'How learning Linux introduced me to open source' - A persevering self-learner is the type of person I'd employ - Never stop learning!

I made the switch to Linux then because I heard it is good for development. Fortunately, I had Ubuntu on my system. At first, I found it obnoxious to use because I was used to Windows. But I slowly got the hang of it and fell in love with it over time. I started exploring development by trying to build apps using Android and creating data visualizations using Python. I built a Wikipedia Reader app using the Wikipedia API, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I learned to use Git and put my projects on GitHub, which not only helped me showcase my projects but also enabled me to store them.

I started looking for projects as soon as they were announced on the Outreachy website. I found a Django project under the Open Humans Foundation and started contributing. I wasn't familiar with Django, but I learned it on the go. I enjoyed every bit of it! I learned about GraphQL, Django, and APIs in general. Three months after I started making contributions, the project announced its new interns. To my utter surprise, I got through.

This journey from a confused teenager to a confident learner has been fulfilling in every possible way. To any student reading this, I advise: never stop learning. Even in these unprecedented times, the world is still your oyster. Participating in open source internships and other programs is not a prerequisite to becoming a successful programmer.

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When I entered the engineering program as a freshman in college, I felt like a frivolous teenager. In my sophomore year, and in a fortunate stroke of serendipity, I joined Zairza, a technical society for like-minded students who collaborated and built projects separate from the academic curriculum. It was right up my alley. Zairza provided me a safe space to learn and grow and discover my interests. There are different facets and roadways to development, and as a newbie, I didn't know where my interests lay.

source https://gadgeteer.co.za/how-learning-linux-introduced-me-open-source-persevering-self-learner-type-person-id-employ-never