My 30-Day DevOps Challenge Journey - Day 1 with Cozy Cloud Crew
Welcome back to my blog!
Today, I want to share my experience from the first day of my 30-day DevOps challenge, sponsored by the Cozy Cloud Crew. To give you some context, I was a complete beginner with no clue about what I was about to dive into. At first, it felt like an impossible challenge, and I had no idea where to begin. People in the community were talking about their accomplishments, like completing the AWS SAA certification, which made me feel lost and discouraged.
Honestly, on my first day in the community, I thought about quitting. Everyone seemed so far ahead, and I didn't know what I was doing. I was stuck in what’s often referred to as "tutorial hell," where you watch videos, repeat exercises, and feel too scared to actually show your work. But then, I decided to take a step back. I turned off my laptop for a moment, paused, and thought: What am I really doing here?
I realized that I didn’t want to stay stuck in that cycle forever. I didn’t want to keep watching videos without gaining any real experience. This time, I decided, I would make a change.
The Decision to Keep Going
I had a moment of clarity. No more skipping through content or copying and pasting code just for the sake of completing tasks. This time, I would truly understand what I was doing, even if it took longer.
I had a great resource to help me — ShaeInTheCloud, who explains each step of the project clearly. But instead of just copying the code, I told myself I would learn and understand it fully. This would be a journey of true learning.
Day 1: The Analogy
To stay motivated and focused, I created a story around my Day 1 challenge. I imagined this as a movie where I am the hero, and the project is the goal I need to accomplish. Of course, there are obstacles in the way, but I was determined to face them head-on.
So, what were the problems I had to solve?
Python - I had never worked with Python before.
APIs - I knew very little about APIs.
I knew I couldn’t master Python in one day, but I made it my goal to at least understand the code I was working with. To do this, I needed to break down the task into smaller pieces and figure out exactly what I needed to learn.
The Plan: Understanding Python
Python was unfamiliar to me. I didn’t know where to start, so I turned to my trusty friend — ChatGPT.
I asked ChatGPT, "Hey buddy, can you tell me the Python topics that are covered in the code I’m working with?" And voilà, I got a list of topics.
I decided not to rush this part. I copied each topic and searched for tutorials in my native language to understand Python’s syntax and use cases. By taking this approach, I covered the basics of Python one step at a time.
Diving Into the Code
Once I understood the syntax, it was time to read the code. I took my time, analyzing each line. Whenever I didn’t understand something, I went back to ChatGPT to clarify.
For about 4 hours, I slowly worked through the code, asking questions, and learning. By the end of that time, I was able to understand the project.
The Next Obstacle: APIs
The next challenge was understanding APIs. I wasn’t familiar with them at all, so I asked ChatGPT again, "What is an API, and what types are there?" I also wanted to know what type of API the project was using, and it turned out to be the OpenWeather API.
I spent an hour reading up on APIs and learning how they work. Once I understood the basics, I was ready to move forward.
The Struggles and Errors
Once I felt prepared, I began executing the project, but, as expected, I ran into errors. Here are the main ones I encountered:
Unable to install via pip – This error said the environment was externally managed. The solution: I needed to install the packages system-wide.
AWS key not configured correctly – I hadn’t set up my AWS credentials properly, so I fixed that.
S3 bucket name declaration issue – I forgot to declare the bucket name correctly.
Region not configured properly – I didn’t set the correct AWS region.
For every error, I went back to ChatGPT and asked, "What is this error, and why is it happening?" Slowly but surely, I managed to solve each issue.
10 Hours Later...
After about 10 hours of hard work, I completed the project. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. I didn't regret a single moment spent learning and troubleshooting.
Lesson Learned
The biggest lesson from Day 1: Don’t compare yourself to others.
At the beginning of the day, I was discouraged by seeing how much more experienced everyone else seemed. I thought I wouldn’t be able to finish the challenge in 30 days. But by the end of the day, I had a new mindset. I told myself, "From now on, it’s going to be me vs. yesterday’s me. Not me vs. others."
I also realized that I don't have to finish the challenge in 30 days. The goal is to learn and grow, even if it takes time. I’m in this for the long run, and I’m committed to pushing myself forward, even if I stumble along the way.
Final Thoughts
I’m proud of myself for taking this challenge head-on, and I’m excited to see where the next 29 days take me. I know there will be more challenges, but I’m ready to face them with the same determination.
I encourage anyone reading this to stop comparing yourself to others and start focusing on your personal growth. We all have different learning speeds and journeys, but as long as we keep moving forward, we’re on the right path.
That’s the first day of my DevOps challenge journey with Cozy Cloud Crew. I hope this inspires you to take on your own challenges and keep pushing yourself to learn, no matter where you start!