2020 Review? Or Something Like that I Guess

This is probably the first blog I'm writing on hashnode, but it's a new year, why don't I start with something new... lol.

I'm going to break it down to months (not like I can really tell you every detail), so bear with me.

December 2019

Earlier in the month, I was already having issues with a woman I cared about, so the year was already ending on a bad note. But somehow I sat down in my Aunt's living room to write some goals for myself in 2020.

January 2020

January came and I had to go to school for a program that'll eventually run to late February. Got to school on the 5th and the program started on the 6th. Like every boy feeling the universe was against him,

I got the I don't want you or anyone, anymore text on the day the school program was starting.

I remember I was sitting beside @OnlyNene__ and broke down beside her... LMAO I was an emotional wreck that day. Somehow I was able to finish the program and resume school for the new session in February.

March

Covid came and we had to go home. Not gonna lie I really needed the break, because I've seen some of my results and it wasn't pleasing. I found myself asking if I wrote the exams with my eyes closed... Lmao, even went to complain about some results, only for the lecturers to tell me there was a mistake and they'll rectify it( that's OAU for you). Not that I've seen any changes, but I guess that's a fight for when school resumes. Apart from that, I had time to prepare for the HNG internship program coming up, even though I did not have a functioning system(long story).

April - June

I came home with @gold_olar old laptop, and started going through some tutorials and some JavaScript challenges online. That system practically saved my 2020.

HNG came and I was so excited about the possibility of finishing the program. Challenges and task started rolling in weeks after weeks, and I realized that I might not finish the program, because the system I was managing had it shortcomings.

We were later grouped into teams, and crazy thing ? Almost everybody in my team had a system issue, so I got dropped at that stage.

It was also at this period I had some family issues. I was basically losing my mind and trying to keep a strong outlook. I cried myself to sleep most nights, and wake up the next morning like nothing was going on. I felt like a complete failure and basically had nobody to go to, apart from my friend Goldin. Didn't wanna celebrate my birthday back then because I felt it was another reminder of what a failure I was. But my friend talked me into celebrating it.

During this period, someone I had once written an article for reached out to me to come work for him at his firm, that they needed some writers. The offer was a full-time offer, but I had to asked for a part-time role instead, because I wasn't ready to give up on my 2020 plans. Even though it was basically the middle of the year and I haven't gotten anything tangible done.

The job helped me get my mind off the issues I was going through, plus the pay was good (will probably have to ask for raise if I'm still there ending of this month).

July - September.

Got a new laptop this period and got into WeJapa internship. Their resources was a great help because it helped me speed track my learning process. Spent nights learning react and stalking some of my mentors on GitHub, just to see if I can learn anything new. I was surprised at the rate I learnt, even though I felt like a dumbass most of the time.

During this period I was still working part-time for the firm, so I was juggling learning React and the job together.

October

My mental health was really tested this period. I couldn't keep up with work or what I was learning, because of everything going on in the country. Sleeping became difficult and the deaths I saw daily on my twitter timeline didn't make everything easy. Especially when one of our own lost his life during the protest, that shattered me.

P.S I also participated in Hacktoberfest, even though it was just little contributions.

November

At this point, I felt the year was going to end in a sour note and I won't be able to complete my goals.

Later on, my sister reached out to me and asked if I was available to take up a role on a project she was working on. I jumped at the opportunity. Mind you, I was still working for the firm, while also writing and learning React. The month flew by in no time.

December

I was basically telling myself

This is it then, nothing note worthy happened this year.

I was in a tight spot, and couldn't decide if I should be grateful for the little things I achieved or beat myself down for not completing my goals. During this period, my friend Goldin was sending me some pictures or tweet of people that are making some crazy moves. I know he was doing it to encourage me, but at that time I felt so inadequate. Probably one of the reason I was feeling I had a bad year.

A week later my sister (God bless that woman!) told me about an internship role that will help my Dev Career. I applied and wasn't even expecting much, plus I made a mistake in the mail I sent. I was anxious about a reply, even if it is a bad news, I was ready to take it (I've never prayed that hard for a reply).

Got the reply mail around 11pm yesterday and I was crying, because it was too much of a good news. I get to learn and work with someone I so much admire and even used one of the books he wrote to learn flexbox back then.

Somehow the year ended on a good note for me, and 2021 started with a win.

Crazy how I was so scared of not achieving any of my goals at the beginning of the year, and somehow at the end I ticked all the boxes apart from HNG... lol, don't think I will be needing that again this year.

I don't have a written goal for 2021, but I have a feeling it's going to be an amazing one. All I'm going with are these words from @mykeels

I've learned that people will pay for what I know, and I can learn the things I don't know. So I learn everything.