Nine Lectures, a Heavy Office Day, and October's First Test

October has officially begun.

And if the first day is any indication, this month isn't planning to make things easy for me.

I had already decided that October would be my most disciplined phase of GATE CSE 2027 preparation. My target is to complete the remaining syllabus by 31 October, leaving the following months for revision, GATE PYQs, mock tests, and analysis.

I expected the hectic schedule to come primarily from academics.

Instead, my office decided to contribute its own share of chaos.

But somehow, I managed to complete all nine planned TOC revision lectures.

Here's how the day unfolded.

The Day Started with Allergic Rhinitis

I woke up in the morning sneezing.

My allergic rhinitis had apparently decided that the first day of October was an excellent opportunity to remind me of its existence.

I took a pill and got ready for the office.

I wasn't particularly interested in letting my health condition ruin the day right at the beginning, although the sneezing would eventually return at night.

During my morning commute, I made a checklist for the day.

My target was straightforward:

Complete the first nine lectures of TOC revision at 2x or 3x playback speed.

I wanted to begin October by revisiting the concepts I had already studied rather than immediately rushing into new topics.

And with that, the first academic target of October was set.

Three Lectures Before Reaching the Office

I managed to complete three TOC lectures during the morning train journey.

Unfortunately, once I reached the office, academics had to take a back seat.

My usual office schedule is approximately 11 AM to 6 PM, but today was different.

Since 2 October was a holiday for Gandhi Jayanti, the workload was unusually heavy. I barely got an opportunity to look at my revision videos.

Eventually, I left the office at 7 PM, an hour later than usual.

At that point, I had no idea how much of my original study target I would be able to complete.

A Direct Train, More Lectures, and Some Jalebi

While returning, I somehow managed to catch a train from Borivali that went directly to Nalasopara.

The journey from Borivali to Nalasopara takes approximately 30 minutes, and I used that time to continue my TOC revision.

I completed around another 1.5 lectures during this journey.

By now, I had covered approximately 4.5 lectures.

After getting down at Nalasopara station, hunger entered the conversation.

And there was a very predictable solution.

Jalebi.

It's one of my favourite sweets, and honestly, it's not something I can easily refuse.

So I bought some jalebi and started eating while walking home.

Once I finished eating, I resumed the lecture.

Apparently, my October preparation strategy now includes studying, commuting, walking, and occasionally rewarding myself with jalebi.

Not the most conventional combination, but it worked.

Seven Out of Nine Before Reaching Home

While walking from the railway station to my home, I continued watching the lectures.

I completed the fifth, sixth, and seventh lectures.

By the time I reached home, seven out of my nine planned lectures were already completed.

Only two remained.

I had managed to cover most of the target despite the heavy office workload, late departure, and the health issue that had started bothering me in the morning.

However, I still had two lectures waiting.

The Final Two Lectures After Dinner

After reaching home, I had dinner and decided to finish the remaining two lectures.

I completed both of them after dinner.

Day 18 TOC revision target: 9/9 lectures completed.

That was the academic highlight of the day.

I had initially planned to revise nine lectures, and despite the interruptions, I managed to tick all nine boxes.

I was particularly satisfied because the day had not gone according to my original expectations.

What About the Ten Questions?

Apart from TOC revision, I also wanted to maintain my daily mixed-question practice routine.

My additional target was to solve ten questions from any previously completed subject.

However, by the time I finished the lectures, it was already late, and my sneezing had started again.

I decided that I would attempt those questions only if I had enough energy.

I didn't want to force another study session at the cost of proper rest.

The ten-question practice remained an optional target rather than a confirmed accomplishment.

October Has Already Started Testing Me

I had expected October to be academically demanding.

But Day 18 reminded me that preparation doesn't happen in isolation.

There is office work, commuting, health, household routines, and all the other ordinary things that refuse to disappear simply because an examination is approaching.

Still, I managed to complete my planned revision target.

And that matters to me.

I know the coming weeks will require serious effort. The 31 October syllabus completion deadline is not going to become easier just because I have written it in my planner.

But I'm ready for it.

The first day of October ended with nine completed TOC lectures, a heavy office workload, a little jalebi, and a fresh reminder that my preparation will need to adapt to whatever the day throws at me.

October has begun.

Bring it on.