Week 110: I am still here, and still strong!

Sorry, I have not posted much in 2024, as I began to focus really hard on my self improvement. I was just reading my last blog and I realized at that time, I was in an interview loop with a company called SaberSim, they build DFS optimizers, it would of been a dream job for me, being my experience in sports aligned with my love for problem solving, unfortunately, that did not work out, they went with someone more experienced. It was a great learning experience nonetheless. The failure is so valuable, I am at a point to where I get excited from rejection emails, I appreciate that the company took the time to reply and reject me, sometimes companies never respond at all. I am still working on my CodeCademy full stack course, still chugging along in Formation, and still on the hunt.

All the while, I am improving, and I can feel it. It's really beneficial to blog (shout out to Curtis Mitchell), as one can look back and reflect on growth, and it can really help with imposter syndrome. I've been working on some larger projects, as I just recently finished a front end Reddit project, it took me a while to complete, but I got it done in the end. You can check it out here. In other news, I am waiting on Verizon to get back with me about the Thrive Apprenticeship program. It's based out of Irving, Texas, a place that I know a bit well. This is another great opportunity that I have been preparing for night and day. I realize now in my coding sessions with Formation, I have more confidence, and I am solving problems better than I was before. Formation is so pivotal in this journey, if I did not have them, I don't know what I would do. Having social support and a network of engineers to communicate with and keep you going is unmatched. LeetCode can only do so much, but Formation gives you the entire package of living the Software Engineer lifestyle. It's like having a job before you actually get one, they prepare you so well for what's to come.

I am in good spirits these days, I am working out 3 days during the week and then jogging on the weekends, I am reading every night, constantly learning and practicing, all while trying to help the younger me (engineers) who are just getting their careers started. Helping is important, as it can also help yourself. I will always help other people. It's hard to find help sometimes, as the industry is SUPER COMPETITIVE in the current moment. Everyone start learning AI. That's my advice, and brush up on Math. I am buying some Math books and using Khan Academy to sharpen my skills. I have a natural love for Math, so it comes easy, to get started with new concepts. I am always curious in Math.

My technical blogs will be over here at Medium. I have been away from the blogging scene, but I am going to pick back up. I was in a deep learning mode for a few months, but now it's time to share my learnings by writing about them, as well as my life experiences on this blog. I want to be living proof to you all that you should never give up, you can read all of my posts from back when I started this journey, and although I haven't landed my job yet, I've had my fair share of failures, and soon I will land that role! I am still meeting amazing engineers in Formation that I can work with and learn from, and I am still learning and contributing where I can. Do not forget about open-source. Continually analyze yourself and realize your weakness, instead of looking where you 'ARENT' going. Hone your skills over and over, its you vs yourself. The light will shine through.... As you know I dont want to make this a TLDR; so I will get back to you with more updates soon! Post in the comments if you like!