Forem: Aditya Kushwaha

Problem of going Blank in speaking

Aditya Kushwaha — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 13:00:40 +0000

One of the most common struggles in Group Discussions (GDs) is relying only on memory. If you’ve ever started speaking confidently, only to blank out midway, you’re not alone.

Identifying that you depend on remembering points instead of structuring thoughts is a powerful realization — and it’s the first step toward real improvement.

Let’s now turn this into a clear, step-by-step fix.

🔧 Why Relying on Memory Fails in GDs

Memory chokes under pressure
You try to recall exact phrases → get stuck when you forget
You may start strong but quickly lose flow
You feel nervous instead of confident

So what’s the fix?

✅ Shift from Memory-Based to Structure-Based Speaking

Instead of remembering lines, start organizing your thoughts using a simple but powerful framework. It will become your mental GPS for any topic, especially under pressure.

🎯 The “PEEL” Framework

Use this structure while speaking to build clarity and flow:

P – Point (Your opinion or claim)
E – Example (Real-world event, data, case, or news)
E – Explain (Why that example supports your point)
L – Link (Connect to topic or lead to next idea)

🧠 Example Topic: Remote Work is the Future of Tech

Here’s how you could respond using PEEL:

P: Remote work is definitely shaping the future of the tech industry.
E: For example, companies like GitLab and Zapier are 100% remote and still operating efficiently with global teams.
E: This shows how tech companies can scale without depending on expensive offices, and access talent globally.
L: So it’s likely that hybrid or remote-first models will dominate the coming years.

📌 Notice how nothing is memorized — just a clean thought structure.

🏋️‍♂️ Practice Plan: Just 5–7 Minutes a Day

You don’t need hours of preparation — just consistency.

🕐 Step 1: Pick a Trending Topic

Example: Is AI reducing jobs or creating them?

🧠 Step 2: Talk Out Loud Using PEEL

For each topic, speak:

One point in favor
One point against

Repeat this daily with a new topic. Within a week, your fluency and confidence will grow naturally — no fear of going blank.

🧰 Bonus Tip: Create a “GD Toolkit Notebook”

This is your personal cheat-sheet. For every GD topic, write down:

3 points in favor
3 points against
A real-world example
A quote or stat (optional)

🛑 Don’t try to memorize it

✅ Just refer and practice PEEL regularly

Soon, you’ll stop “reciting” and start “constructing” arguments — like a real debater.

Execution of Synchronous and Asynchronous Functions in Node.js

Aditya Kushwaha — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 18:51:58 +0000

JavaScript provides several asynchronous functions out of the box (like XMLHttpRequest, fs.readFile, setTimeout, etc.). Here’s a simple analogy to understand how JavaScript handles synchronous and asynchronous operations with the call stack, callback queue, and event loop.

The Restaurant Kitchen Analogy

Imagine a busy restaurant kitchen:

Call Stack (LIFO - Last In, First Out):
- The call stack is like the kitchen's main cooking station where chefs prepare dishes one by one. Each new dish order is placed at the top of the pile, and the chefs work on the most recent order first. They complete it and move on to the next one below it.
Callback Queue (FIFO - First In, First Out):
- The callback queue is like a queue of orders waiting to be prepared once the ingredients are ready or once some external event occurs (like a delivery of fresh produce). Orders are added to the back of the queue and processed in the order they arrived.
Synchronous Operations:
- Synchronous functions are like regular dish orders that the chefs prepare immediately at the main cooking station. They are handled directly by the chefs in the order they are received and completed before moving on to the next one.
Asynchronous Operations:
- Asynchronous functions are like special orders that require some external process (like waiting for a delivery of ingredients). When an asynchronous order is placed, it gets sent to a special waiting area (the callback queue) until the ingredients arrive.
Event Loop:
- The event loop is like the kitchen manager who oversees the entire operation. The manager checks if the main cooking station (call stack) is free. If it is, they take the next order from the waiting area (callback queue) and place it on the main cooking station for the chefs to work on.

Example Scenario

A regular order (synchronous function) comes in, and the chefs start working on it immediately at the main cooking station.
Another order requires a special ingredient (asynchronous function), so it's sent to the waiting area (callback queue) to wait for the delivery.
Meanwhile, another regular order comes in and is handled directly by the chefs at the main cooking station.
The event loop (kitchen manager) keeps an eye on the main cooking station. Once the chefs finish the regular orders, the manager picks up the next special order from the waiting area (callback queue) and brings it to the main cooking station to be prepared.

This analogy helps visualize how JavaScript handles synchronous and asynchronous operations, with the event loop coordinating between the call stack and callback queue to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Additional Information

To dive deeper, here are some key points:

Blocking vs Non-Blocking: Synchronous (blocking) functions block the execution of subsequent code until they are complete. Asynchronous (non-blocking) functions allow the program to continue executing other code while waiting for the operation to complete.
Promisified Functions: In modern JavaScript, promises and async/await are used to handle asynchronous operations more effectively, making the code easier to read and write.

I utilized Twilio’s powerful SMS and Voice APIs to build the reminder system:

Aditya Kushwaha — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 18:32:41 +0000

What I Built
I developed an automated reminder system that leverages Twilio's SMS and Voice APIs to send appointment reminders via text messages and voice calls. This system includes basic AI functionality to handle user interactions, such as confirming or rescheduling appointments through SMS and IVR (Interactive Voice Response) calls.

Demo
You can access the app here. Below are some screenshots of the application:

Twilio and AI
I utilized Twilio’s powerful SMS and Voice APIs to build the reminder system:

SMS Reminders: The system uses Twilio’s SMS API to schedule and send automated text message reminders for upcoming appointments.
Voice Call Reminders: Using Twilio’s Voice API, the system schedules and makes automated voice calls to remind users of their appointments. I used TwiML (Twilio Markup Language) to create the call flow, which allows users to confirm or reschedule their appointments during the call.
AI Integration: I integrated the spaCy NLP library to add basic AI capabilities. This allows the system to understand and process user responses such as "yes," "no," "reschedule," and "cancel." The AI component helps in providing a more interactive and user-friendly experience.
Here is a code snippet showcasing the integration:

python
Copy code
from flask import Flask, request
import spacy
import json
from twilio.rest import Client
import requests

app = Flask(name)

Load spaCy model

nlp = spacy.load("en_core_web_sm")

Load config and user data

with open('config.json', 'r') as f:
config = json.load(f)

Twilio configuration

twilio_config = {
"account_sid": config["account_sid"],
"auth_token": config["auth_token"],
"twilio_number": config["twilio_number"]
}

client = Client(twilio_config['account_sid'], twilio_config['auth_token'])

def translate_text(text, target_language):
api_url = "https://api.cognitive.microsofttranslator.com/translate?api-version=3.0&to=" + target_language
headers = {
'Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key': '',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
body = [{'text': text}]
response = requests.post(api_url, headers=headers, json=body)
return response.json()[0]['translations'][0]['text']

def personalize_message(user, message_template):
return message_template.format(name=user['name'], time=user['appointment_time'])

@app.route('/handle_voice_response', methods=['POST'])
def handle_voice_response():
# Handle user response from voice call
pass

if name == 'main':
app.run(debug=True)
Additional Prize Categories
This submission qualifies for the following additional prize categories:

Twilio Times Two: This project makes use of both Twilio’s SMS and Voice APIs, providing a robust and flexible reminder system.
Impactful Innovators: The system is designed to reduce the number of missed appointments by providing timely and interactive reminders, potentially benefiting healthcare providers, businesses, and their clients.
Thank you for considering my submission!

This is a submission for the Twilio Challenge

Aditya Kushwaha — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 18:28:56 +0000