From 2024 to 2025

Hello, everyone! Standing at the threshold of 2025, I'm taking a moment to pause and look back at what has been an extraordinary journey through 2024. This year has been a canvas of challenges overcome, dreams pursued, and new horizons discovered. I'm excited to share with you the story of my year and unveil my vision for the path ahead.

Let's begin by examining how I fared with the goals I set for myself at the start of 2024, evaluating each milestone and the lessons learned along the way.

Achieve 1,500km Distance and Complete Three Half Marathons

Looking at my Strava Year in Sport, I'm proud to say I not only met but exceeded my activity goals for 2024. With 170 active days (surpassing my goal of 150) and covering 1,457km (97% of my 1,500km target), this year marked significant progress in my fitness journey. Compared to 2023, I increased my activity by 45% in terms of active days and 43% in distance covered. While I came very close to the distance goal, the real victory was in the consistency and improvement shown throughout the year.

Reading Journey: Quality Over Quantity

This year, I fell considerably short of my reading goals. My target was to read 12 books total (6 in English and 6 in Turkish), but I only managed to complete 5 books in total, totaling 1,951 pages. Here's what I read:

English Books (Target: 6, Achieved: 2):

• "No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram" by Sarah Frier
• "Engineering Management for the Rest of Us" by Sarah Drasner

Turkish Books (Target: 6, Achieved: 3):

• "Süreyya Ciliv" by Fırat Demirel
• "Faiz Mesuresi"
• "Dune" by Frank Herbert (Turkish translation)

While the numbers fell short of my expectations (achieving 33% of my English books goal and 50% of my Turkish books goal), each book I did complete provided valuable insights. From learning about Instagram's journey and engineering management practices in English, to exploring leadership through Süreyya Ciliv's story and diving into the epic world of Dune in Turkish, the quality of these reads was high even if the quantity wasn't there. This shortfall has made me reflect on my reading habits and reinforced my commitment to making more time for books in the coming year.

Speaking at Software Conferences

When it came to my goal of delivering three conference talks this year, I'm pleased to say I achieved this target. While I met the minimum goal, I recognize there was room for more engagement in the speaking circuit. Here are the talks I delivered in 2024:

1. "Micro-frontend Architecture with Piral" - A physical event co-organized by adesso Turkey and NG Turkey (January 13, 2024)
   • My first presentation of the year, setting a positive tone for my speaking engagements
   • Focused on modern frontend architecture solutions using Piral framework
   • Event Details
2. "E2E Testing with Cypress" - Akşam Oturması Online Meetup (February 29, 2024)
   • Comprehensive coverage of End-to-End testing in Frontend applications
   • Demonstrated practical implementation of Cypress for E2E testing
   • Shared best practices and real-world examples
   • Watch on YouTube
   • Event Details
3. "Micro-frontend Architecture with Piral" - Istanbul JavaScript Community Online Event (March 25, 2024)
   • Refined and expanded version of my earlier talk
   • Reached a broader audience through the Istanbul JavaScript Community platform
   • Focused on practical implementation aspects and real-world use cases
   • Watch on YouTube
   • Event Details

While I achieved my goal of three presentations, this experience has shown me the value of knowledge sharing and community engagement. It's encouraged me to set more ambitious speaking goals for the future, aiming to reach even more developers and share experiences across different platforms and communities.

Nurturing Relationships and Cherishing Bonds

Looking back at 2024, I'm genuinely pleased with how I prioritized my relationships with family and friends. This year marked a significant shift in how I spent my time, making conscious efforts to create meaningful moments with loved ones. Whether it was sharing meals together, planning activities, or simply being more present in our conversations, these connections grew stronger throughout the year.

I also made positive changes in my lifestyle, particularly in my approach to nutrition. By becoming more mindful of what I ate, I not only improved my physical well-being but also found that shared meals became more meaningful experiences. This focus on healthier eating habits complemented the quality time spent with family and friends, making our gatherings even more enjoyable.

As part of sharing my journey and connecting with others, I started a dedicated Instagram account @runningwithokan to document my running experiences and connect with fellow runners. This has added another dimension to building relationships, allowing me to engage with a community of like-minded individuals who share my passion for running.

When I reflect on 2024, these moments of connection stand out as some of the year's highlights. The laughter shared, the conversations had, and the memories created have all contributed to making this a truly fulfilling year in terms of personal relationships.

A New Chapter: Joining Trendyol Tech

One of the most significant developments in 2024 was joining the Trendyol Tech team in October.

In just two and a half months since starting, I've already had the opportunity to make meaningful contributions and immerse myself in challenging projects. The dynamic environment at Trendyol has allowed me to leverage my experience while learning new technologies and methodologies.

I'm particularly excited about the potential for growth and innovation as I continue this journey with one of Turkey's leading technology companies.

Looking Forward: A Different Approach for 2025

As I wrap up this reflection on 2024, I've made a conscious decision to take a different approach moving forward. Instead of sharing my goals for the upcoming year, I've chosen to focus on documenting and sharing what I actually accomplish throughout each year.

This shift allows for more authentic storytelling and puts the emphasis on the journey rather than the expectations. I look forward to sharing my experiences, achievements, and learnings from 2025 when we meet again next year.