Ever since I joined the platform, I wanted to post about a topic I was really passionate about. Everything I’ve learnt till now has somewhat made me curious about something else in the tech world.
When I started with C++, everything was very overwhelming. I used to feel left out and all spaced out, even when I was doing great according to my level of knowledge. But I did not give up. I knew one day I’d be able to do it. But that day came after a lot of struggles.
A lot of times, we are sold stories of success with very little ounce of reality check, and this is what makes people anxious. The problem with this is that a lot of people who are failing internalize the fact that the reason they’re failing is themselves, while the reality is somewhat different. They are never told that you will fail a number of times before you succeed. Those who give up on the way lose a portion of themselves without even realising it was never their fault. Sometimes, you just need this faith that you’ll be able to do it on your worst days. That’s it!
After I completed C++, I started with data structures and algorithms. Again a rollercoaster of emotions. DSA has been one of those topics which has humbled me in many ways. I realised that doing DSA was just like mathematics — you don’t get good at it in a week or a month. It takes real effort and continuity. Just promise yourself a couple of months (or maybe a year or two), and you’re done. But then, it may take a number of retakes, and that’s okay. It’s just that every individual has a different timeline of learning, and you don’t have to fit into any one of them.
(If you’re a beginner, please dry run every question at least thrice on different examples — that’s how you develop logic building.)
Later, I started with Machine Learning. I learnt everything from scratch. And the mathematics it uses is less talked about. From numpy, pandas to matplotlib and opencv, everything is just so amazing. It was at that time I realised I wanted to explore as many tech fields as I can, so that I can figure out what I like, but I ended up liking everything.
After ML, I learnt web development. HTML, CSS and JS — I did these three back in my high school, so I kind of had an idea about them. But as I delved more, I realised development is another progression level now. With frameworks like React and Angular, it’s so easy for devs to write code. I was amazed even at the progression of Node.js — I read all the previous logs on Node.js, and it’s amazing how it has evolved. Maybe this is how I developed a lot more interest in coding.
Fast forward, when I had enough knowledge to understand huge codebases, I started inclining towards open source softwares. The beauty with which these huge codebases are handled — it’s just amazing. It takes real effort to go through huge codebases, and I would really thank people who maintain such codebases with responsibility. Open Source has been the reason we’ve been able to evolve so much with technology. Currently, I am aiming to get better at it, along with trying to learn more about AI and systems programming.
This was all about my journey. I’d be more than happy if this helped you in even the slightest bit.
Apologies for any typos. Lemme know if you have any suggestions for me. Have a good day!!