS61C, MIT OCW) are in English, my input is covered. My goal is to write these blog posts in English first to force active usage of the language.

Last Words

The goal isn’t to burn out before the semester starts—it’s to hit the ground running on the beginning of my next semester.

See you in the terminal.