Year 2020 had been the most unexpected year I ever had. A lot of things may have happened, but I wouldn't say it's the worst year for me. Sure, there's the pandemic that caused almost a lot of planned activities to go unplanned and heartaches that resulted in wet pillow and puffy eyes, but there are always things to be grateful for.
Developer Journey π»
Firstly, I have achieved my goal to win Google Code-In programming competition. Although my prize trip to Google Headquarters in San Francisco, California was cancelled (and boy, it caused more tears than I ever shed), I get to have satisfactory alternative prizes. What's more, it helped me gain confidence to join more hackathons and coding competitions, and I realized that I can actually do it.
Speaking of hackathons, 2020 also enabled me to focus more and join online hackathons that are held from the other parts of the world. I get to meet people with the same interests as I and helped me learn. I also get to win a 1-year hosting and domain name for my website portfolio from a hackathon that is sponsored by Qoom.
Last but not the least, I started learning PHP and Laravel Framework after being blessed with a part-time work as a freelance web developer! It's challenging at first (considering I have college to focus to as well), but I got through it alright, and get to enjoy my first salary by buying donuts π.
Student Stuff π
College life changed pretty much for 2020. For one, we get to conduct lessons through online means because of the pandemic. Being a person who was homeschooled for the whole duration of my elementary and high school years, I'm used to studying at home, so there's no problem with that. The biggest challenge with online classes is perhaps the group assignments, as they are "harder" to execute without face to face discussions.
As for the lessons, we get to study OOP concept using Java (the language I always try to learn but keeps procrastinating), and PHP lessons aren't bad, especially my part-time work helped me understand the language more and put them into hands-on practice (though combining school and part-time do require more effort, time management, and sacrifice from too much gaming π).
One last thing to add, I got my results for my last semester this January 7, and I can happily say I got my third Dean's list award π
Musical Hobby πΉ
Being in quarantine made it easier for me to play my piano, and at the same time, to NOT play it (my dad works at home so I can only play during his breaks). I'm happy that I get to play the songs I've been wanting to play, which includes the Voltes V Theme Song and Silhouette of a Breeze from Emma: A Victorian Romance anime.
Though youth choir at my local Church was postponed (thus, I cannot sing there for now), I was given a Karaoke Microphone for Christmas. Time to SIIIING!
Family Life πͺ
Of course, I get to spend more time with my family because of the pandemic. They were the ones who helped me grab opportunities and comfort me during 2020's heartaches. Even though outings are minimal, we get to have a nice picnic near the seaside every once in a while. Late night movies are also frequent, and I also get to learn new recipes to cook for my family!
Final Thoughts
Once again, 2020 is a lot, even if it's mostly spent inside my house. As I welcome 2021 and continue improving in different aspects of my life, I won't regret being a part of 2020's adventures π
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