I joined Hashnode on May 11, 2020, and I am writing my first blog post here on September 15, 2021 with excitement in these brief moments of overcoming anxiety and impostor syndrome.
Here is an outline of the topics I'm gonna share in my article:
- Background: Who I am, some academic & professional history.
- Turning point: What inspired me into tech
- Journey so far: Learning path and growth so far
- Bootcamp: Key takeaways
Background
I am Raif. I am a Maldivian. I spent 8 years in Bangalore, India, studying from 8th grade till I graduated in commerce. I gave up on studying science after 10th grade because I struggled and wanted something comfortable.
Although I had interest in tech and learning computer science, I didn't think I was smart enough. I wouldn't consider learning programming languages until 10 years later.
Little did I know that being good at studying accounts and practising it in real life is two worlds apart without a passion for the field.
I took up photography as a hobby for a year or so and found myself designing posters, certificates, making videos and such creatives content during my undergrad studies. Briefly worked on a few creative projects as an intern at a startup founded by a few seniors from university.
However, after graduating I decided to go for a "real job". lmao 😭
So, I took up a job in sales and marketing. I didn't do too well with the kind of social anxiety I had, but the experience I took away is invaluable. I did try out an accounting job for 6 months before pursuing post-graduate studies in marketing, in Malaysia.
Turning point
Fast-forwarding into 2018, I moved to Malaysia. Started studying and signed up on IDF aspiring to become a user experience designer.
This helped in getting more familiar with tech terms and helped with my assignments and dissertation. I wrote a thesis on the factors affecting successful gamification in Malaysia.
I aspired to find a UX job in Malaysia. However, after attending few career events and talking to companies and startups, I kept getting one answer.
"You need to be able to code" for a UX position.
Looking back, this would be my turning point.
Journey so far
This is how I started my journey into tech - this is where I broke down my own mental wall that coding is not for me.
Where did I get started? While I wasn't still sure, there was one tutor in particular who inspired and explained things in a way it was easy for me to understand. I recommend Colt Steele's Web Developer Bootcamp for anyone who is thinking of transitioning into tech.
I was lucky someone took a chance and gave me an opportunity, despite lacking experience and just starting out with basics.
Fast forward a few months, FreeCodeCamp helped refresh basic JavaScript before I started learning VueJs with 30 Days of Vue by Hassan Djirdeh.
I found myself even more curious and thirsty to learn more. I started CS50's introduction to computer science by Harvard. Lecture delivery by David J. Malan is an absolute masterpiece. Would recommend this for anyone beginner interested in having a strong foundation and understanding of how things work under the hood.
Having shared all this, I have not completed any of the courses (yet). But I am applying as I learn at my work and keep coming back for more.
Currently, I am familiar with front end development in Laravel, VueJs and Tailwind. I know I have only scratched the surface and I am motivated and curious to keep learning.
This is one of the reasons I want to learn better writing, and sharing while learning is the perfect means to solidify learning for a beginner.
Bootcamp
On the first day we had Quincy Larson himself, Edidiong Asikpo and Sam Sycamore inspire the next generation of technical writers.
Recordings of the sessions are going to be uploaded on Hashnode Youtube.
This is my journey into technical writing, By taking part in Hashnode Bootcamp - The Art & Business of Technical Writing.
To level up and improve, Google's technical writing course was recommended by Edidiong Asikpo.
Going back to "Does typing letters make one a writer?" - No. Unless these letters form meaningful words and take the reader through series of paragraphs, which provides value and help the reader to gain insights and improve in some way.
Even if the reader is yourself, and especially if it's yourself from the future.
I sometimes write up on product updates and such at MyBump blog where I work.
If you've made it till here. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Would love to hear your thoughts.