Why I Build Side Projects as a First-Year College Student
A look at how building ZenToDo, ImgZero, and RetailZen taught me more than any course could.
When I started my first year studying computer science, I realized there is an enormous gap between learning how to write code in a curriculum and shipping software that real humans rely on.
Building personal side projects wasn't just a portfolio exercise for me — it became my laboratory for software craftsmanship.
1. ZenToDo: Understanding Flow State & Friction
Building ZenToDo taught me that product design is 80% psychology and 20% code. Most to-do apps fail because adding a task requires too many clicks, dropdowns, and dates. With ZenToDo, I focused on single-keystroke captures and lightweight AI decomposition. Handling offline state synchronization via IndexedDB taught me more about distributed data consistency than any textbook exam.
2. ImgZero: Respecting User Privacy with WebAssembly
With ImgZero, the goal was zero server uploads. Users were rightfully tired of uploading sensitive scans or photos to mysterious cloud servers just to convert format or strip EXIF metadata. Leveraging WebAssembly and Canvas APIs directly in browser memory allowed us to achieve instantaneous processing with zero bandwidth bills and absolute client-side privacy.
3. RetailZen: Real World Constraints
Building RetailZen meant building for busy retail shop owners who cannot afford a 3-second spinner when scanning barcodes or printing invoices. It forced me to optimize bundle sizes, implement aggressive client caching, and design interfaces that work seamlessly even on lower-tier hardware.
Theory gives you the vocabulary; shipping side projects gives you the judgment.
Written by Roshan Sarawgi
Founder @ WEBSTERS • BCA Student at Manipal University Jaipur