There was no roadmap. No blueprint. No clear destination. Just a burning desire to bring something meaningful to life.

Timely — that was the name of the very first app I ever built. It was born out of a challenge, a school hackathon. But for me, it wasn’t about the competition — it was about finally putting my skills to the test. After countless tutorials, sleepless nights, and moments of doubt, I just wanted to prove to myself that I could build something real.

🧠 The Problem I Wanted to Solve

At my university, there was a real issue: students were forgetting exam dates, teachers were mismanaging class time, and in general, no one seemed to have a clear grasp of their day. Chaos, confusion, and missed opportunities — all due to poor time management. That’s what Timely aimed to fix.

It was a simple concept — a digital planner tailored for academic life. Students and teachers could input exams, lectures, and study sessions. The app would remind users ahead of time, acting like a gentle nudge toward structure and accountability. For many, it could be the difference between showing up prepared and missing something important.

⚙️ The Stack and the Struggles

I used Angular — a bold move, since I was more familiar with React. The learning curve hit me hard. There were moments I stared at the screen for hours, unsure how to move forward. But I was determined.

I styled the app with Tailwind CSS for speed, and used local storage for data persistence since there wasn’t time to set up a database. I also explored PWA features for offline functionality and used .env for environment configuration.

But honestly, one of my biggest early mistakes? Skipping the design phase. I didn’t use Figma. I didn’t sketch a layout. I just dove in — no map, just instinct. That led to a lot of trial and error. What I thought was “fast” actually slowed me down.

🐛 Debugging the Hard Way

Some of my bugs were small but maddening — like a responsive design bug that made components only adjust after a refresh. I eventually realized I hadn’t used ngOnInit, which is essential for Angular lifecycle hooks. Another issue came from using outdated class-based components that conflicted with the modern standalone component structure in Angular 15+.

These weren’t just coding errors — they were lessons in mindset. I learned the importance of planning, of adapting, of reading documentation with intent, and of thinking like an engineer, not just a coder.

💡 The Mindset Shift

This wasn’t just about shipping an app. It was about discovering how I think. I realized that:

Efficiency starts in the mind — before the first line of code.
Planning is not optional — it’s foundational.
You don't build for hype — you build for impact.
The hardest part is not the code — it’s aligning your thoughts with your purpose.

I began to see tech differently. I stopped relying on AI and tutorials for answers and started asking better questions. What am I really building? Who is it for? Why does it matter?

🎯 Why I Built It

I built Timely not to win a prize, but to make an impact. I wanted to solve a real problem I saw daily. And more than anything, I wanted to prove — to myself — that I could.

That mindset made all the difference. And yes, we did end up winning the hackathon. But for me, the real win was clarity. The kind you only get when you take a risk and build something from your gut.

Final Thoughts

If you’re thinking of building your first app — don’t wait for permission. You don’t need to know everything. You need a reason. A problem. A fire.

The rest will come.

Build bold. Even when you’re blind.

The First App I Ever Built — Navigating Blind but Bold