Journal: Week 36

✨ Highlights of the Week

it was a short week thanks to the mid-week public holiday, and honestly, apart from that, things were pretty chill.

but one major thing happened: i conquered one of my biggest interview traumas. 🥺

back in 2023, i interviewed with a company that completely caught me off guard. there was a question that shut me down entirely—i froze. no follow-up questions, no attempts to clarify. just silence. i was so deep in self-doubt that all i could do was sit in that fear. 😞

but after that interview, i made a promise to myself. i dove deep into that specific topic. i studied it until i truly understood it—not just to memorise it, but to recognise the underlying pattern. i didn't want to be caught off guard again.

fast forward two years, and guess what? i got another shot. i had the chance to interview with them again.

this time, i clarified inputs, rephrased questions, walked through my thinking process, offered multiple approaches, did a mini speedrun to validate the logic, and coded the full solution. not only did i stay calm, but i actually enjoyed the whole process.

what i've come to realise is—yes, AI will probably replace a lot of coding. but what makes coding fun isn't just the code. it's that 0-to-1 moment—the "ah ha!" breakthrough, the joy of unravelling a complex puzzle. it's the ability to notice new patterns every time, and that feeling... that is what i fell in love with again this week. ❤️‍🔥

aside from that, i also started revisiting system design, and i'll begin jotting down my notes here. excited to build this up week by week! 🧠📘

ohh! and another highlight—andy chiew said something that really stuck with me during one of our pantry chats: "changes happen to you so that you're given a chance to make a choice. it might turn out bad, it might turn out good, but in the end, it becomes an unregrettable experience that shapes who you're going to become."

the moment he said it, i paused. it just hit different. i jotted it down on my note app right after. it resonated deeply with how i've always viewed changes—not as disruption, but as opportunity. an invitation to grow, to make intentional decisions, and to evolve.

it reminded me that every change, no matter how uncertain, is a chance to choose who i want to be. and that's powerful. 🌱