This is a submission for the 2025 New Year Writing challenge: Retro’ing and Debugging 2024.
The Dark Before Dawn 🌑
Before 2024, I was your typical doom-scroller. You know the drill - endless Douyin (Chinese TikTok) sessions, minimal life goals, and a constant battle with depression. Work was just... work. Nothing more.
The Plot Twist 🔄
Enter my colleague @JiaLiangC - the unexpected mentor who changed everything. Through his book recommendations and a beginner-friendly programming course, I found my spark again.
The Technical Awakening 💻
2024 became my year of coding renaissance:
- Built a simplified Tomcat implementation
- Started diving into Spring framework internals
- Made my first open-source contributions
- Learned under @JiaLiangC's guidance
Sure, these might sound like baby steps to some, but hey - every developer started somewhere, right?
Beyond the Code 🌱
But wait, there's more! This transformation wasn't just about coding:
- Dove deep into psychology and social science books
- Started a consistent workout routine 💪
- Began learning English seriously
- Significantly reduced screen time
- Sought professional help for depression
The Results? 📈
Map<String, LifeState> life = Map.of(
"before2024", new LifeState(0, null, null),
"after2024", new LifeState(100, "clear", true)
);
What's Next? 🎯
As I step into 2025, I'm no longer that person mindlessly scrolling through social media. I'm a developer-in-progress, an open-source contributor, and most importantly - someone who's excited about the future.
The Takeaway 💡
If you're stuck in a rut, remember: change is possible. Sometimes all it takes is:
- The right mentor
- A willingness to learn
- Taking care of your mental health
- Consistent small steps forward
Has anyone else experienced a similar transformation? What was your turning point? Let's chat in the comments! 👇
Note: This post is dedicated to @JiaLiangC - thank you for being the catalyst for change!
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