VIT Vellore Campus Experience

In the fast-paced world of tech, my journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster, weaving through the realms of design, entrepreneurship, and now, thriving as a Software Engineering intern at Microsoft as a pre-final B.Tech (CSE Core) student from VIT, Vellore. Buckle up as I walk you through my exhilarating ride from a novice coder to a Full Stack Web Developer.

Genesis of Coding (1st Year, August 2021)

My coding odyssey began in my first year. Armed with Python, HTML, and CSS, I grappled with the intricacies of arrays that haunted my early programming dreams. As I belong to a Business family and Fuelled by inspiration from LinkedIn folks and Shark Tank, I ventured into entrepreneurship, kickstarting five startup projects with school friends and pocketing a cool 8k INR. But, through this, I realized My potential and Interest in Design so I started learning Canva and tried Freelancing.

Designing Dreams (1st Year Continues)

Driven by an innate passion, I delved into design, exploring Canva and venturing into freelancing. As I transitioned into UI/UX design, Figma became my canvas, and I even secured an internship offer, only to decline it after a revelation sparked by the “Rich Dad Poor Dad”(“Rat Race” chapter shot my mind at that time). Realizing the need for more substantial growth, I pivoted towards coding, integrating design prowess into my arsenal(I realized that I am a CSE student, I should work hard in development and programming and integrate all the design knowledge into that).

DSA Dive and Design Refinement (2nd Year)

Embracing the challenges, I dived headfirst into Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA), a labyrinth dreaded by many CSE students. Simultaneously, I joined design-centric clubs and chapters in college to refine my skills(I started Learning DSA at the very beginning of 2nd Year and joined two design-related Clubs and Chapters in my college So that I could refine my design knowledge in the coming time. At that time I realized that I can only and only secure a good Internship by mastering DSA(Most Boring and Mind Consuming for CSE students). So I took a deep breath and jumped into the well of Algorithms). A strategic move that laid the foundation for a dual expertise that would soon set me apart.

Hackathons, Startups, and a Taste of Success (2nd Year Continues)

My journey took an intriguing turn as I participated in hackathons, not just as a coder but also as a UI/UX designer. The results were not just recognition but a tidy sum of 15k INR(I started participating in hackathons as a UI/UX designer with 0 knowledge and started learning there only and earned around 7k INR in that(i.e. Total 15k till my 2nd year through startup and hackathons)), combining earnings from startups and hackathon victories. The combination of design finesse and coding grit proved potent.

Microsoft Internship: Scaling Heights (Post 2nd Year)

The pinnacle of my journey came with securing a Software Engineering internship at Microsoft, a testament to the hard work and resilience invested in this transformative journey. (Read more about my Microsoft journey -> https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/microsoft-interview-experience-for-internship-2024/). I am practicing and Advancing my TechStack in FullStack Web Development because I will be joining Microsoft as an Intern in May and my interviewer advised me to focus on Advance React Concepts and try to write Production Ready Code. At the time of the interview I was good at DSA but was lagging in the development part, So I decided to become the best in Full Stack Web Development before my internship (As everybody knows the PPO conversion rate of Microsoft is one the highest, So I will try my best to achieve it).

Mastering Full Stack: MERN Stack Ascent (5th Semester)

Eager to broaden my horizons, the journey continued into the fifth semester, where I embarked on mastering the MERN stack. Guided by resources 

• Love Babbar’s Dot Batch
• Akshay Saini’s Namastey React(both 1.0 and 2.0)
• Akshay Saini’s Namastey Javascript(both 1.0 and 2.0)
• Harkirat Singh’s Cohort 2.0 (0-100)

I embraced the challenges of Full Stack Web Development. My journey from a designer to a Full Stack Web Developer has been an exploration of passion, perseverance, and adaptability. As I continue to scale new heights, each challenge becomes a stepping stone, and each success a validation of the path chosen. The road ahead promises more coding conquests, design innovations, and perhaps, a few more surprises.