My journey into the world of web development began back in 8th grade. Eager to explore the world of technology, I joined a small three-month course where I learned HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and the basics of PHP. While it was exciting to build my first few webpages, it didn’t ignite the passion I had hoped for. After finishing the course, I decided to take a step back and focus on other interests for a while.
Fast forward to 11th grade, my spark for web development was reignited when I came across a Udemy course, The Complete Web Development Bootcamp by Dr. Angela Yu. This course was a game-changer for me. It was comprehensive, engaging, and opened my eyes to the endless possibilities in web development. For the first time, I felt like I was truly diving into the depths of web technologies.
During my second year of college, I got an opportunity to intern at Urbanhub Innovations. This experience was transformative. The developers I worked with became my mentors, guiding me and refining my skills. It was here that I started freelancing and built my very first portfolio website.
One of my most memorable projects during this time was creating a website for Yhite Yiascm, the media club of our college. The site caught the attention of both students and professors, which turned out to be a pivotal moment in my journey. The recognition from this project brought in several freelance opportunities, officially kickstarting my freelancing career.
In my final year of college, I wanted to give back to the community that had supported me throughout my journey. As an initiative for the IT Club of our college, I mentored 30 students in web development. My teaching philosophy was simple yet impactful: learning to code should be fun and exciting.
One of the things I noticed was that traditional web development courses often focused too much on outdated techniques or spent too long on dry fundamentals. To keep my students engaged, I took a different approach. Instead of teaching them every tag in HTML before moving to CSS, I integrated both from the beginning. We built the structure of a webpage while styling it simultaneously. This hands-on, creative approach kept the classes lively, and no student missed any classes. I taught them HTML, CSS, and Bootstrap, and the positive reviews I received from students made this experience incredibly rewarding.
Now that I’ve graduated, my journey is far from over. I am currently upskilling in the MERN Stack - MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js and Next.js, expanding my horizons in modern web development. These technologies are not only helping me build more powerful and efficient applications but also preparing me for the challenges of the ever-evolving tech landscape.
Looking back, my journey has been a mix of self-discovery, mentorship, and the desire to create meaningful digital experiences. From learning the basics in 8th grade to mentoring budding developers in college, each phase has shaped me into the developer I am today.
If I’ve learned anything, it’s that web development isn’t just about writing code—it’s about problem-solving, creativity, and a willingness to adapt. To anyone starting their own journey: don’t be afraid to take breaks, seek mentors, and most importantly, keep experimenting.
Here’s to many more lines of code and exciting projects in the future!