October was supposed to be the month where I started figuring out adulthood.
September was the introduction. The honeymoon period. The part where everything was new, exciting, and considerably better than what I had experienced before (cough Presoft).
October was supposed to be where reality started settling in.
And to be fair, it did.
There were more client visits, more meetings, more exposure to the actual workflow, and a growing realisation that being a software developer involves considerably more than just sitting in front of an IDE and writing code (this includes working outside the typical 9-6 weekdays, though thankfully no sleep was sacrificed, my brain wouldn't allow unwarranted all nighters).
The first day of the month was already spent attending a client kickoff.
Then came UAT on the 15th (client B), followed by what was supposed to be a demo and walkthrough on the 27th (client B, different project).
Well, the last one got abruptly cancelled.
Excellent scheduling, absolute cinema. At least I got to experience their toilets sitting down.
Still, these outings have become considerably less intimidating compared to September. I'm getting more accustomed to going places, meeting clients, understanding requirements, taking notes, and generally figuring out what exactly is happening around me.
One particular remark from the CEO during the first meeting stuck with me:
"The future is not about coding, but understanding requirements/customers/talking."
Something along those lines, at least.
And honestly, there's some truth to that.
Writing code is one thing. Understanding what people actually want, translating that into something workable, and communicating with everyone involved is another.
It's a different kind of learning experience compared to university, and one that I probably wouldn't have gotten from simply doing assignments and personal projects.
Speaking of which, there's something rather amusing that happened on 23 October.
The CEO shared a message in our group chat about a client prototype:
"Remember the systems that we build are all used by real businesses, solving real problems. We enable them to be better businesses and at the same time make technology more accessible to all. It is one of the reasons why we do what we do."
And my immediate reaction?
Oddly familiar.
Back in March 2025, IT Society MMU published an article titled "Your CS / IT Industrial Training is soon? Here's some tips."
Having been part of the IT Society 2024/25 technical team (this part is mostly irrelevant but I saw it being written live), I remember coming across this article, particularly its section on preparing for industrial training, as I was one of their intended audience.
One of its main points was the importance of personal projects: not just assignments that get submitted and graded, but projects that solve actual problems, have actual users, and are things people might genuinely want to use.
The underlying idea was that technology should go beyond simply demonstrating technical competency. It should actually be useful to someone.
And well, I suppose I had my own example of that.
Study with Junn.
A little project I built to make studying and accessing course-related resources more convenient for MMU students. It wasn't something I built because an assignment demanded it, nor was there a lecturer waiting to grade it.
It was something I wanted to exist, because I could see a problem worth addressing. There's more lore towards this but I suppose it wouldn't be appropriate to dump it all here right now.
Looking back, that was essentially the same philosophy being discussed in the article.
And now, more than a year later, here I am, hearing a similar sentiment from the CEO of the company I'm working for.
The difference is that I'm no longer just building something for a student community. I'm now part of a team developing systems for actual businesses, with actual users and actual problems to solve.
Funny how that works.
Back then, it was about preparing students to enter the industry by building things beyond academic requirements.
Now, I'm getting to experience that same idea from the other side.
Perhaps that's one of the more interesting things about entering the working world. Some of the things you encounter during university eventually stop being theoretical advice and become part of your everyday work.
Meanwhile, adulthood has also started introducing its own financial mechanics.
October recorded RM 1197.05 in total spending.
A rather substantial jump from September's RM15.33 (not exactly my highest recorded spend if we include MMU days), though the numbers aren't exactly comparable.
My first salary contribution, a new drawing tablet, phone bills, parking, and occasional LRT trips all started appearing in the expense tracker (the last two are claimable, though, IF work-related. If it lands on the last weeks of the month then it goes towards the next week).
Pure food expenses?
RM41.
5 meals (with 1 being free), spread across three Nom Nom Days.
Apparently, I'm spending more money becoming an adult than actually eating. Thanks to the company subsidising most of my meals (like 1+1 so far, within reason), and being a nearly remote hybrid worker, I'm saving quite a lot compared to my Presoft days.
The first salary contribution was probably the most significant part of it. Money that previously came from family is now gradually being replaced by something I actually earned myself.
It's a different feeling when the money leaving your account is money you spent time working for.
Not necessarily a bad feeling, but certainly a different one.
And then came 30 October.
An email.
Confirmation.
My original offer letter stipulated a three-month probationary period, starting 1 September and ending around the end of November.
Apparently, I wouldn't be needing all three months.
Following a review of my performance, the company decided to confirm my appointment effective 1 November.
A whole month ahead of schedule.
The reasoning was rather nice to read as well. My contributions to client delivery over the first two months were appreciated, with particular mention of picking things up quickly, taking ownership, and keeping delivery moving.
There was even a slight salary bump attached, effective November.
Well.
That was quick.
I entered October thinking there were still two more months to go before finding out whether I'd become a permanent addition to the team.
Instead, the company had already made its decision.
Two months.
Apparently, that's all it took.
I suppose I can officially stop referring to myself as a probationer now.
More importantly, it's reassuring to know that the work I've been doing has actually made a difference to the team. There's still plenty I don't know, but at least I'm not the only one who thinks I'm making progress.
Looking back, August was spent wondering whether I'd even get employed.
September was spent discovering what working life was actually like.
October was spent trying to figure out how to sustain it.
And somehow, before the month even ended, one of the biggest uncertainties had already been resolved.
Of course, this doesn't mean I've suddenly figured everything out.
There's still plenty to learn. More responsibilities to understand, more technologies to explore, more expectations to meet, and more experience to accumulate.
I'm still very much at the beginning of actual adult life.
But at least I'm no longer waiting to find out whether I'm deemed worthy enough to stay.
Two months down.
Probation cleared.
Now comes the actual challenge: figuring out how to live as a working adult without accidentally bankrupting myself, burning out, or forgetting to eat, alongside various family & life things.
September was the tutorial.
October was the probationary period.
November onwards?
Well, I suppose this is the actual game now.
