📘

2nd Year Comeback Blueprint

For students who feel like they "wasted" 1st year and want to catch up
fast on Dev + DSA to get their first internship

🎯 Your Mission
In the next 4–6 months, you can build:

Solid Frontend skills (React as a must-have)

DSA foundation up to Trees

A portfolio/online presence

Your first internship application

Remember: You're not starting from zero—focus on "smart catch-up," not "brute
force."

1. Context & Mindset

You may feel regret over 1st year, but it's not irreparable. The key is strategic
learning and consistent action over the next few months.
2. 🧠 Skill Stack Breakdown

A. Frontend Development (React = Must)

Core HTML/CSS/JS Refresher

Quickly revisit projects you built (or basics you know)

Aim for confidence in modern CSS (Flexbox/Grid) + ES6+

React + Ecosystem

Why React? Most Indian internships + entry-level roles expect React proficiency.

Primary Resources:

Web Dev Simplified (YouTube): Search "WebDevSimplified React Tutorial" →

follow his 2024 playlist

Hitesh Choudhary (YouTube): "React JS Crash Course" (2023–2024 version)

Chai aur Code (YouTube): Look for "React Projects for Beginners"

Key Topics to Cover (1–2 weeks each):

1. Component + Props

2. State & useEffect hook

3. React Router (basic routing)

4. Fetching data: Axios/Fetch

5. Simple state management (Context API)

6. Styling libraries (Tailwind, styled-components or plain CSS modules)

Cherry-on-Top (if time permits):

Backend Primer:
 Node.js + Express fundamentals (follow Harkirat's "Advanced Systems"
playlist)

MongoDB basics (CRUD operations)

Hosting/Deployment:

Vercel/Netlify for Frontend

Heroku/Render for simple Node apps

B. DSA Foundation (Up to Trees)

Goal: Solve 150–200 DSA problems (Easy → Medium)

focusing on everything up to Trees

Resource Roadmap:

Striver's A2Z DSA Course (YouTube): Start from Arrays → Strings → Linked Lists
→ Stacks/Queues → Binary Trees

Use his exact playlist order:

Array (20 videos)

String (15 videos)

Linked List (10 videos)

Stack/Queue (8 videos)

Tree (20 videos)

Aim: Finish these playlists in 4–6 weeks

Weekly Routine (12 weeks total):

2-week sprint: Watch Striver video + solve 10–12 related problems

Maintaining Pace:

Week 1–2: Arrays (+20 problems)

Week 3–4: Strings (+20 problems)

Week 5–6: Linked Lists (+15 problems)

Week 7–8: Stack/Queue/Recursion (+15 problems)

Week 9–10: Trees (Binary Tree + BST) (+25 problems)

Week 11–12: Extra DSA problems from past topics to hit 150–200 total
Progress Tracking:

Maintain a Google Sheet or Notion table with columns:

Problems Problems
Topic Resource Link Difficulty
Attempted Solved

Striver Array Playlist

Arrays 20 18 Easy/Med
(YouTube)

... ... ... ... ...

C. Other Must-do Actions (2nd Year)

These build on top of Dev + DSA. By the end of 2nd year, you want a visible footprint
—projects, GitHub, LinkedIn, and a (small) public "proof" of progress.

Project Cornerstone (2–3 Projects)

What to Build? (React as core)

1. "ChatGPT-style" Project: Use a free API (e.g., OpenAI trial or any public AI
demo) inside React

2. Dashboard UI: Pick a public API (weather, crypto prices) + display charts
(Recharts or Chart.js)

3. E-commerce Mini-Clone: Homepage, product listing, filter/sort, cart UI (no

backend needed if you use dummy JSON)

Pro Tip: If you're unsure what matches your comfort level, prompt ChatGPT: "I'm
a 2nd year BTech student who has learned React basics. Suggest 3 beginner-to-
intermediate React projects I can finish in 2 weeks, each teaching me a new
concept."

Hosting: Deploy all React apps on Vercel/Netlify. Link them in your portfolio.

Public Profile & Proof

GitHub:

Push all projects—keep clean README.md for each (screenshots, what you learned,
how to run)

Use branches for each feature to show you understand git flow

LinkedIn:

Optimize headline: "2nd Year BTech • React Dev • DSA Learner"

Weekly posting schedule:

Monday: "This week's DSA wins" (e.g., "Solved 10 linked-list problems from
Striver sheet")
 Thursday: "Showing my new React project: [link]" + 1 short lesson

Internship Hunt

Where to Look:

Internshala (filter "Frontend Developer Intern")

LinkedIn Easy Apply + DM hiring leads

College placement portal (if any)

Application Tracking:

Keep a checklist using a simple Google Sheet:

Applied Next Follow-up

Company Role Response
on Date

Frontend 10 Jul
ABC Startups No Reply 17 Jul 2025
Intern 2025

XYZ 12 Jul
React Intern Interview 15 Jul 2025
Technologies 2025

Cold DM Template (LinkedIn):

Hi [Name], I'm [Your Name], a 2nd year BTech student passionate about React
JS. I've built [Project 1] and [Project 2] (GitHub: [link]). I'd love to contribute as
a Frontend Intern at [Company]. Are you open to a quick chat? Thanks!
Hackathons (Optional but High-Leverage)

Platforms to Watch:

Devfolio → "Hackathon Seeker"

Unstop (Devfolio events)

Major college/university hackathons (IITs, NITs, VIT)

Why Hackathons?

Quick sprint of product-thinking + teamwork

Win cash/prizes → proof to show on LinkedIn/GitHub

Action Steps:

1. Sign up on Devfolio + subscribe to event newsletters

2. Team up with 2–3 friends (preferably one designer, one backend-leaning peer)

3. Pick a problem you care about (e.g., campus safety, mental health)

4. Ship an MVP in 24–48 hrs; share it on GitHub + LinkedIn

Content Routine (Twice a Month)

Why? Builds your personal brand, forces you to articulate what you learn.

What to Post:

"This's how I solved 10 tree-related Leetcode problems"

"Here's what I learned building my React weather dashboard"

Where:

LinkedIn: Longer format, 200–300 words

Twitter: Threads: 5–7 tweets

Pro Tip: Use Canva to make a simple image summarizing a key concept (e.g.,
"Tree traversal in 3 lines of code").
3. 📅
Months)
Checklist & Timeline (Next 4–6

Week Focus Deliverable

React Core + Small

1–2 Basic React app (e.g., Todo List) on Netlify
Project #1

Striver Arrays + Striver 20 array problems solved, update DSA

3–4
Sheet tracker

React Project #2 (API + Weather Dashboard with API fetch, hosted

5–6
State) on Vercel

Striver Strings + Linked

7–8 20 string + 15 list problems solved
Lists

Hackathon Sign-up + Register for 1 hackathon, basic idea +

9–10
Team Setup outline ready

11– Trees + Project #3 25 tree problems solved + React ChatGPT-

12 (Complexity) style mini-app deployed

13– Portfolio + LinkedIn GitHub portfolio URL live; 4 LinkedIn posts

14 Ramp-Up about your journey

15– Internship Applications Apply to 10 companies; track in sheet; send

16 Begin 10–15 cold DMs
4. 🔗 Resource Links

DSA Resources:

Striver's A2Z DSA YouTube Playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
list=PLgUwDviBIf0rGEWe64KWas0Nryn7SCRWw

Striver's A2Z DSA Sheet:

https://takeuforward.org/strivers-a2z-dsa-course/strivers-a2z-dsa-
course-sheet-2

React Development Resources:

Web Dev Simplified (React):

https://www.youtube.com/@WebDevSimplified/search?query=React

Hitesh Choudhary (React Crash Course):

https://www.youtube.com/@HiteshChoudhary/search?
query=React%20Crash%20Course

Chai aur Code (React Projects):

https://www.youtube.com/@ChaiAurCode/search?query=React%20Projects

Hackathons & Opportunities:

Devfolio (Hackathon Signup):

https://devfolio.co/hackathons
 Unstop (Competitions):
https://unstop.com/competitions?competition_type=hackathon

Internship Platforms:

Internshala (Frontend Internships):

https://internshala.com/internships/frontend-developer-internships
✅ Summary
🚀 React 🧩 DSA (Up to 💼 Portfolio +
Mastery Trees) Proof

Finish 1–2 projects, 150–200 problems via GitHub, LinkedIn,

deploy them Striver's sheet/videos small content cadence

🎯 Internships +
Hackathons

Apply, track, and

participate

🎓 Final Words
Once this roadmap is completed, you'll be ready to step into 3rd year with a
strong foundation—projects to show, DSA confidence, and an internship on your
resume. The key is consistency and smart execution, not perfection.

Remember: Progress over perfection. Start today, stay consistent, and track
your journey!

Generated on June 3, 2025 | Your 2nd Year Comeback Starts Now! 🚀