Looking back at 2017
I think it’s save to say that 2017 has been the most eventful year of my adult life.
Leaving Neopoly after 16 years of being with the company was one of the biggest decisions I ever made. It’s always hard to move on, but this has been a very special goodbye. On January 2nd, I started working at 5Minds.
In February, I finally handed in my dissertation. After 2 years of preparation and 4 years of researching and writing, this was a very special moment, parting with 400 pages that changed my life.
I’ve always been more interested in the practical side of things, both with computer science and economics. But being more interested meant a 60/40 split, where I am still very much an academic at heart. Being able to go to university next to my day-job and, over the course of 7 years, get a degree has always been a privilege to me (I got my Diploma in 2011). I feel blessed that I subsequently got the chance to work on a research project of my choosing to get a PhD as well.
ElixirConf.EU was a blast this year. It’s been a great experience, rekindling old Elixir friendships and forming new ones. As always, it’s been great to meet people from the community.
Representing the Ruhr Valley at #ElixirConfEU /cc @9elements @neopoly_gmbh @5MindsIT pic.twitter.com/AUykk3r3rO
— René Föhring (@rrrene) May 5, 2017
It made me tremendously happy to see how the community embraces the same principles and I am still proud to contribute something back by maintaining Credo, ElixirStatus and ElixirWeekly
In June, I had the honour to marry my partner-in-crime, Julia ❤️
After five years of development, three years of solid QA and nearly a year of RCs, yesterday was the day :) #myrelationshipstatus pic.twitter.com/2F6x5vvWhK
— René Föhring (@rrrene) June 17, 2017
In July, I took the final oral exam for completing my PhD. As I am writing this, I still haven’t fully proccessed the fact that my formal higher education, a journey I started when I was 20 years old, has come to a close.
In October, got the opportunity to represent 5Minds at this year’s RuhrJS.
Now process engine #ruhrjs pic.twitter.com/LKYnoymvn1
— Tobi D.A.Struckmeier (@tobmaster) October 14, 2017
The year came to a close in December with a very special request from Argentina: I became a SpawnFest judge.
I am with 5Minds for a whole year now, getting used to my new role as a software architect and teamlead. Leading teams of developers, instead of writing code full-time myself, is a great challenge. And I mean “great” both in terms of size and feeling of accomplishment.
Do I miss writing code? Sure. But working with people next to bits and bytes is a new and exciting task. This job finally combines my previous engagements - being a programmer, designer, part-time student, later part-time teacher, public speaker and author - all into one.
Also, I am going from speaking to organising: My colleague Marc and I are organising a .NET Core user group, .NET Developers Ruhr, which will meet in February for the first time.
In conclusion: What a year. I am exited for the next one! 👏
