Embarking on Web Development: My 2-Week Learning Adventure

With just 54 days left before college starts, I’ve decided to invest this time into learning web development. My goal is simple — to get a head start in programming and build a strong foundation before diving into my BTech in AI & DS.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve made consistent progress, and this post is a reflection of what I’ve learned, the challenges I faced, and what I plan to do next.

Why I Started This Journey

As someone who’s always been curious about tech, I didn’t want to wait for college to start learning. Web development felt like the right entry point — it’s hands-on, visual, and teaches core programming logic.

I chose to learn through The Odin Project — a free, open-source curriculum that guides learners from zero to full-stack developer.

What I’ve Learned So Far

I’ve completed about 54% of the Foundation course, and here’s what I’ve covered:

HTML & CSS

Semantic HTML structure
Styling with CSS
Box model, padding, margin, borders
Building simple layouts and cards

Git & GitHub

Initializing repositories
Committing changes with clear messages
Pushing code to GitHub
Collaborating using branches and pull requests

Challenges I Faced

Learning From Written Material

At first, I found it difficult to absorb concepts by just reading the material on The Odin Project. I prefer interactive or visual learning, so staying focused during long reading sessions was a struggle. But over time, I got more comfortable with this format and learned how to break the content into smaller chunks.

Eye Strain From Long Sessions

One major issue I faced was eye strain from staring at the screen for too long. It made it hard to stay consistent throughout the day. Taking breaks, adjusting screen brightness, and using blue-light filters helped a bit — but I’m still working on finding the right balance.

Setting Up My Dev Environment

Installing Ubuntu and setting up my local environment was harder than I expected. From missing dependencies to terminal errors — it tested my patience. But now that everything is working, I feel more confident managing tools and systems.

What I Built (So Far)

I’ve worked on a few mini-projects and exercises from the course. Here's one of them:

What’s Next?

In the coming week, I plan to:

Finish the remaining Foundation content
Dive deeper into Flexbox and Grid
Start JavaScript and build interactive web pages
Take better care of my screen time and eye health

💬 Final Thoughts

It’s only been two weeks, but I already feel more confident and motivated. The beginning was tough — especially learning from long reading materials and dealing with setup issues — but I'm glad I pushed through.

If you're also starting web development and struggling to stay consistent, you're not alone. Take breaks, stay curious, and celebrate small wins.

🌐 Let’s Connect!

🔗 GitHub: https://github.com/ayush-kumar49
🐦 X (Twitter): @ayushwk
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayush-kumar-82311636a/

Thanks for reading! If you’ve faced similar struggles, feel free to share in the comments — I’d love to connect and learn from your journey too. 😊

2 Weeks Into Web Development: My Learning Journey So Far