Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Cloud enthusiasts of all ages... I AM BACK! 😎 Did you miss me? (That’s if anyone is actually reading this. If not, I’m just talking to myself, which, let’s be honest, isn’t that unusual at this point).

So where have I been? Well, I have been deep in the trenches, locked in battle with Azure, fighting for my AZ-900 certification. And let me tell you, it was NO JOKE! Blood, sweat, and literal tears were shed.

The Journey: Waking Up Like a Zombie 🧟

Remember when I said I’d be waking up at 5 AM looking like a Walker from The Walking Dead just to study? WELL, I DID IT! Some days, I even woke up earlier – but not out of motivation, just because my dogs snores like a broken lawnmower. 🐶💤 Imagine trying to focus while my Cockerpoo and Maltipoo are out here playing the role of a malfunctioning tractor engine. But I had a secret weapon – study music! I’d put my headphones on, blast some focus beats, and power through. I even played it under my study crams on YouTube – weirdly, it helped me absorb the info better. 🎧📚

Study Strategy: The Pomodoro Effect (Not a Fancy Italian Dish, I Swear) 🍅⏳

For those of you who think Pomodoro is a pasta dish, let me educate you (because trust me, I thought the same at first 🤣). The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method where you study for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. Rinse and repeat! This kept me from completely frying my brain like an overcooked egg. 🍳💀 It’s a game-changer, especially when tackling a subject as vast as Azure.

The Bootcamp Grind: Generation UK&I 💻💪

As if studying for AZ-900 wasn’t enough, I was ALSO part of the Generation UK&I Azure Cloud Platform Engineering Bootcamp. And let me tell you, it was intense. Fast-paced, challenging, but so worth it. I gained hands-on experience in scripting, Python, Bash, Linux, DevOps, and more. Shoutout to the amazing instructors and learning progress managers – they were top-tier and really helped me get through it. 🙌🔥 I’ll do a whole separate post about this once I graduate on Wednesday (Whoop whoop! 🎉).

Resources That Got Me Through (Use These, Trust Me!) 💡📖

If you’re thinking about taking the AZ-900, here are the resources that saved my life (metaphorically, of course... or maybe literally 🤔):

1️⃣ Microsoft Learn - AZ-900: My main source – yes, it’s LONG, but it’s reliable. 📖✅
2️⃣ Microsoft Practice Exams: Good for identifying weak points but don’t rely on them alone – they don’t fully represent the exam format. ❌🤷‍♂️
3️⃣ AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals Exam Cram (Inside Cloud & Security, 2024 Edition): One of my best resources! There’s a free 100-question practice exam in the description – push through it! 💯💪
4️⃣ John Savill’s AZ-900 Study Cram: Amazing for revision. A must-watch! 🎥🎓
5️⃣ Whizlabs AZ-900 Practice Exams: Very close to the actual exam. Only buy the premium practice exam – untick everything else! 🎯
6️⃣ Tutorial Dojo: I didn’t use it, but people swear by it! If you need extra practice, it’s worth checking out. 👍

Sacrifices Had to Be Made... 😭🎮

To pass this exam, I had to give up a LOT. No EastEnders (but I certainly did not sacrifice LOVE ISLAND….I can’t help it, it’s so beautiful! (Am I really referencing Bugs Life 🐛), no PS5, no outings. Even my MacBook felt neglected – probably wondering why I kept booting up Windows instead (it was giving me serious side-eye 👀). My MIDI keyboard hasn’t seen me in weeks (it's probably on the verge of filing for abandonment). Ohh No my DJ decks? Untouched. I wouldn’t be surprised if a family of spiders moved in by now. There’s cobwebs all over that. No seriously actually cobwebs! 🕸️ 🕷️😂 But hey, hard work pays off, and I wanted to smash this exam ONCE AND FOR ALL!

A Quote to Live By... 📜✨

“Success isn’t about luck; it’s about preparation, sacrifice, and grinding through the hard days. Put in the time, make the sacrifices, and watch the results speak for themselves.” – Written by some wise person, probably. (Or me, I’ll take the credit 😂)

Shoutout to My Support System! 💙👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

I couldn’t have done this without the support of my wife and kids. Despite my teenagers constantly being bored, they cheered me on. My wife held it down, making sure I stayed sane. Having a support system makes all the difference when tackling something this big. 🙏

What’s Next? The Cloud Resume Challenge & Beyond! 🚀

Now that I’ve ticked AZ-900 off the list, i’ve booked the SC-900 exam for next month so the grind continues and i’ll also be moving forward with the Cloud Resume Challenge (by Forrest Brazeal). Time to document my journey and share the process with you all! 🎯💻

I’m Back, Baby! 😎🎊

Hope you guys didn’t miss me too much (again, if anyone is even reading this 🤣). But I’m back and ready to share more of my cloud journey. Let me know if you need any AZ-900 tips – I got you! 💪🚀

Drop a comment, share this post, and most importantly – keep pushing toward your goals! 💯💙

The Teknician

I Survived AZ-900: Blood, Sweat & Snoring Dogs – AND I PASSED! 🎉🎊