Why I Build Side Projects as a First-Year College Student
Sep 2026A look at how building ZenToDo, ImgZero, and RetailZen taught me more than any course could.

I started coding at 18 with a childhood fascination for how technology actually works. Currently in my 1st Year of Online BCA at Manipal University Jaipur, and running WEBSTERS, shipping high-impact client systems alongside building products like ZenToDo & ImgZero.
I started programming at 18 with an obsession for how computers and web systems actually work under the hood. Rather than sticking to classroom theory alone, I bridge formal computer science education at Manipal University Jaipur with shipping production software daily through WEBSTERS and independent privacy-first tools.
Fell in love with software from the ground up. Spent nights exploring browser memory buffers, WebAssembly, and building my first full-stack prototypes.
Launched an independent digital agency at 19. Directed engineering across 15+ production applications, custom e-commerce systems, and client platforms.
Enrolled in BCA (2026–2029) to build a rock-solid foundation in computer architecture, discrete mathematics, and algorithms alongside daily production coding.
Obsessing over zero-upload browser software with ImgZero (100% client-side WASM) and flow-state task architecture with ZenToDo.
High-speed Next.js web applications, e-commerce, & bespoke software.
A look at how building ZenToDo, ImgZero, and RetailZen taught me more than any course could.
15+ projects in, here's what I've learned about client work, shipping fast, and staying sane.
VS Code, Next.js, Tailwind, Supabase — the stack and tools I use daily and why they work.
Have a project or partnership in mind? Schedule a 15-minute quick discussion on my Cal.com.