My TIIDELab Fellowship Experience: 3.0

Jigah Favour Sokoato
5 min readOct 11, 2023

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As I reflect on my transformative third month at TIIDELab, I’m excited to share the latest chapter of my software development journey with you. If you’re just joining me now, I invite you to take a step back and catch up on the incredible experiences and growth I’ve documented in my previous articles (First Month, Second Month). These articles provide the context for the journey that has led me to this point, and they offer a glimpse into the foundation upon which my ongoing learning is built.

My Journey in Software Development: Reflections on My Third Month at TIIDELab

In the realm of coding, each day is a new page in the book of mastery. As I turn the pages of my third month at TIIDELab, I invite you to read along, discover the projects that have taken shape, and witness the growth of a software developer in the making.

Professional Development and Leadership

A standout moment this month was our first physical meetup for September, with a central focus on the theme of ethical decision-making. During this session, we encountered an exceptional challenge: the task of role-playing a scenario and making a pivotal ethical decision. It was a test of our ability to think ethically and demonstrate responsible actions. To my delight, my team excelled, and I had the honor of being chosen as the Head of House for the week. This role gave me the opportunity to serve as a bridge between the program coordinator and the fellows, It taught me invaluable leadership skills I never thought I needed along with enhancing my proficiency in time management.

Picture highlights from the first physical meetup for September

Technical Development

This month represented a continuation of our exploration in both JavaScript and Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA). In JavaScript, we delved into advanced concepts such as recursion, closures, error handling, and callback functions. Meanwhile, in DSA, we embarked on an in-depth journey into subjects like graphs, trees, sorting algorithms, and searching algorithms. These topics challenged me to think differently and apply my coding knowledge creatively.

Slides from my presentation on sorting algorithms

Projects

I effectively put my newly acquired skills into action by creating a series of personal projects focused on DOM manipulation. One of these projects, “Guess the Number,” an entertaining and interactive guessing game where players aim to guess a hidden number within a specified range and the other is a “Pig Game,” a classic dice game that combines strategy and chance. Both games are tailored exclusively for desktop gameplay, offering an optimal experience on larger screens.

Guess My Number and Pig Game interface

De Bono Thinking Hats

At the second physical meetup, we explored the De Bono thinking hats and their application to daily activities. The De Bono Thinking Hats is a thinking framework with six “hats,” each representing a different type of thinking. This session encouraged us to approach problems from multiple perspectives, fostering creativity and as well helping us to make well-rounded decisions.

Picture Hightlights from the Second Physical Meetup for September.

TIIDELab 4th Model United Nations General Assembly

The best highlight of the month was undoubtedly the TIIDELab 4th Model United Nations General Assembly. From serving as a campaign manager to stepping into the role of representing the President of the Government of Spain, this experience was both thrilling and educational. It was a race against time as we had less than 10 hours to campaign for our chosen candidate. I learned that one-on-one interactions are often more effective in garnering support than group efforts. My candidate’s victory in the election was a testament to the power of personal connections and effective campaigning.

The task of representing the President of the Government of Spain initially appeared daunting, but I dedicated numerous hours to meticulously prepare my speech. This endeavor not only refined my public speaking abilities but also propelled me to newfound levels of confidence in conveying my thoughts and ideas.

In the picture below, you see me speaking in public, right beside a message that reads: ‘Past is a waste paper, present is a newspaper, and the future is a question paper.’ This mantra has guided my journey over the last three months at Tiidelab, where I’ve been shaping my software development skills.

Jigah Favour Delivering a speech
Delivering my speech at the 4th Model UNGA

Just like the words on that wall, I’ve left the past behind, embraced the present, and am laser-focused on securing a bright future in software development.

As I reflect on this transformative month, I’m filled with excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead in my journey at TIIDELab. The experiences, challenges, and opportunities I’ve encountered have shaped me into a better software developer and a more confident individual. I eagerly await the next set of activities and the chance to continue learning and growing within this incredible community.

However, this is just one chapter in a larger story. My journey in the software development training program is far from over, and I invite you to join me in the adventures that lie ahead.

Thank you for being a part of this adventure, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the days to come.

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