How Slowing Down Made Me Faster

In May 2022, I applied to an internship with a small security-based startup. They were developing an app to help quicken emergency responses in schools by using object detection and recognition to keep roll call on students while allowing real-time communication with first responders. I was excited to get started, as the idea seemed simple, yet important. On the first day of the job, I was presented with a platform I had never even previously heard of.

If you have worked for a startup before, you'll know that the deadlines come up quick and tasks pile up infinitely. I had some coding experience, but never had I worked with an open computer vision software and I did not know the slightest bit about how to operate it. For the first week, I went over my weekly hours trying to get started with the tasks on a platform that I didn't know how to use.

I was getting scared that my manager would realize that I wasn't contributing a lot, and I was panicking everyday trying to figure out the interface as I raced to finish my tasks. It wasn't until I, one day, decided to take a step back and watch some beginner tutorials on the platform that pieces started to come together.

It is simple to realize that you need to slow down and learn to actually make some progress, but in the stress of the moment, I was only determined to present tangible work. I started to become more excited about doing my tasks everyday, and everything turned from stress to curiosity from there.