From Curiosity to Cybersecurity: A Journey of Growth and Discipline

For many aspiring Cybersecurity experts, the journey begins with curiosity. For Sammiat Usman, it was never enough to simply like Cybersecurity, she wanted to understand what happens behind the scenes. How do systems communicate? How are networks secured? How does data move safely across environments?

What made you choose this tech school + program in the first place?

I’ve always been curious about how systems work behind the scenes not just using technology, but understanding how devices communicate, how networks are secured, and how data moves safely. Studying Electronic and Computer Engineering pushed me toward cybersecurity because I realized security is at the center of everything digital today. I wanted a program that would challenge me technically and also prepare me for real world problems.

What was the toughest skill or concept you had to conquer? What flipped it for you?

One of the toughest things for me was understanding how attackers actually think especially during reconnaissance and vulnerability testing. Learning concepts like SQL injection, enumeration, and access control felt overwhelming initially because there were so many tools and techniques involved. What really changed things for me was practicing hands on in controlled environments like DVWA and working through labs repeatedly until the concepts started making sense practically, not just theoretically

Tell me about a project you’re most proud of. What problem did it solve?

I’m proud of both my networking security projects and my cybersecurity labs. One project involved designing a secure WAN connection between branch offices using Cisco Packet Tracer, where I configured IP addressing, ACLs, and secure communication between networks. I also worked on reconnaissance and SQL injection testing using DVWA in a controlled lab environment to better understand how web vulnerabilities are discovered and exploited. That experience helped me understand the importance of securing applications properly and thinking from both the defender’s and attacker’s perspective.

Was there a moment you almost quit? What kept you going?

There was definitely a moment I almost quit, especially during my IT period. I was handling a lot of projects at the same time and I became really overwhelmed. I remember questioning myself and wondering, “Can I actually do this? Should I just stop?” But I reminded myself that every great person has probably felt overwhelmed at some point too the difference is they kept going. I decided I wanted to push through, see it to the end, and give it my absolute best instead of giving up halfway. Looking back now, I’m glad I didn’t quit because those difficult moments helped me grow the most.

Who here — instructor, classmate, mentor — changed your trajectory? How?

I’d say a lot of people helped change my trajectory in cybersecurity. About three years ago, I had a mentor who always emphasized the importance of research and investigation. He used to tell me that in cybersecurity, you always have to stay informed and know what’s happening in the world of tech and security. That mindset really stayed with me. I also had really supportive classmates who pushed me whenever I got stuck. There were times I’d message them asking things like, “How do I even go about this?” and they were always willing to help or explain concepts differently. The instructors also played a huge role because they made themselves accessible through Slack, videos, and discussions, so we could always reach out whenever we had questions or challenges. Overall, having people around me who were supportive, encouraging, and willing to help made it easier to keep pushing through difficult moments and continue growing in cybersecurity.

What’s one thing you believed about tech/yourself on day 1 that you don’t believe anymore?

I used to think people in tech were naturally gifted and instantly understood everything. Now I know most skilled people simply stayed consistent long enough to improve.

How did you handle imposter syndrome or comparison with classmates?

Honestly, imposter syndrome was never something I struggled with deeply because I’ve always believed that everyone’s journey is different. From the beginning, I understood that my progress is my own, and there’s no point comparing it to someone else’s. Of course, there were moments where I noticed people moving faster or understanding certain things quicker, but I never allowed that to make me question myself. I’ve always had the mindset that growth happens differently for everyone, and as long as I keep improving and staying consistent, I’m on the right path. So instead of comparing myself with my classmates, I focused more on learning at my own pace and becoming better than I was before.

If you could thank one tool, language, or framework in an Oscar speech, which one? Why?

One tool I’d definitely thank is Cisco Packet Tracer. It’s one of the things from school that I genuinely enjoyed because it allowed me to explore networking and cybersecurity practically instead of only reading about them theoretically. Through Cisco Packet Tracer, I developed a stronger interest in network security because I could actually experiment, troubleshoot issues, restart configurations when things went wrong, and understand how networks function in real time. It helped me understand concepts like ACLs, IP addressing, routing, and secure communication virtually, which made everything easier to grasp. What made it even better was being able to later practice some of those concepts in real-life scenarios too. I appreciated how it created a safe environment to learn, make mistakes, and improve without being afraid of breaking anything. That hands on experience made networking and cybersecurity feel real and exciting to me. I want to make this better and read well

What advice would you give someone just starting this program today?

Don’t be scared of not knowing enough at the beginning. Everybody starts confused. Practice consistently, ask questions, and don’t avoid difficult topics because those are usually the areas where you grow the most.