This is a submission for the 2025 New Year Writing challenge: Retro’ing and Debugging 2024.
As the clock resets for a new year, I find myself looking back at 2024—a year that truly felt like debugging a complex program filled with unexpected exceptions, difficult loops, and moments of breakthroughs. Each challenge brought new lessons, each victory added confidence, and each setback reshaped my perspective.
Here’s my personal retrospective on 2024:
Challenges That Tested Me
2024 was a year of transitions and self-discovery. Moving to Japan early in the year was an exciting step toward personal growth and exploring new opportunities. However, adapting to a new country, culture, and part-time work environment came with its own set of challenges.
Returning to India mid-year marked another shift—finding a way to balance career aspirations with self-improvement. The career break gave me time to pause, rethink my priorities, and focus on learning and growth.
Lessons Learned Along the Way
Adaptability Is Key
Navigating through multiple transitions reminded me that flexibility is crucial. Whether it was adjusting to life in Japan or resuming my journey back in India, adaptability became a cornerstone of my growth.Consistency Pays Off
Progress, no matter how slow, is still progress. Small, daily steps towards my goals taught me the value of showing up and staying consistent.
Achievements That Made 2024 Memorable
1. Hackathons and Open Source
This year marked my return to coding. Participating in Hacktoberfest 2024 was an empowering experience as I contributed to open-source projects and refined my skills. Winning the Loose Goose Hackathon was a standout achievement—it proved that collaboration, creativity, and persistence pay off.
2. Documenting My Journey
Sharing my experiences through technical blogs on Dev.to was a highlight of 2024. From documenting my Hacktoberfest journey to writing about Goose AI’s use cases, I found joy in storytelling and connecting with the developer community.
3. Upskilling Through Learning
I dedicated myself to enhancing my skills in Python, DevOps, and problem-solving. Enrolling in courses like Harvard’s CS50, Python MOOC, and HackerRank’s challenges helped me grow, step by step. Even without a laptop, I leveraged my Pixel 7 to continue learning, proving that determination overcomes limitations.
The Road Ahead
2024 reminded me that growth isn’t always linear—it’s a mix of ups and downs, each contributing to who you become. As I step into 2025, I carry these lessons with me:
- Consistency Over Perfection: Progress is built on small, consistent efforts.
- Embrace Challenges: Growth happens when you step out of your comfort zone.
- Community Matters: Engaging with others through hackathons, open source, and blogging showed me the importance of shared learning.
A Message for the Debuggers of Life
To anyone reading this, remember: every challenge is an opportunity to grow. Whether in coding, career, or personal life, keep debugging and refining. Celebrate your wins, learn from your errors, and keep moving forward.
Here’s to 2025—a new chapter filled with fresh opportunities to code, learn, and thrive!
What were your key takeaways from 2024? Let’s connect and grow together in this ever-evolving journey called life.
Kiran Baliga
Hackathon Winner | Open Source Contributor | DevOps Aspirant
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