I joined FreeCodeCamp on August 27, 2024.
At the time, I was starting from absolute zero. I knew nothing about coding. Like many people, I started with HTML and CSS. Then I got to JavaScript… and honestly, it kicked my butt.
There were days when I questioned whether I was smart enough to do this. Concepts that seem simple now would take me hours or days to understand. I would complete lessons, get stuck, go back, rewatch videos, and try again.
Eventually, I found Jonas Schmedtmann’s JavaScript course and started working through it alongside FreeCodeCamp. Running both together helped everything click. FreeCodeCamp gave me the hands-on practice, while Jonas helped me understand the “why” behind what I was learning.
After JavaScript, I completed the Front End Libraries section. Then I took a break from FreeCodeCamp to focus on learning React and Node.js through Jonas’s courses. From there, I started building small projects on my own. Nothing groundbreaking just app after app, trying to turn what I was learning into something real.
Then came the hard part: finding a job.
For roughly 7–9 months, I applied everywhere. Rejection after rejection. Most applications got no response at all. It was frustrating. There were times when I wondered if all the studying was worth it.
But I kept going.
Eventually, I applied for a six-month technology internship in Chicago through i.c.stars. Our sponsor was United Airlines. We were placed into teams and given a challenge: build a solution that could be used by executives and data analysts.
My team worked incredibly hard. We competed against other teams, presented our solution, and in the end, our team won.
That moment changed everything.
Two members of my team, including me, received opportunities with United Airlines. One teammate received an opportunity as a Project Manager, and I was offered a Full Stack Developer path.
Life had another surprise, though.
Around that same time, I was going through the application process for the Aon Apprenticeship Program. It was competitive, with multiple stages and interviews. I stayed focused, trusted the process, and kept pushing forward.
Now, almost two years after opening FreeCodeCamp for the first time, I’m about to start my new role at Aon this Monday.
When I look back, it’s crazy to think that all of this started with a simple HTML lesson on FreeCodeCamp.
What’s even funnier is that I actually lost access to my original FreeCodeCamp account at one point and had to create a new one. At first I was frustrated, but in hindsight it was one of the best things that could have happened. Repeating the lessons forced me to strengthen my fundamentals and understand concepts much more deeply.
Today, I’m still learning.
I’m currently working through the Python curriculum. I’ve learned that becoming a developer isn’t about reaching a finish line. The learning never stops, and that’s actually one of the things I love most about this field.
To anyone currently struggling through HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Python, or whatever you’re learning right now:
Keep going.
The lesson that makes no sense today may click tomorrow.
The project you’re stuck on may teach you more than the easy ones.
The application that gets ignored may lead you to a better opportunity later.
A year and a half ago, I was a complete beginner trying to understand what a variable was.
Today, I’m starting a career in tech.
FreeCodeCamp was one of the foundations that helped make that possible.
Thank you to everyone who contributes to this platform, creates lessons, answers questions, and supports new developers. You are changing lives whether you realize it or not.
Once I’m financially stable, becoming a donor is something I absolutely plan to do because I believe in what this platform is doing.
Thank you, FreeCodeCamp, for helping me change the direction of my life.
And now it’s time to keep learning.
Best of luck with your new job 
