I vividly recall the day when I hit an all-time low in terms of self-confidence. My academic performance had been slipping, and I had accumulated several backlogs. I felt like I was losing control of everything. From the very first day of college, I had been eager to learn coding, but by the end of the fourth semester, I still hadn’t made any progress. I realized that I knew very little about the subject, and this realization hit me hard. At that time I know only,
print("hello world")
Back in March 2019, I began exploring ways to boost my productivity and manage my time better. Thanks to the inspiring videos by Ali Abdaal and Matt D’Avella, I gained a new perspective on how to pursue my dreams. Their videos guided me to strike a balance between my academic studies and my passion for programming. Initially, I started learning Python in my native language, but soon I realized that I needed to switch to English channels to expand my knowledge. That’s when I discovered some fantastic resources, such as Clever Programmer, Tech with Tim, and Dennis Ivy. With their help, I learned the programming basics and honed my skills to a whole new level.
Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash
At first, I dedicated only two hours a day to learning programming, which involved watching tutorials and practicing coding exercises. My daily routine involved attending college, returning to the hostel, spending a few hours playing games, and then coding. I followed this routine for about a month or two, during which I worked on creating a Tic Tac Toe game with Python. However, as I delved deeper into the project, I realized how challenging it was to make it work. This realization led to a sense of fear and frustration, as I struggled to put the pieces together. Despite feeling disheartened, I realized that I needed to continue learning and practicing to improve my skills. I knew that with more effort and dedication, I could overcome the challenges and achieve my goals.
To improve my programming skills, I turned to online resources like HackerRank and Codechef for practice. Gradually, I increased the amount of time I spent on programming and eventually completed the Tic Tac Toe game project in Python. I also took a data structures and algorithms course in Python to further enhance my knowledge. As days went by, I continued practicing and working on various Python projects. When the Covid-19 lockdown was imposed, I returned to my hometown and used this opportunity to focus more on improving my programming skills. I dedicated 14–16 hours per day to programming, and this commitment is reflected in my GitHub streak, which spans from September 2020 to September 2021.
During that time, it was recommended by many to complete NPTEL certification courses. Personally, I completed the Programming, Data-Structures, and Algorithms using Python as well as the Joy of Computing using Python courses. These courses have helped me tremendously in developing numerous Python projects that involve database and front-end technologies. However, I faced some difficulties with front-end development, which prompted me to start learning more about it with the help of Brad Traversy and Programming with Mosh. I completed several CSS and HTML courses on Udemy and have successfully completed various projects using only HTML and CSS.
JavaScript is a highly popular programming language, known for its versatility and user-friendly nature. Its significance is further highlighted by its crucial role in improving front-end projects. Having completed a JavaScript certification on Udemy, I undertook a challenging project where I completed over 50 projects (#50days50Projects) using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, which were recorded and posted on my YouTube channel, “Freaky Programmer” — don’t forget to subscribe! As my knowledge and experience grew, I took on a freelance project with a friend, which required me to learn Angular 😁. Overcoming any challenges faced during the project with my newfound learnings, we completed the Angular project successfully. In June 2021, I joined Lumel Technologies ❤️ as a product developer, which required me to learn React 😁. Thanks to my past experiences and learnings, I overcame obstacles and achieved my goal of becoming a software developer.
Don’t let problems intimidate you, let them motivate you
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