Compiling 2025: Year of Growth 🌱

This is a submission for the 2025 New Year Writing challenge: Compiling 2025.

---

Introduction

2024 was the year I set my foundation, navigating internships, contracts, and learning opportunities while balancing challenges in college and life. Now, 2025 is here, and I’m stepping into The Year of Growth 🌱. This is the year I take bold steps toward becoming the well-rounded software engineer, and musician I’ve envisioned. Here’s how I’m planning to make it happen!

---

🎯 Main Goals for 2025

🖥️ Become a Better Software Engineer

• Deep dive into Full-Stack Development: JavaScript, TypeScript, ReactJS, and Node.js.
• Build practical projects while mastering design patterns and runtime concepts.

🎹 Excel as a Musician

• Strengthen keyboard skills: ear training, soloing, and exploring music technology like VSTs and DAWs.
• Expand both local (Ghanaian worship styles) and foreign (advanced chord progressions) repertoires.

💬 Enhance Communication Skills

• Refine articulation, presentation skills, and tone to improve speaking presence.

🎓 Succeed Academically

• Achieve a minimum GPA of 3.4 with consistent performance.

💼 Secure Professional Experience

• Obtain a full-time role or freelance gigs to enhance industry exposure.

---

📅 Quarterly Quest (Jan – March 2025)

Morning Manifesto

"I am a great and renowned software engineer, architect, and musician through Christ who strengthens me. 🙌"

---

Focus Areas

🖥️ Software Engineering: Full-Stack Development

1. JavaScript (JS)

   • Study runtime concepts: execution context, event loop, and transpilers.
   • 📖 Resource: You Don’t Know JS (YDKJS).
   • 👉 Key Deliverable: Build a project using advanced runtime concepts.

2. TypeScript (TS)

   • Understand its use for type safety and transpilation.
   • 📖 Resource: TypeScript Handbook.
   • 👉 Key Deliverable: Refactor an existing JS project into TS.

3. ReactJS

   • Master design patterns, state management, hooks, and reusable components.
   • 📖 Resource: React Design Patterns by Michele Bertoli.
   • 👉 Key Deliverable: Build a feature-rich web app using reusable components.

4. Node.js

   • Learn advanced patterns and middleware.
   • 📖 Resource: Node.js Design Patterns.
   • 👉 Key Deliverable: Build a REST API with Node.js and Express.

---

🎹 Musician: Keyboardist and Music Technologist

1. Ear Training

   • Local focus: Ghanaian worship & praise (horns/trumpets, advanced voicings).
   • Foreign focus: 251 and 736 progressions.
   • 👉 Key Deliverable: Transcribe 5 songs (3 local, 2 foreign).

2. Music Technology (MuTech)

   • Explore VSTs and DAWs for music production.
   • Tools: FL Studio or Ableton Live.
   • 👉 Key Deliverable: Produce one instrumental track using DAWs.

---

💬 Communication Skills

• Record and review presentations to refine articulation, tone, and voice projection.
• 👉 Key Deliverable: Deliver a 3–5 minute presentation on a technical topic.

---

🎓 College

• Allocate daily study hours for core courses.
• 👉 Key Deliverable: Complete assignments on time and prep early for exams.

---

💼 Job

• Polish resume and LinkedIn profile.
• Start applying for full-time roles and freelance gigs.
• 👉 Key Deliverable: Secure 3 interviews or freelance opportunities.

---

Looking Ahead

2025 is a year of intentional growth—professionally, creatively, and personally. With faith, focus, and consistent effort, I believe I can achieve everything I’ve set out to do. 🚀

✨ Let’s make this year amazing! 🎉

Connect With Me

• 🌐 Portfolio
• 💼 LinkedIn
• 🖥️ GitHub