Hello dear reader and welcome to my blog!

Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing the highs and lows of my journey as an Outreachy intern. Please ensure to always share and come back for more valuable reads.

Curious to know the gist about my several failed attempts applying to Outreachy and how I got selected on the 4th attempt? Keep reading!

It was the year 2022, and I knew very little about open source. A budding UX designer searching for opportunities where I could utilize my skills and grow, not until I heard about Outreachy from a friend.

What is Outreachy?

For those wondering what Outreachy is all about, it is a program that organizes paid internships with free and open-source software projects for people who are typically underrepresented all around the world. You can learn more about Outreachy here.

My first attempt.

During the December 2022 Outreachy application, I decided to apply. After waiting patiently for my initial application to be approved, it was time to contribute to one or more open source projects. I remember searching for that one project that resonated well with my skill set and interest, then I found Oppia.

Oppia is a free and open-source learning platform that helps to provide quality educational resources in the form of lessons to kids in under-resourced communities. There are different teams in Oppia which work hand-in-hand to make this a reality.

Although I didn’t understand much about the project, the mentors and community at large were very helpful and made the journey an exciting one. Sadly, I didn’t get selected that year, but I continued contributing to Oppia because its mission and goal relate to mine. You too can join the work we do at Oppia by clicking here.

My second attempt.

During my second application to Outreachy; the May 2023 round, unlike the previous time, I had a better understanding of the process and have learnt to always ask questions and do my research.

I made sure to first understand what was expected of me, and when I finally made it to the contribution stage, I applied to the ‘Creating Science and digital literacy lessons’ a project in Oppia. I pushed myself so hard that I felt sick sometime during the contribution stage. Just when I thought I had done so much and put in so much effort, it was time for the results to be announced, but guess what, I wasn’t selected. Oh, the hurt I felt! How I cried my eyes out that night, wondering what or where I did wrong!

I’m grateful for the mentors and selected interns at Oppia. After asking for feedback on my application from the mentors, I realized my errors, and I was encouraged by my friends to use the opportunity to restrategize and start preparing for the next Outreachy round early.

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

Thomas A. Edison

My 3rd attempt.

Not being selected as an intern didn’t stop me from doing what I loved at Oppia; helping to conduct research, create, and improve lessons for kids. It helped horn my UXR, communication, writing & attention to detail skills even more.

Come, December 2023 Outreachy round, I applied again, thinking I’ve had everything figured out. After the initial application round, I progressed to the contributions page where I spent hours, sleepless nights working on my submissions and really put my best into it. Outreachy contributions are usually very competitive each time and applications are usually treated on a first-come-first-serve basis. However, after putting out a good submission, I wasn’t selected…again!

But the difference with the last time was that I had learnt how to deal with rejections. I saw it as an opportunity to work on myself some more.

The Turning Point – My 4th attempt.

As the summer round approached, I debated whether to try again, not until my friends advised me to. With nothing to lose, I decided to give it one last shot. I applied early, learnt from past mistakes, and prepared for the contribution stage.

Come the contribution phase, I made sure to set timelines for myself to enable me complete all tasks and it allowed me get good rest and sleep this time, while helping my fellow contributors in the Oppia community. I also shared my work for review, received constructive feedback from friends & family which I didn’t really do in previous attempts and submitted my final application on time.

And then came the moment of truth…

On May 2nd, I received the email I’d been waiting for—I was selected as an Outreachy intern! The joy and relief were overwhelming and you ought to have seen how I jumped around like a little child.

Screenshot of congratulatory email from Outreachy.

Indeed, delay is not denial. And to think the time I almost gave up on the 4th attempt.

Special Shoutout

I would like to say a big thank you to my family, friends – Faith, David and Amarachi, the past Oppia interns and mentors – Yiga, Ria, Adewumi, Chidinma, Rafiat and Aanu, for their valuable guidance all throughout my contribution stage. I love you all!

What’s Next?

I’m thrilled to embark on this 3months internship journey and make meaningful contributions to Oppia and I’m certain it will be an amazing one for me. Stay tuned for more updates on my Outreachy experience!

A Screenshot of Outreachy May 2024 Internship Page showing me as an Oppia Intern.

If you’d like to learn more about Oppia or chat with me, feel free to reach out via LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter).

Thank you for your time!❤️

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