Before we dive in, why not take a quick peek at my portfolio: https://priyalraj.com, & while you’re at it, check out my SaaS venture: https://shavelinks.com, it’s where innovation meets simplicity.
Introduction: How My April Did a Backflip 🤸
This year didn’t start great, but April turned things around. It began slow, then got exciting in the best way. I got back into my SaaS project, improved my skills, and even quit my part-time job. Here’s how a quiet month became my most fun and productive one yet.
1. SaaS for Fun Again: ShaveLinks.com
In April, I returned to ShaveLinks just for fun, and ended up making big improvements. I focused on speed and user experience, and the results were worth it. Now the site feels faster, smoother, and more reliable.
What I did: Jumped back into ShaveLinks with no pressure.
Key win: Optimized full-site speed. (pages now load in under 1 second.)
Why it matters: Better user experience = happier users + improved SEO.
2. The Big Quit: Leaving My Part-Time Mentor Job
The teaching job was going well. I was guiding students in Power BI, Python, Prompt Engineering, and more, topics I’m confident in. But out of nowhere, they asked me to teach Java. That’s where things got tricky. For a 3-hour class, I had to study 2 extra hours just to keep up. It didn’t feel worth it for the payout. So I decided to say goodbye and focus on self-study and upskilling instead. At first, quitting my part-time job wasn’t easy. I had doubts at first, but in hindsight, it was the right choice for my peace of mind.
Why I quit: Teaching Java took too much extra prep for too little return
Immediate result: Saved time and energy for my own learning
Feels like: A smart move toward long-term growth and peace of mind
3. Learning & Growth: Udemy & DSA Grind
April was strong on the learning front. I picked up Hitesh Choudhary’s Web Dev course for a quick revision and also started building a solid DSA habit. Just one problem a day, but it added up fast, and I’m already seeing the difference.
Web Dev refresher: I took Hitesh Choudhary’s course, which is great for brushing up on Web Dev.
DSA habit: 1 problem a day, approx. 2 hours daily.
Progress: Solved 15 problems in April, feeling more confident in my skills and sharp in problem-solving.
4. Gaming Wrap-Up: Six Titles Down
Gaming was my go-to escape this month. I got fully into the stories, puzzles, and action, and managed to finish six amazing games. Each one had its own vibe, and ticking them off felt super satisfying.
Completed: • Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy • Unravel 2 • Leo’s Fortune • Heavy Rain • Dead Island 2 • Call of Duty 2
Note: I stream here daily from 10 PM to 12 AM IST.
5. Binge-Watch Highlight: Daredevil: Born Again
Didn’t watch much this month, trying to reduce screen time, but Daredevil: Born Again was too good to skip. It quickly became a favourite, dark, intense, and full of depth.
6. Lessons Learned
Focus fuels progress. Quitting distractions unlocked creative energy.
Small daily habits add up. One DSA problem a day = real momentum.
Play matters. Gaming and shows recharge my brain for coding sprints.
Final Thoughts & May 2025 Plan
May is already looking packed and exciting. I have a solid content plan lined up and am ready to take action on monetizing my work.
I’ve got 3 blog posts in draft, just waiting for the final touches before they go live. On the video side, I’m editing 2 new Captain Raj videos that should be ready to publish soon.
In terms of making money, I’ve got a list of potential paying users for my website. I’ll start reaching out to them with cold DMs from May 1, hoping to turn these leads into long-term clients.
April taught me that mixing work, play, and learning in small doses makes for big growth. Here’s to carrying that backflip energy into May!
What were your biggest wins or challenges from April? What steps did you take to turn things around? Drop a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!
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Priyal Raj
Full Stack Developer with 3+ years building production web apps for founders and product teams worldwide. I write about Next.js, Node.js, TypeScript, Redis, and everything in between.