No Fancy Setup, No Bootcamp – Just Grit, Code & Faith

#webdev #programming #javascript #career

Back in college, I was a full-time gamer. Life was chill, until it wasn’t. Things hit hard when my father left us. That moment flipped a switch. I realized I had to get serious about my future.

I started looking around online and found something called web development, yep I began my tech journey by learning HTML (a "programming language", haha).

I had a decent PC that could run games up to 2015, but it died right at the start of my first vacation. Luckily, I had an old i3 2nd-gen Dell laptop with 4GB RAM. It only ran when plugged in, but it was enough. In 2023, I joined the University of Sindh for a degree in Software Engineering, where I fell in love with C++ (the real GOAT).

When summer vacation started, I took it as a blessing. I coded every day, every minute, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Node.js, Git, GitHub. I even learned how to create a VPS (which I forgot later because I didn’t use it practically). During that time, I built landing pages, a gym website with backend, some simple games, a weather app, and a todo list.

Next, I moved to React.js, then combined it with Node.js and MongoDB to build full-stack MERN apps. I also taught one of my friends JavaScript for free. By the start of my second year, I was a decent MERN dev.

Then came the next summer... and my laptop screen broke. We didn’t have the money to fix it. One full day of anxiety later, I installed Termux (Linux on Android) on my phone. I learned the basics of Linux, got comfortable with Vim, and started building a real-time chat app called Karlobaat using MERN + Socket.io, all on my phone. I wrote production-level code, learned to clean up my code, and picked up solid practices. I even started DSA, completed 2 out of 4 courses in Stanford’s Algorithms Specialization, and learned Tajweed of Quran. I coded classic algorithms in C++ on my phone using Vim.

Eventually, after the vacation, my aunt gifted me a ThinkPad x270 (i7 7th Gen, 8GB RAM). It was a huge blessing.

With a proper machine, I leveled up. Learned Next.js, TypeScript, built a Patreon clone, and pushed my GPA from 2.91 to 3.29. I also focused hard on university courses like Oracle DB, e-Business, and Software Architecture.

This summer vacation (my third), I set a goal: earn PKR XXXXXX in one month.

So I did the grind:

Built my online presence
Posted daily carousels
Revamped my portfolio
Applied to 1000+ jobs and internships

Eventually, I landed 3 remote internships:

One ended due to requirement misunderstanding
One web dev internship completed
One ongoing Python backend internship (yes, I learned Python from a 3-hour YT crash course and Django in 2 days)

I also did lead generation, secured 2 freelance clients, and have 1 project in progress. All of these are from local market not Fiverr/Upwork (they didn’t work for me, maybe I was doing something wrong).

Started reading books too. Finished:

Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
Zero to One by Peter Thiel

✅ Hit an exciting freelancing milestone in my very first month.
✅ Helped family with expenses
✅ Donated and built a website for verified Palestine donation NGOs
✅ Started planning my first mini SaaS idea