I started coding because I wanted to build things. That sounds obvious, but I think it's easy to lose sight of that motivation when you're deep in a data structures textbook at 2 a.m.
The First Real Project
My first project that felt "real" was a simple venue booking system. Nothing impressive by industry standards, but it forced me to think about databases, user flows, email delivery, and payment integration all at once. That project — which later became ArenaPro — taught me more than any course had.
The Machine Learning Rabbit Hole
My second obsession was machine learning. I started with linear regression, got fascinated by neural networks, and ended up spending months building predictive models. The thing nobody tells you is that 80% of ML work is data cleaning — but that's also where the real understanding lives.
What I've Actually Learned
- Build things before you fully understand them. The act of building creates the understanding.
- Read other people's code. Open-source projects are free mentorship.
- Fundamentals age better than frameworks. React will be replaced; understanding the DOM will not.
- Write about what you learn. If you can't explain it, you don't understand it yet.
What's Next
I'm finishing my final year at Herald College Kathmandu, actively looking for internships and junior developer roles. I want to work on products that people actually use — ideally at the intersection of good engineering and meaningful UX.
If any of this resonates with you, feel free to reach out. I'm always happy to talk about code, ideas, or career paths.