Hey guys! Thank you for the support on my last post; it was awesome. Before the end of 2019, I wrote some goals and timelines I would like to accomplish before 2020 ends. Now let's dive into the main deal;

A Summary of My 2020

January - March

I officially started training for Frontend Website Development at a hub created by Google Developer Student Club ( the DSC Unilag chapter). As part of their plans to teach students across the university, they organized Engineering Career Expo 2.0. Joining this community opened my eyes to several opportunities I never imagined to have. I was trained, amongst other different tools and technologies every developer must possess. The first newbie website I created was my second GitHub repository.

Another opportunity was networking. I met many people from different faculties and, the experience of working together was surreal. The relationship was cordial as we assisted each other with "Technical writing" projects. Before the end of March, the organizers suspended the training owing to the COVID-19 pandemic; but we moved online!

April - June

I do not know how to describe the experience; it was a bittersweet one. At first, I looked forward to being productive. I vowed to take as many courses as possible; I never wanted to go back to school the same way I left.

Later, I became depressed. I developed FOMO (fear of missing out). I took many courses on Udemy that I ended up not completing. All in the bid of being productive!

ECX started the #30daysofcode; they gave websites and projects to build according to your proficiency. I had issues with my performance because I did not own a laptop. I had to code with my phone! In a nutshell, I became better with CSS before the end of the second quarter when I got a laptop. I made a lot of commits on my GitHub; I enjoyed the moment.

Also, I learned how to design carousels and flyers with Canva. I improved my social media content creation skill. I make videos and design graphics for small business brands on Instagram.

July-September

There is a saying that life is full of surprises. I got first-hand experience of that in this quarter. It was filled with recommendations, taking up interim job roles as well as having a side-hustle.

In July, I got an internship placement with an Advertising company where I got more exposed to Video creation and designing graphics. I did that for a month before I worked with many brands on Instagram. Did I write any code from the period of July - September? No, I didn't. I was busy with improving the design game that I forgot I ever learned how to code.

Recommendations I never expected came in from LinkedIn that I had to handle that as the Tech Lead for the Tech law student club. The experience has been great, as well as challenging. I got to practice all I have learned to be a leader in the real game.

October-December

This quarter was all about reflection. I reflected on my activities from the first day of the year till now. I continued as a freelancer caught in the middle of organizing virtual Tech events for the club. I learned a lesson; having good teammates to work with is underrated. The majority of my teammates did not participate in organizing those virtual events. I coordinated and hosted three virtual events.

It took a toll on my mental health and my health in general. I paused many activities because nature was asking for a break.

I would not say I regret making some decisions because I learned from them and, I am grateful that I did.

Last week, I picked my journal and went through the goals and timelines I set for 2020. I ticked off the things I achieved and, I am proud to say I'm proud of what I've achieved.

The Tech communities, as well as the online communities I joined, have been helpful with my development. I have several mentors that I pick one or two things from as lessons. I am delighted to have crossed their paths

Now, the question is: "what next?" A part of my brain says: "relax and be taken care of." But, that is not my next aim. I have not reached the peak; I am just getting started. There are many things to accomplish; giving back to society by advocating for SDG 4 in my immediate community is one of them.

What I am saying in essence is;

1. You cannot stop at a little. There is still more to achieve. "Success is never final.....". After reaching a goal, you work hard for the next.
2. Plan ahead. It has helped me in setting some KPIs for myself. You do not only set KPIs for employees but yourself as well.
3. Always seek help. You may not know who would be at your rescue. Seek help from the communities you have joined.
4. Find yourself in the right circle. It has been my major highlight of the year. Being assertive does not mean you are rude or harsh or as the case may be. It means you conscious of what you take in because you are the exact reflection of it.
5. Be your number one cheerleader. I cannot overemphasize this.
6. Always take a break. I mean take good care of your mental health.
7. Network and collaborate with people on Opensource projects or personal development projects. Another highlight of my 2020 goals was to network. I did that physically and virtually, but I did not do as much as I really wanted.
8. Lastly, take a break and rest!

Thank you for staying around. I wish you a Happy new year and a great time to rest and plan for 2021.