Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my life took a dramatic turn, accelerating many developments and introducing both practical pushes and pulls. What truly solidified my decision to pursue a path as a software engineer was my experience using Midjourney and ChatGPT. These tools made me realize the boundless possibilities and future potential of programming languages.

As the pandemic came to an end, I planned to return to school this year to complete some relevant courses. The first course I enrolled in was "Advanced Web Design with HTML5, CSS3, jQuery, and Bootstrap," which perfectly built upon the introductory class I had taken earlier.

During this advanced course, I created many small projects and sought advice on various technical topics, which deepened my interest in programming. It was around this time that I saw a post by Teacher Pengpeng in the Facebook group "JavaScript Web Frontend Development" about the recruitment for WeHelp Bootcamp.

This main image on the webpage was created using Midjourney during the application process. The entire scene embodies my imagination and anticipation for the unknown. Even when advancing in darkness, unexpected rays of light often appear, illuminating the path forward.

What sets a software engineering bootcamp apart from self-learning programming languages is the opportunity to learn alongside peers who share the same goal. With proper guidance and a focus on practical, industry-relevant skills, beginners can narrow their learning scope and concentrate on what truly matters. These advantages were what ignited my motivation to apply.

From the very start, every step of the application process was thoughtfully designed and engaging. For instance, WeHelp required applicants to build and submit a personal website that answers specific application questions. The site had to be deployed using GitHub Pages.

The most important part was to demonstrate the actions I had taken. Answering those questions was also a moment of self-reflection. Without a genuine determination to switch careers and pursue a future in software engineering, it would have been difficult to express sincere intent and provide detailed answers.

Uncertain whether I would be accepted, I also enrolled in three intensive summer courses as a backup plan: “Introduction to Front-End Development with JavaScript (ES6),” “Python Programming,” and “Front-End Web Development Practice with JavaScript and React.” Even if I didn’t make it into the program, I was committed to continuing my journey toward becoming a software engineer.

I submitted my application on June 13, 2023, and was thrilled to receive the acceptance email on the evening of June 19, 2023. I immediately shared the exciting news with my family.

The notification email included two recommended preparatory courses: “Intro to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript” and “Intro to Python,” both personally recorded by Pengpeng, one of the instructors.

Although I had built a website for my high school club, I still felt far from truly mastering HTML and CSS. JavaScript was unfamiliar territory, and I had never touched Python before. So I dove straight into the recommended courses—watching videos became part of my daily routine. Whether I was walking, riding the MRT or high-speed rail, or even eating, I was watching tutorial videos.

Later on, Pengpeng generously shared his exclusive YouTube member videos on Udemy for free with all fourth-cohort students. These videos were incredibly helpful for the upcoming training tasks, and I’m thankful I made the effort to watch them and expand my knowledge. I'm still learning to this day.

Facing unknown weekly tasks and an unfamiliar training structure, the first two weeks were especially nerve-wracking. Honestly, most of the assignments were completely new to someone like me. But I learned that if you stay calm, even big problems can be broken down into smaller ones—and tackled one by one.

I remember the first time we were required to complete an assignment using Python. I was essentially starting from scratch. Fortunately, I had been binge-watching videos and had also enrolled in a Python intensive course at NTU. To my surprise, I was able to pick it up quickly and actually build something.

After completing each weekly task, your name would appear on WeHelp’s mission progress board. Except for the time I had to attend in-person courses at NTU or deal with other life matters, I usually finished assignments close to the weekend. By then, many classmates’ names were already on the board.

“Since others have completed it, I can too.” I kept encouraging myself with this mindset. I didn't try to cram everything into a single day. I followed my own pace—learning and debugging along the way. Because I managed my mental stress well, I even had the courage to start a study group in Week 8.

Starting from scratch requires a bit of luck—but even more, it requires courage. The in-person courses I enrolled in overlapped with the WeHelp assignments and split my focus. By Week 7, that fearless energy I had in the beginning had started to fade. The backend was particularly daunting for someone who wanted to become a front-end developer. But when there’s a goal in your heart, none of that really matters.

Looking back, I realize that from the moment I applied to WeHelp, every step has been filled with learning and growth. Each challenge introduced new skills and a better version of myself.

Perhaps it was because this was our first in-person event in two months, and because there were designated discussion topics, but the activity ran from 3 PM all the way until around 9 PM without us even realizing how much time had passed. In fact, it felt like there wasn’t enough time for all the discussions!

About 40 people attended this Week 8 in-person meetup, which was said to be the largest turnout of any upcoming in-person events (spoiler: it turned out not to be!). After the group discussions, alumni were invited to share their experiences. Every time I hear a senior talk about their career transition journey, I feel recharged with motivation and ready to keep pushing forward.

Jia-Jen, now a front-end engineer, shared her WeHelp journey—including the challenges she faced during the second and third stages, and how she approached solving them.

For her third-stage individual project, she created a website called **OUTDOORMAN**, a “map-coordinate-linked text editor.” Despite encountering many obstacles during development, she emphasized two things: *“Just build it if it’s something you’re interested in!”* and *“Don’t compromise on the skills you want to develop!”*

I believe this was a project she truly loved, and those two lines were exactly the kind of encouragement I needed. I had been hesitating due to scheduling pressure, but I’ve had a specific problem I wanted to solve and skills I wanted to explore—now I’m much clearer on which direction to pursue.

Wei-Chen, a back-end engineer, built a practical system for solving real-life problems for his third-stage project. He also reminded us not to rely on a single source of authority or course material.

He shared that during interviews, if you don’t know the answer to a question, it’s still important to share your thoughts and show that you're thinking and engaging. He stressed the value of personal projects—he continues to work on side projects after work to keep improving his skills.

Compared to the highly visual world of front-end development, the back-end has always felt abstract to me. I was grateful for the chance to hear from a back-end engineer and gain a bit more insight into that world.

As the first stage came to a close, I was surprised to realize that many of the goals listed on the original application page had already been achieved. As Pengpeng once said, *“You’re not beginners anymore.”* It’s incredible to look back and see how far we’ve come.

Among this year’s participants, there are several who already have programming experience, including graduates from computer science departments. But even more are like me—without a related background or degree. We’re all striving together on this journey.

I feel incredibly lucky to be part of WeHelp. Every alumni talk is full of insights, and more importantly, everyone here shares the same goal. The atmosphere is filled with passion, which has been a huge boost to my learning.

This place is both rigorous and free-spirited. Each weekly task is genuinely enjoyable, and writing code never feels frustrating. Even if the topics are completely unfamiliar, I believe I can learn quickly. This place is truly amazing.

In addition to completing WeHelp’s internal assignments during the second stage, I also organized an online JavaScript study group. We're reading *“Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja,”* a book recommended by Pengpeng. So far, we have 16 members, and everyone showed up for the first online meeting. The group is now up and running smoothly. I hope we can all graduate successfully and achieve our career transition goals together!