The Syntax Chronicles: My first developer congress!
How I prepare for the WeAreDevelopers World Congress — doubts, fears, solutions, anticipation
I got into IT, like many, at the beginning of the pandemic, which is why live events were taboo for a very long time. This year I actually wanted to finally go to FlutterCon in Berlin, but I couldn’t afford the ticket, nor could I do the volunteer work, so to be honest I was crushed. 😭
Thanks to my contact 🙏
I was all the more pleased when a contact of mine approached me and asked if I would like a free ticket to the WeAreDevelopers World Congress in Berlin and I immediately said yes, even though I don’t actually have any time.
The problem of time
Because at the moment I’m working on my final project for the Android app development module of my further education, which I want to bring to the Google Play Store. To be honest, I already don’t know where my head is and my immense aversion to XML code (at least if you need it for entire UI interfaces) doesn’t make it easy for me either. Then not being able to do anything for 3 days (and probably being knocked out for the weekend due to stimulus overload) isn’t exactly good timing. 😅
But it is THE WeAreDevelopers World Congress 😫
… and I can learn so much that I can also use for my app! From cybersecurity to flutter app development to how to programme a project in the most environmentally friendly way possible… It’s all there! And then the most important thing: MANY OTHER DEVELOPERS!
Between Imposter Syndrome Panic and Anticipation
Many other developers! How great! New friends with whom I can discuss and rave about tech!
“If I wasn’t such a noob.” — my inner voice
Yes, like most of our guild, I suffer from extreme imposter syndrome. What if someone finds out I’m a fraud and don’t belong among all these brilliant minds? What if I can’t find anyone to get along with? What if I spend 3 days lonely and alone? Nothing is as lonely as being alone among many people. With fear, my heart feels like I’m about to have a heart attack.
So much programme!
Seriously! SO MUCH PROGRAMME! There is so much that I have 17 overlapping programmes for Thursday, all of which I want to attend (and of course can’t). And those are just the ones where I could still get places. I completely lost track when I tried to make a plan for myself. Only one thing is for sure: until the start of the congress I have to learn how to clone myself, because the workshops will not be recorded. 😭😵💫
From being a hermit into the masses
Honestly, this congress will be my first major social event over 3 people since the start of the 2020 pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, most of the time I am with mainly myself. Sometimes when I’m with strangers, I notice that my social communication skills have diminished (small talk). Admittedly, small talk had never been my thing, but now… 😮💨 I think I’m now too used to communicating with people who know when I’m serious and when I’m joking. Now I want to go to a congress with 8000 people who are complete strangers to me.
42 — Don’t panic
… after all, I’m not hitchhiking across the galaxy with masses of aliens, I’m just going to a congress full of people. So:
Silence Imposter Syndrome
No one is perfect and we all started small. The developers I will meet will be at different levels and it doesn’t matter if I am not absolutely perfect. We can all learn from each other and at the end of the congress I’m sure I’ll come out smarter than I came in and that’s the most important thing.
New people are something good
Even though it may have sounded different before, I actually like meeting new people and I used to go to Fashion Week a lot, where there were even more people and I got along there too. In addition, I used to get along better with developers than with people from my old profession. That’s why I don’t really think it will be that problematic. Besides, I know that a few people from other classes in my further education will also be going, so we can get to know each other personally. The truth is, though, that I miss getting into the thick of things for knowledge and people. 😌
Skip (most) talks
Seriously. Unfortunately, these are the only ones that are recorded. 😫 Horrible for me, because because of an important other appointment I might not be able to go to the workshop that is most important to me. It’s going to be a really tough programme. Wednesday has 3 workshops lined up for me, as well as Thursday and Friday 2 workshops. If I could clone myself, there would be twice as many. In between, lots of coaching, talks and of course trying to make contacts or maybe even friends. 😵💫
Finally out of the comfort zone!
Read that right. I hate staying in my comfort zone. Of course, leaving it is a bit scary, but if I didn’t do it all the time, I’d be bored. So many new things can be discovered outside my current horizon if I go beyond it. It’s also the only way I dared to even venture into the tech industry professionally, even though I never had anything to do with IT before. 💁♀️
So: BE FABULOUS!
Drama, baby! Let’s go! Off into the unknown! My heart is already pounding with anticipation. 🥳
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