DEV Community: Novice Mk

The Restart Challenge: Day 02

Novice Mk — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:13:25 +0000

Hey guys, Mk here!

Today was Day 2 — still motivated and fully pumped. I tried to do better than yesterday.

I started the day with SSMS.

Continuing from yesterday’s tutorial, I covered SSMS/SQL Topics:

Filtering Data
SQL Joins(basics)
SQL Joins(Advanced)
Set Operators
some query practice

After that, I switched to Django.
For Django, my plan is to quickly skim through the basics and then focus more on advanced topics and practical implementation.

Django Topics Covered are:

web development introduction (because why not)
Django introduction and history
Creating Django project and app
virtual environment
running Django file
templates
settings.py structure and configurations
Django admin panel (overview)

Today was Day 2/7 of SSMS and 1/15 of Django.
So, That’s it for today.

The Restart Challenge: Day 1

Novice Mk — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:36:17 +0000

Hey guys, Mk here.

I officially started this challenge yesterday, but today is the first day I’m documenting my progress.

The beginning of any challenge always feels exciting — motivation is high and energy is strong. I’m trying to use that momentum properly this time.

Anyways, yesterday was pretty cool I focused mainly on SQL Server Management System (SSMS). SQL might not be the most exciting subject, but the lecture turned out to be surprisingly immersive.

I’m currently following:
“SQL Full Course for Beginners (30 Hours) – From Zero to Hero” by Data with Baraa.
I took notes and practiced along with the video.

So, the topics covered yesterday were:
Introduction to Databases
Introduction to SQL
Environment Setup
Querying Data (SELECT)
DDL Commands
DML Commands
Filtering Data
Basic query practice

That’s my progress so far.
Still at the starting line, but this time I’m focusing on consistency rather than speed.

Let’s see how far I can go.

The Restart Challenge: Day 0

Novice Mk — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:00:43 +0000

Hey guys! My name is Mk.
I’m what you might call an unsuccessful and unemployed guy. I completed my computer application's master’s degree in 2024, and yes — I’m still jobless. Part of it is due to inflation and companies raising their expectations for freshers, but honestly, most of it was my own fault for not keeping up.

After many failed attempts, I lost hope for a while.

I’m not a very tough person, but recently I gathered some courage to start again — to brush up my knowledge and sharpen my skills better than before.

That’s a little background about me.

Now, coming to the point, I’m starting a challenge where I will share everything I learn daily until I get a job. This will basically be my journey — my progress, struggles, and lessons.

TARGET SKILLS TO ACHIEVE:

HTML
CSS
JavaScript
Django
REST API
SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio)
Git & GitHub

Yes, maybe I’m aiming too high. But I need to catch up, and it’s not like I’m a complete beginner.

Here’s how I divide my current level:

HTML & CSS: Light revision
JavaScript: Concepts are clear, but I lack practical experience — needs serious practice
Django: Same issue — weak practical exposure
REST API: Completely confused — relearning from scratch
SSMS: Light revision + Advanced SQL practice

CHALLENGE PLAN

I initially thought about a 30- or 40-day challenge (and no, I’m not overconfident — I’ve already learned around 50%-55%; I just need structured revision, not a complete relearn).

Instead of doing everything at once, I decided to focus on what interests me first.

So I’m starting with Django and SSMS since they don’t conflict with each other.

First Targets

SSMS: 7 days
Django: 15 days (I strongly believe I can achieve this — though timing may vary because I learn slowly.)

This is my starting point.
Let’s see where this journey takes me.