2024-06-01
I recently had the pleasure of attending the Spring 1'24 batch of the Recurse Center. This is something I've wanted to do for 5+ years, but finally found the time to be able to make it work, as I really wanted to be able to work from the Brooklyn Hub as much as possible.
Objectives
What excited me the most about RC was the prospect of collaborating with other people across a broad spectrum of technical intricacies. I did, however, have 2 main objectives. 1 that I wanted to actually complete during my batch, the other that was nice-to-have, but equally important.
1. Systems Programming
Having recently shifted my career to pivot more towards low-level programming, I wanted to double down on an effort to progress my systems programming experience in Rust, while trying to get more exposure working with unsafe code and C/C++ interoperability.
Having worked at the kernel level for the last 3-4 years, I wanted to marry this experience with my new found love for the Rust programming language.
Something I really wanted to ensure before I started my batch was a clear goal for what I wanted to work on within a realistic timeline. I wanted to be able to hit the ground running on day 1 without having to spend time thinking about what I was going to work on that day. I spent a week before my batch writing down a bunch of features for a Linux tool I was working on, knowing that I'd get the low-level exposure and that I'd be happy just implementing one of the many features I had planned.
2. Networking
Having spent that last 4-5 years working remotely, and not really enjoying it, I was desperate to get some human interaction with like minded folk! I might be one of the few people who enjoys working in an office, and I'm definitely not an extrovert. I found that I've not been able to have the same level of conversations over the internet, and I was extremely excited at the thought of spending hours engrossed in real-life conversation.
Outcomes
Community
Without a shadow of a doubt, the Recurse community is outstanding to say the least! From the day you get your batch invite, you get access to a whole suite of tools to enable you to take immediate advantage of the thriving social scene. There's a Wiki with answers to every possible retreat related question you could imagine; A User's Manual outlining self directives, logistics, advice, and much more; A great House Hunting wiki with commute guidelines, recommended neighbourhoods and safety advice.
During the application process, the Recurse staff deliberately seek to ensure attendees are kind, empathetic, and inclusive. This leads to an amazing culture of diverse folks both online and in-person. I met great people from a whole host of different backgrounds that led to many great conversations and lots of collaboration.
Events
I'll be honest, I lost track of time in the first week or two due to the sheer amount of events you could attend all day every day. They are of course completely optional, but after a quick glance at the calendar, I found myself RSVPing to almost everything I could. Some of my favourites were: C Creatures; Graphics; Non-programming talks; and of course, the weekly presentations from current batch members.
On top of this, there are a bunch of social events organised by the community such as movie nights, park lunches, shows, and much more. If you manage to put the keyboard down, you'll have the time of your life exploring Brooklyn and beyond.
Pair Programming
I made a conscious effort to pair with someone almost every day. Whether this be virtual, or in person, there were lots of opportunities for collaboration on all sorts of projects. There are a broad spectrum of experts in each batch, and I was fascinated by the breadth and depth of knowledge I was surrounded by. It was also incredibly rewarding to share my experience with other folks.
Reflection
I'm hoping the above outcomes shed a positive light on my experience. If there's one thought I came away with, it's that I should have absolutely applied sooner!