Day 1: Programming is a complex matrix

complex code

Programming is wide and can be overwhelming especially for those who haven't been exposed to it and are just starting out. I myself struggling whether it would be the right fit for me or nah. There are so many domains to choose from, making it hard for people who are like me who had just shifted from other fields. One time my brain kept telling me that I should go for mobile app development because the market is flourishing. Then again, my brain would tantalize me to reinvent popular games like Minecraft or Flappy Bird by going into Game Development. With all this stuff in my head, I just could not concentrate.

Focus on one thing, do other things later, they can wait.

It took me a long period of time to realize that my priority is web development. It was my best bet work-wise. I came from a lower-middle-class family, and so for a moment, I need to fix my career prospect after dropping out from a prestigious University in my province. So what now? Well, other domains are interesting and all are well-suited to my artistic skills and keen personality. But let's be real, I can't afford to be picky unless I live near Silicon Valley, London, or Tokyo. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am just living in our humble house in a small municipality with only 70,000 people! Had to commute at least 2 hours before reaching the main city. Moreover, such fields require more investment and the job market is just not favorable. The reality in most places, creative minds are somewhat restricted by poor economic conditions. But, we are not going to delve more into these topics like you would normally see between the arguments for the "passion vs practicality" thingy.

Okay, now that I know I am into web development. What should I do next? I know that web development can be divided into two main categories: front-end development and back-end development. Front-end development prioritizes the look and interaction of the website. Back-end development on the other hand involves the processing of data from the front end, communication with databases, and responding to client-side requests. So, that's it? Not at all, if you want the full experience, there is called "full-stack development". This full compact package is a popular choice for web developers since it is more in demand in the market and knowing both how you structure websites and deal with data can be more rewarding. So going full-stack is the way! (for me)

A guide is essential

Have you been in a situation where you just entered an unfamiliar route without any idea where to go? A lot of aspiring developers that chose the self-taught path have been experiencing the same. You are lost in a complex maze bombarded by a ton of information making you unable to get to the finish line. As a beginner, it's important to have a guide or a roadmap to help you and me navigate the complexities awaiting in web development. 

I came across this repository "developer-roadmap" on Github that presents different roadmaps for different domains in the programming and development world. I believe the beginner version is more appropriate for me since it is most straight to the point and less overwhelming. I'll go for the complete one when I am now better at the fundamentals.

Beginner Version of the front-end roadmap

One thing I will change is I'll put Git and Github at the start of learning. Familiarizing how to manage version control on my computer and knowing how to store my git repositories remotely or in the cloud will be helpful in starting out. These two are separate brings and they aren't similar though they serve many similar purposes and are well-integrated with each other. I will share my learnings on these two when I'm ready. I have created my Github account: https://github.com/loneprogrammer7 and was excited to rock my keyboard!

Overall, web development is a specific domain in programming that can be challenging and rewarding at the same time. By prioritizing what is best for me and having a clear guide, I am in my full confidence that I may able to succeed in this new world. And well, who knows one day I may be doing games and or the next big thing in tech. let's just see.

This is Day 1

Day 0: Reigniting my Tech Spirit

Hi... Okay, so how should I put this...

Um, okay so you might be thinking, “Why is this random guy talking about his life going into tech with all thousands of other journals circulating online? My answer to you is that I just feel like documenting myself once and for all. And bumping into this journal kinda blog? feels like you stumbled upon here for a reason, right? The universe really knows you need some dose of my awesomeness!

A little backstory to tell…

I don’t want to point this out, but about 6 months ago around October, I decided to 100% drop all my subjects at University to pursue my small business. At the time I was in 4th year and was supposed to be graduating in 3 semesters' time. Things looked promising, but as fate would have it, my business started to dwindle, and eventually, in January I see no net income return, and worst I’m in debt. I felt so devastated that I started to imagine suicidal thoughts. Well, for some it wouldn’t be much troublesome. But for me, it was a huge deal. I lied to my parents about the situation and when they eventually found out, I literally cried for hours and hours for several days thinking about the wrongdoing I did. It crushed my inner ego and felt like I was a complete failure. 3 months later, I decided to change my path instead of keeping myself low in self-pity.

I’m ain’t a loser, I am a winner; not a defeatist but a conqueror!

Guess what? I discovered the wonderful world of programming, but wait, is it really as wonderful as they say? Well, only time will tell, but definitely ready to immerse and crush some BUGS! So On January 9, I enrolled in a Bootcamp online for web development. My first week was okay, but my second week was not good. It didn’t work quite well as I thought it would. The pacing was overwhelming, and as a meticulous person, I felt like I needed not rush things, especially with the fundamentals. So I had to step back and worry again my another failed attempt. I lost hope and stayed idle for another 2 and a half weeks playing games and watching youtube inspirational videos and vlogs. Nothing really into coding or at least the basics that would allow me to better equip myself in programming. Unsurprisingly, all these fancy unproductive distractions never benefit me at all.

But now the earliest day of the fourth month of 2023, I got my senses back, and what better to start anew than by reverting to this beautiful quote by Stephen Hawking:

"Whether you want to uncover the secrets of the universe, or you want to pursue a career in the 21st century, basic computer programming is an essential skill to learn."

 

Now I’m ready to dive back into this tech universe and ready to rock it! Buckle up, folks, and hold on tight, this will be going to be a wild ride!  This is DAY 0