Hello readers. I am in my third week of the Outreachy internship. I am working as a Linux-Kernel intern on the project—"Converting kmap() and kmap_atomic() call sites to kmap_local_page()".
As an intern, stepping into a new professional environment can be exciting and challenging. It's a unique phase where one's learning curve is at its steepest. It's essential to recognize that struggles are integral to the journey toward growth and success. In this blog, I will discuss my struggles in these three weeks.
Since my first day of the internship, I have encountered various problems and concepts that I need to familiarize myself with. Additionally, I have been learning how to tackle these challenges. Such things are unfamiliar to me, but I am aware that they have been unfamiliar to others during their time as well. However, they managed to overcome them, and I believe I can do the same.
During my first week, my primary focus was reading and understanding the project's concepts. Understanding the official documents proved to be quite challenging. Specifically, I have been reading the highmem kernel documentation since my contribution phase, and I still struggle to comprehend everything written within it. This experience has made me realize the significant value of technical documents as they provide authenticity. The content within these documents is concise, so paying attention to every detail is essential to understand them fully. Consequently, it requires a substantial amount of reading. While these lengthy readings are beneficial in bridging the knowledge gap, they also consume a considerable amount of time, leaving less time for actual hands-on work.
Moving on to my second week, I began working with the code. Seeing the code was both exciting and intimidating. Firstly, understanding the code itself proved to be a challenge. Additionally, finding ways to update the code according to the demands of my project required significant effort and dedication.
Another aspect I am currently working on is overcoming my hesitation to respond publicly while interacting with the Linux kernel maintainers in the mailing lists. It is a process that involves stepping out of my comfort zone and actively engaging with the community.
Despite the difficulties and uncertainties, I am committed to persevering and learning from these experiences. Each struggle I encounter serves as an opportunity for personal growth and development. By embracing these challenges head-on, I am confident that I will gain valuable skills and knowledge throughout my internship journey.
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