When I finished my coding bootCamp 2 years ago, I was super excited to start my first job as a junior developer. Without any hesitation, I started the daunting job application process, and within a few weeks, I landed a remote role as a junior web developer. But when I got there, I found something huge waiting for me — a giant codebase! I didn’t know where to start, and I felt lost.
My biggest challenge: The Big Code Base
The codebase was so big and complicated! It was like a big, tangled ball of yarn, and I didn’t know how to untangle it. Every time I tried to make a change, I was worried I’d mess something up. But then, I remembered what I learned in bootCamp: take one step at a time. So, I started reading the code bit by bit, asking lots of questions, and slowly, things started to make sense.
Learning New Tech
In the BootCamp, we were not taught everything. So, in my new job, I came across new technologies, that were being used there - Next.js, Storybook, Docker, Typescripts, Wordpress. One of the coolest things I learned at the startup was how to use Next.js. Next.js is a special tool that makes building websites easier and faster. At first, it was confusing, just like the big codebase. But as I kept practicing, I got better at it. I learned how to make web pages load faster, how to connect different parts of a website, and how to make everything look nice and work smoothly.
Beating the Perfectionism Monster
When I was new, I spent way too much time on simple tasks. I wanted everything to be perfect, so I kept checking and re-checking my work. This made me slow, and sometimes, I felt like I wasn’t doing a good job. But then, I realized that trying to be perfect all the time wasn’t helping. It was okay to make mistakes because that’s how I learned. So, I started to focus on doing my best and not worrying too much about being perfect. This made me faster and better at my job.
From Junior Developer to Guru
Fast forward two years, and now I’m not just a junior developer anymore. I’ve grown a lot, and learned so many new things, and now I’m ready to take on bigger challenges. I’m confident in my skills, and I know I can handle bigger projects. I’ve gone from feeling lost in the big codebase to being a guru who can help others find their way. Now, I feel like I’m ready to move up to a mid-level or even a senior software engineering position.
What I learned through all of this is that it’s okay to feel lost at first. It’s okay to struggle and make mistakes. What’s important is to keep learning, ask questions, keep growing, and never give up. If I can do it, so can you!
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