As a result of the pandemic, 2021 was a challenging year for all. Some students/people didn't meet the deadline and had to abandon their plans. As a result of Covid-19, some of us have lost friends, family members, colleagues, etc. I pray that the souls of all those who have passed on rest in peace.
Despite all the challenges, there were still some gains I want to share with my network as a source of encouragement.
Looking back, I can't believe how much I have grown in terms of problem-solving skillset after I have started doing open source. My journey has never been easy for me. I officially started grinding open-source in May 2020, and I could even remember I had so much "culture shock" when solving the two-sum problem with the hashmap approach.

This early year I still had so many struggles to even solve an easy question in the contest, and I had questioned myself so much as like why I was not improving as other people do. However, my competitiveness and my own passion for problem-solving keep me going, and doing this has become my daily routine now.

Words themselves cannot describe my gratitude, where I have learned various approaches to solve questions with cleaner code and better time/space complexity through the discussions and the posts.
This may sound like a lot, but my work/life balance has never been better and my health continues to improve. Recovering is no joke. My best advice is to remedy things before it gets so bad that it affects your sanity, relationships, and physical being. If your workplace "normal" is super stressful, consider a change.

I successfully completed my bachelors at FET,UoS
Earned 4x Microsoft, 3x IBM, and 1x Cisco Certifications.
700+ contributions made for Open source to GitHub
Got Pro and Arctic Code Vault Badge at Github
Got Expert status at Kaggle
Served as Cisco Certified Academy Instructor (CCAI) and Microsoft Certified Trainer (Trainer)
AWS Community Builder for ML
Github Campus Expert
Served as Section (Karachi) Lead, at IEEEXtreme
Started a company named Nanotechx for cost-effective Multicloud Enablement & Consulting that is tailored to the needs of small and mid-size organizations as well as start-ups.
Organized 10+ public tech sessions
Worked on lots of projects.
I talked to 500+ students in 2021 alone. One of the highest number of sessions with some amazing students, teachers and fellow panelists. All this, while managing work, fitness, and my passion.,
And couple of things that I learnt during the course of the year were:
▶ Not to give up no matter how hard the situation gets:
You might be tested at times and things might get so bad that you might find yourself gasping for air but do not stop. No two days are the same. It is a phase and it always passes, so stay strong.
▶ Always have self-belief as it is a hidden treasure:
You can pretty much receive anything in life if you are confident enough and have 100% belief in your capabilities and skills. Never underestimate the power that your soul holds. It is rare. It is beautiful.
▶ Fall in love with yourself:
I am not kidding on this one. You have to be so fond of yourself that you are the first best friend of your own self. Pursue things that improve you on a daily basis. Content creation, fitness regimen, time management, whatever it takes to make yourself better!
You've got one life, live it large!
Here's a BIG shoutout to every single person who has enabled me to become a better person, through their words and their actions.

and lots more I can not consider sharing here.

In spite of the pandemic, these are some of the things I am proud of and wish to celebrate.

“If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.”
― Isaac Newton

We all need each other, so let's make time out of our busy schedules to help someone achieve their goal.

Happy New Year in Advance.