Yes, you are right. The above photograph is of my college. Let me start with a brief introduction. I am Soniya Prasad, currently a last-year undergraduate at MGCU, Bihar, pursuing my B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering. In this article, I am going to share my four years of experience as an undergrad exploring various technologies and interests. It includes:

What technologies have I learned? When? Why? How? resources that I referred to. The various communities I am currently a part of. And many more... The things I get to learn from my colleagues and much more

BEFORE JOINING THE COLLEGE

Since my childhood, I have been very fascinated with electronic gadgets, like how this fridge is working, how this fan has been made, and how my father's computer is playing videos. I used to have so many questions regarding that. I got my PC in 10th grade for the first time, and I used to do a lot of experiments over that, like downloading pirated games that have a lot of viruses. I also used to reset my PC, download pirated Windows 7, try to update the PC, do disk partitions, and do many other things that would result in the malicious functioning of the computer.

Then As I grew older, I got to know about things like WSL (Windows subsystem for Linux) and jumped over them and downloaded Ubuntu. Then I used Linux on Windows using a virtual machine, which gave me a feeling of excitement. It's like "WOW".

These things helped me understand how computers work and how I could be such a good one to understand and add something to the computer world. That's why I have chosen this stream.

Currently, I am in this type of college with very little competition around me because, I guess, there is no culture to explore new technologies. Here, students as well as the faculties are more focused on competitive examinations like GATE, NET, etc., so that the students can pursue their higher studies. Mastering the new technologies here presents its own set of challenges.

FRESHMAN YEAR

So let me get back to my first year of college experience. As a fresher, you have expected a lot from your college because it is when you are free from the "Ghisi Piti Jeewan" of preparing for JEE and exams to get into the best college of your choice. When I was in my freshman year, it was the era of COVID-19, so the classes were online, and we had a lot of time to explore new things. So back at that time, I started surfing the internet, and there were a lot of free courses provided by the institutions due to COVID. So I enrolled in a course by Harvard University on EdX named "WEB PROGRAMMING WITH PYTHON AND JAVASCRIPT" by David J. Malan and Brain Yu. That was the first time I experienced learning a new programming language, and with the help of that course, I could get myself into the stream of learning. Slowly, I got to know about Coursera and Udemy as well. I started enrolling in the courses of my choice to learn new things. Gradually, I developed a lot of interest in web development, and I learned C in my first year, although it was not a subject in my first year. and from there, my journey in programming started.

SECOND YEAR

During my second year, I achieved a CGPA of 9.06. This year was marked by significant achievements in my academic journey. I successfully mastered HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, adding valuable tools to my skill set. Moreover, I dedicated time to enhancing my typing speed and accuracy through touch typing.

One of the highlights of my academic year was delving into the intriguing realm of data structures and algorithms. This subject challenged me, allowing me to further refine my problem-solving abilities.

Additionally, I was introduced to the concept of open source, which immediately captured my interest. Eager to learn more, I immersed myself in mastering Git and GitHub, tools crucial for collaborative coding efforts. This newfound knowledge allowed me to delve into the world of open-source contributions, where I began by making low-code contributions. This hands-on experience provided me with a deep understanding of Git and GitHub workflows, solidifying my proficiency in version control and collaborative development.

THIRD YEAR

In my third year, I took part in exciting coding events like Hacktoberfest. Not only did I join in, but I also did really well and got special digital prizes for my work. I also got to be a part of big open-source events, like "Open Source: Global Hack Week: Major League Hacking," where I got cool swags as a way of saying "Great job!"

In my third year of studies, I immersed myself in an array of technological stacks, which encompassed MERN (MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, Node.js) stack development, Linux operating system proficiency, various CSS libraries, and containerization with Docker. Throughout this period, I actively engaged with these technologies, gaining hands-on experience and expertise.

One notable achievement during this time was the successful completion of a real-time chat application. This project helped me learn about Socket.IO and WebSocket APIs. These are tools that let applications communicate in real time, like chatting instantly. It was like learning a new language for making interactive websites!

I got even more involved in the tech world by joining the Microsoft Student Ambassador group. This opened up lots of new opportunities and let me meet others who are just as passionate about tech stuff.

During this year, I also undertook a stimulating internship at Growth Ninja, focusing on front-end development. This experience provided me with invaluable insights into real-world applications and honed my skills in this domain.

LAST YEAR

Yet to come...