Graduating Flatiron, New Paths Ahead
Elated. Accomplished. Sad. Nervous. Eager.
I just passed my last project review at Flatiron School and what a series of emotions. I was so happy to hear those words, “Congrats Kunal, you passed your review and your graduating!” I felt proud of myself for undergoing this endeavor. I put in a lot of hard work and effort to get myself to this point where I can say I am a Full-Stack Web Developer.
So I feel accomplished at all the projects I have created and the knowledge I have gained throughout the last 6 months. But the end of this program does not mean the learning will stop. I love the quote “I know that I know nothing” because to me it means that there is always more to learn and to never think that I know everything.
Back to my bag of mixed emotions, I’m definitely sad because I’ve met so many amazing people at Flatiron through my cohort and to think I won’t be interacting with them on a daily basis. However, modern technology has got my back, so keeping in touch is easier than ever and I can’t wait to see where we all end up. To get to that point, that’s what has me nervous: Entering into job search mode, networking, interviewing, technical assessments. I’ve never really done any job searching or interviewing before, so it researching and finding a job is all very new to me. But Flatiron has my back; the career services team is phenomenal and they are going to be here for me every step of the way. Plus, some nerves are always good. I am confident I will land that next job because going through Flatiron has given me the necessary technical skills and developed those intangibles to persevere. I know I may fail and that’s okay because I will get back up, dust myself off, and try again.
When I was just starting Flatiron, I recall being captivated by the idea of being able to build something myself and see that end product working. To think I could create the next “it” app or help a company develop a product that could change the world excites and drives me. My ultimate goal is to help develop products that are beneficially impactful in either the day-to-day or long-term lives of people. I may not get there with my first job and that’s okay because my goal is long-term. I want to use each job and experience I get to continue to grow myself. Software Engineering is becoming vital in almost every industry so there are many opportunities to make an impact. So, yes, I’m nervous, but also eager to start the next step, life after Flatiron School.
I want to say thank you to my family for supporting me on this journey and being my rock on the long frustrating nights. Thank you to my cohort lead, cohort, and project reviewers for your encouraging words, camaraderie, and feedback. Finally, thank you to Flatiron for providing me a quality education, a wonderful learning environment, and building me into a viable, hireable, Full Stack Web Developer.
I don’t know exactly the path I will be headed down, but I do know I am going to make sure I enjoy every moment of the adventure because life is short and we need to make the most of it.
The Journey Continues!
