Back to coding after more than one year

By the time I wrote this, It's been a minute since I last sat down to write some code. Coming back from a whole managerial role in a consulting project that felt like diving into the deep end of the pool after months of chilling on the sidelines. But guess what? I did it, and I'm back to tell you all about it.

First things first, let's address the elephant in the room: my coding skills. Yeah, they were a bit rusty. Okay, maybe more than a bit. I had this nagging feeling that it would take ages to get back in the groove, like an old bicycle with flat tires. But I decided to take the project anyways.

Now, imagine my nerves when I realized the project I was jumping into was an ongoing implementation. Picture this: a team already in the flow, cruising along with their coding, and then there's me, afraid I'd be the rock in their stream, slowing them down to a snail's pace. Not to mention, the tech stack they were using was totally alien to me. NestJS on Typescript for the backend? Might as well have been speaking Martian.

And let's not even get started on my feelings towards JavaScript. It's not that I hate it, but let's just say we've had our disagreements in the past, and I've always tried to steer clear of it whenever possible.

But here's the plot twist: my fears? Completely unfounded. From day one, I surprised even myself. Onboarding? Piece of cake. Contributing to the codebase? Like riding a bike (minus the flat tires). And that tech stack? Turns out, it wasn't as intimidating as I thought. I mean, sure, it took a bit of getting used to, but nothing I couldn't handle.

In fact, by week one, I was not only holding my own but becoming a top contributor to the codebase. By day three? I was stepping up as the tech lead for the backend, coordinating tasks, squashing bugs, and basically running the show. And get this: what was supposed to take three weeks, I finished it out in one.

It felt good to rediscover a passion you thought you'd lost. So, to all my fellow coders out there who might be feeling a bit rusty or hesitant to dive back in, take it from me: once a coder, always a coder.