Hello there! My name is Arda Tezjon, and I am the creator of this blog, Arda's Tips.
I've been a software engineer since 2011 and have been tinkering with computers since my first IBM PC in the early 2000s, which used Windows 98. Yeah, it used floppy disks; I used to transfer homework assignments from my PC to school in 4th grade!
A couple of years later, I upgraded to using discs, and that's when I started installing new hardware on my machine, which sparked my interest in the world of computers.
I am originally from Istanbul, Turkey, a big city where European and Middle Eastern cultures meet. I come from a family of educators: My mom taught English at the university, and my dad was a tennis instructor.
I attended a private school from kindergarten until graduating from high school. I'm grateful to my parents for that, as it provided me with a solid foundation. I even had my first computer training in 3rd grade on Office '97. Back then, it was considered an early accomplishment, as computers weren't as common as iPads or Laptops like today.
I grew up playing video games, which inspired me to upgrade my PC further. I started by building my first PC, where I upgraded the GPU memory from 8 MB to 256 MB. This made a huge difference back in the day, opening up the possibilities of playing hundreds of games with real 3D. Still, I would spend some time at the Internet Cafe, where socialization around gaming was the culture. That's when I was introduced to my first MMORPG, Ultima Online.
With MMORPGs came sleepless nights due to the international nature of the games and wanting to play with my pals from the U.S. in a seven-hour-different time zone. In high school, this caused my grades to drop a little bit after I had been a straight-A student until then. However, it began a pathway to software as macroing was a thing with Ultima Online.
Macroing was sort of like cheating, depending on the server's rules. However, it intrigued me greatly as it opened opportunities to automate tasks using instructions. Soon, I mastered LUA, a scripting language that I used in the game to assist me in combat and crafting! Later, I became a Game Master and a Developer in C# and started contributing to the game with code with new items and quests. And there it was: suddenly, I had become a programmer!
After high school, I studied abroad in the U.S., majoring in Computer Science with a minor in music. Although I loved technology, I also had a passion for music since elementary school, when I took piano and guitar lessons.
During a summer break in my junior year in college, I had my first internship in Istanbul at a computer retailer. There, I learned about selling hardware to businesses and E-Commerce, and I helped build their website. That was my first professional experience in my career. Later, I utilized these skills at a marketing agency, where I had my first job in CT. I enjoyed every bit of it, creating new websites and learning new technologies every day.
My curiosity did not stop there at work; I studied rigorously at home to learn even more and experiment by building my own programs for my own benefit and pleasure. I had always been an engineer at heart and was no different at home. The skills and technologies I was learning were exciting, and as I loved teaching my team, it helped me advance in my career quickly.
Fast-forward a few years, and I found myself working for Fortune 500 companies, building enterprise software that served millions of users. This was a step up from the agency work in my career and added more responsibility.
My music also flourished as I kept up with my guitar and piano lessons. Additionally, I still had that thirst for learning. I quenched it with more art and science by studying ballroom dancing, taking voice lessons, and attending health and wellness seminars.
Taking care of my health and eating healthy became a priority for me after years of eating junk food, soda, scotch, and cigars. It was odd at first, but I had changed, my habits had changed, and with them, the people around me had changed.
Now, I use what I have learned to give back to my community, which is why I started this blog.
After all these years, a few things stayed the same: my passion for learning, my interest in technology, and my drive for giving back.
Today, I am involved in nonprofits, which I enjoy both for the social aspect and the mission. I play guitar and piano, primarily to write music rather than perform. I tinker with hardware and software, inventing new ways of using technology.
One thing I learned along the way is that life is short yet full of marvels. It's best to spend it creating what we love and cherish with the people close to us.
I'm grateful for my friends and family, who have supported me all these years. But I especially want to express my sincere gratitude to you all who have stopped to read my blog.
Thank you for being here!
