"Of course, I struggle, I just don't quit"
Hi, it's me again!, in case you don't know me you can check out my last blog post where I introduced myself. For this article, I'll discuss my struggles since I started my Outreachy journey.
As I embark on my Outreachy internship, I have come to realize that struggle is a universal experience that we all go through at some point in our lives. Whether it's finding a job, struggling with self-doubt, or adjusting to a new environment, we have all faced challenges that test our resilience and determination.
As a software developer, I was excited to have the opportunity to participate in an open-source internship through the Outreachy program. I was eager to learn new skills, make meaningful contributions to open-source projects, and build my professional network. However, I quickly realized that this journey would not be easy. I struggled with a lot of things which I'll be highlighting below:
Inferiority Complex: I often felt overwhelmed and unsure of myself, wondering if I was cut out for this type of work. At the initial application stage, I did some research on the application process, specifically on the number of applicants, and compared it to the number of accepted interns. This made me feel really insecure. I felt like I probably wouldn't make the cut or even be among those who made it to the next stage. I struggled with this for a while before finally asking myself "what do you stand to lose if you don't go through with this application?" Eventually, I gathered the mental strength to get through the initial application.
I had this same struggle in the contribution stage. Firstly, when I joined the CC community slack channel, I noticed the Outreachy applicants' channel had over 100 members, what this means is that a lot of applicants are actually contributing to this project, and CC was to select just one intern. Again, I felt insecure. I kept asking myself "how can you even stand a chance against everyone here?" When people started introducing themselves and their skills, I felt even more insecure and intimidated, but I told myself, You got into this stage because you're worthy to be here. So rather than feeling intimidated, I channeled my energy into making contributions, helping newbies, and learning new tools and skills.
Asking for help: Presently, I'm in my third week as an Outreachy intern with Creative Commons, and I still struggle, lol. My major struggle so far was setting up my Pyenv in order for me to be able to publish my article on the CC Blog. My first instinct to this was to make research myself and fix it (I was trying to not be too dependent on my mentors so I don't become a burden) but of course, I failed as I kept running into even bigger errors. After many failed attempts, I decided to reach out to my mentors for help. Sara was so helpful, she sent me links on solutions to the error messages I was getting, and even when those links didn't resolve the error, my second mentor, Timid Robot, asked me to schedule a meeting so he could help me figure out the errors and solve them. This made me so happy, especially when Sara said to me "You're not alone" I realized that they were there as my mentors to go through this journey with me, guiding, correcting, and helping me.
My mentors and colleagues have been incredibly patient and understanding, and they have always been willing to help me when I needed it. They have encouraged me to ask questions and have provided valuable guidance and feedback along the way.
Another thing that has helped me is my own determination and perseverance. I have learned that the only way to overcome struggles is to keep pushing through them, even when it's hard. It's easy to give up when things get tough, but it's important to remember that challenges are an opportunity to grow and learn. I still struggle with a lot of things, but one thing is certain, I won't give up.
So if you're struggling with anything, whether it's an internship, a job, or something else, remember that you are not alone. We all struggle, and it's a natural part of the journey. The important thing is to keep going, to seek support when you need it, and to keep learning and growing.