🚀 My Cybersecurity Journey Begins — From a Tiny Desk in a Photocopy Shop

My name is Bilal, a 12th-grade student from Pakistan. My journey into tech didn’t begin with pressure — it began with curiosity and passion. I’ve been playing with computers since I was a kid — it was always more than just a hobby for me. I loved exploring how systems worked, digging into settings, and breaking things just to fix them again. But a couple of years ago, my brother pushed me toward UI/UX design, thinking it would be a good career start. I tried — I really did. I learned Figma, built clean designs, and understood the basics. But I never felt the spark.

My real interest? Cybersecurity. The world of hackers, defenders, digital forensics, and cyber threats always fascinated me — especially after watching shows like Mr. Robot. I don’t want to design screens; I want to understand how systems are attacked and how companies defend themselves.

About two years ago, my brother encouraged (more like pushed) me into learning UI/UX design. I gave it a shot, made designs, explored Figma, and understood how to make things look clean and user-friendly. But deep inside, I never felt excited. I wasn’t the guy who felt joy moving pixels around or choosing the perfect font. I did it because I had to — not because I wanted to.

But everything changed when I finally listened to what truly fascinated me.

I’ve always loved shows like Mr. Robot — not just for the drama, but for the way hacking and digital forensics were shown. That thrill of digging into systems, understanding networks, defending against attacks, and breaking down threats — that is what I’ve always been curious about.

And that curiosity led me to a dusty little photocopy shop.

To support myself, I started working part-time as a computer operator in my friend’s shop — printing notes, scanning documents, fixing small system issues. Between customers, I would mess around on the computer, Google random tech terms, and get lost in YouTube videos about cybersecurity. That shop wasn’t a job — it became my secret lab.

That’s when I realized:
I don’t want to just design interfaces — I want to defend systems.
I don’t want to chase clean fonts — I want to chase attackers.

Why I'm Writing This

This blog series is my way of learning in public. I’m not a cybersecurity pro. I’m not certified (yet). But I’m here, showing up every day, learning step-by-step to become a SOC Analyst.

If you’re also someone trying to figure out where you belong in tech — maybe stuck between paths or unsure where to start — I invite you to walk with me. This isn’t a polished success story.

This is the raw journey.
From a tiny shop.
To (hopefully) a SOC Room.

Follow me on Linkedin: Bilal