From Disinterest to Passion: My Journey into Programming and Web Devel

Introduction: The Spark

It all started when i just had completed my 12th and i had to start preparing for JEE.But truly i never was interested in those theoritical subjects at all and it was post covid era in 2021. I decided to just explore what possibly i can do in the future.
I remember, i was told by parents to go for Coaching classes but i insisted and didn’t go , rather i got to know about the programming stuff and one of my cousins said just do either BCA or B.Tech because from childhood i had good connection with computers.

Than i started Watching videos on youtube about how should i pursue my career and watching many videos but got a little bit of html css in my head. And than i gave the exams JEE(4 attempts) in a single year we had.

So maximum i got was 72.3 percentile in my first attempt rest were less than that.

And it was all luck because i had not studied enough to crack the exams.
Than somehow i got admission in Central University of Kashmir as a student in Bachelors of technology in Computer Science & Engineering and in my first year i learned basics of programming and C/C++. So that was the part i had a spark that i understand it well. Than i did more research on Youtube, Google etc to get to know what should i actually do .
The Learning Journey

Initially, I started with online tutorials on Youtube but i didn’t get to know much.

Than one day , i saw about the Github Student Developers Pack and i opted for that and got access to many kind of courses websites and all. One of which was Frontend Masters One month Subscription .So i started a tutorial on that of JavaScript: From First Steps to Professional which was approx 15 hours long.
So i decided that i have to learn it in anyway.Fortunately when i decided to learn , we got a 1 month winter break in the month of December 2021.
So the first day i tried to start it but i didn’t had enough motivation to continue.I paused this for a day or two and suddenly on third day , i relocated my Desktop from table into my Bed.And i knew that now i have to start from tonight.

At night i opened the Course on Frontend Masters from Anjana Wakil and started learrning whatever is being taught.

For Whole night i was listening to lectures non stop , regardless of how much i am understanding , i kept watching until morning for non stop 8 hours and than i felt asleep.

At that Moment , i knew that it is what it is , i have to study like this to get to understand programming and web applications stuff.

So next night , i completed this whole course for another night.

I will be honest , all of it didn’t went through my mind but yes i got to know much about javascript and now i was able to create a simple website which uses javascript.
Let me Share that with you what i build in the first place
```
 <!DOCTYPE html>
 <html>
 <head>
     <title>Bulb Animation</title>
 </head>

 <body>

     <button onClick="document.getElementById('bulb').src='pic_bulbon.gif'">Switch On Bulb</button>
     <img id="bulb"src="pic_bulboff.gif" alt="Bulb">
    <button onClick="exception()">Switch Off Bulb</button>
    <script>
     function exception(){
         if(src='pic_bulboff.gif' == false){
         alert("Bulb is already off")
     }
         else{
         document.getElementById('bulb').src='pic_bulboff.gif'
     }
 }
    </script> 

 </body>
 </html>
```
Github

It was even a 100% copy paste from w3schools still it didn’t work :( .
Resourses

And After this , i got more focused on Javascript that i have to learn and understand it thoroughly. So my Cousin recommended The Complete Web Development Bootcamp 2022 from Udemy.

In this Course , all the necessary topics are covered like HTML, CSS, Javascript, Node, React MongoDB etc by Dr. Angela Yu, Developer and Lead Instructor
Personal Struggles
- Time Management: It was very difficult to manage Attendance at University with side by side and also continue learning. So i wasn’t able to manage all of it at a time. I had to take a break from all of it and for 6-7 months i was engaged in University Chores and Exams.But Finally i continued after that with REACT and from there continued my journey for being a Software Developer.
- Failures
  
  Everyone has to encounter failures , whether it be of not being able to grasp things or just trying to give up.We all have to go through this many times in life , in order to comeback stronger.

Final Thought

In Order to Achieve it , You have to Strive for it
Summing Up

My journey from a disinterested student to a dedicated programmer has been shaped by persistence and passion. After struggling with traditional academics and JEE exams, I discovered my love for programming. Focused learning, especially through online courses, helped me grasp JavaScript and web development fundamentals. Despite challenges in balancing university life and self-study, my commitment grew stronger.

Building my first JavaScript project and completing a comprehensive Udemy course were key milestones. These experiences taught me the importance of resilience and continuous effort.
Conclusion

In the end, diving into programming turned out to be the best decision I could have made. Despite the bumps along the way, sticking with it and staying curious has really paid off. It’s clear now that with a bit of persistence and a lot of passion, reaching your goals is totally achievable.
Connect with Me

I’d love to hear from you and stay connected! Feel free to reach out through the following platforms:
- LinkedIn: Daim Zahoor
- Twitter: DevDaim
- GitHub: Daim Zahoor

Let’s share experiences, exchange ideas, and support each other’s journeys. Feel free to drop me a message or connect with me on these platforms!

My Journey into Software Development: How I Got Started

Table of contents

Introduction: The Spark

The Learning Journey

Resourses

Personal Struggles

Failures

Final Thought

Summing Up

Conclusion

Connect with Me

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Daim Zahoor

Daim Zahoor