If your goal is to diversify achievements for applications, think of other axes your field. Personal projects, startups, blog posts, etc. Go to YC, work at a pr

If your goal is to diversify achievements for applications, think of other axes your field. Personal projects, startups, blog posts, etc. Go to YC, work at a prestigious company, write for a big publication, get a high Codeforces rating. The list is pretty long! If you're concerned about feeling underachieved, then just try a variety of things! They may not be things that others find impressive, or that even you would think to find impressive. I found physical activity/dance, building a simple raytracer and making top post on HN to bring a stronger sense of achievement than getting into YC or college (both of which I worked harder for). I also think it's important to separate achievements from age if you're young, otherwise the sense of achievement will start to go away. tldr I think there's little correlation with what other people find impressive and what I feel "achieved" about.