{"id":6546,"date":"2026-09-09T10:17:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T10:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/?p=6546"},"modified":"2026-09-09T10:17:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T10:17:13","slug":"heropress-how-a-law-student-ended-up-with-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/?p=6546","title":{"rendered":"HeroPress: How a Law Student Ended up with WordPress"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Pull Quote: We often mistake not seeing a path for being lost.\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/astha_jain_banner.webp\" width=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls=\"controls\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/astha_jain_heropress.mp3\" preload=\"none\"><\/audio><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hear Astha read her own essay aloud.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I come from a transitional generation, and somehow, I\u2019ve ended up as a hard core non-tech person in a heavily tech-driven space. Fitting into a box has never really been my thing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And perhaps, that has been the point.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How often do you think you\u2019re lost?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We often mistake not seeing a path for being lost.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We grow up believing that a meaningful life comes with a roadmap: choose a direction, follow it, and eventually arrive somewhere. But what happens when you can\u2019t see the road ahead?<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, the path doesn\u2019t exist yet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My own journey has rarely looked linear. I started blogging on WordPress at 16 because I wanted somewhere to put my thoughts and my poetry. I studied law, organised events alongside it, and while pursuing my passion for public speaking, discovered my love for community building.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And eventually, through a rather topsy-turvy turn of events, I found myself turning my legal background into entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Astha holding a microphone and gesturing with one hand.\" class=\"wp-image-8839\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image1-1024x576.webp\" width=\"1024\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\">\n<p>\t\t<\/p><\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Astha giving opening remarks at EmpowerWP <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Astha in a long dark sari, standing in front of a wall with a timeline of WordPress on it, at WordCamp Asia in Philippines.\" class=\"wp-image-8868\" height=\"1406\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image2-edited.webp\" width=\"1999\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\">\n<p>\t\t<\/p><\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Astha in a saree at WCAsia \u201925<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From the outside, these may look like a lot of deviations. Even to me, there were moments when the future looked bleak and hazy. I wondered whether I was falling behind while people around me seemed to have \u201cfigured it out,\u201d found their direction, and were already excelling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I found myself feeling lost.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Regaining control by finding a pattern<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But looking back, and eventually connecting the dots, I realised there <em>was<\/em> a constant. A pattern I kept coming back to: <strong>people, ideas, purpose, and the desire to contribute.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mediums kept changing. The underlying pull did not.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that\u2019s when it hit me:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sometimes, not fitting into the box isn\u2019t the problem. Rather, it is the answer.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who am I and where it all started<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, let me start again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My name is Astha, and I discovered the WordPress community back in 2023.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was a law student who happened to stumble upon a WordPress anniversary meetup, where conversations were already underway about WordCamp Bhopal happening again after quite a while.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I started as an organiser, partly because of the sheer joy of doing what the job demanded\u2014 the knack for managing things\u2026 and people.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We had two broad purposes: reignite the WordPress ecosystem in town and show attendees a glimpse of Bhopal in the best possible way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then, WordCamp Bhopal happened.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>WordCamp Bhopal felt like a family reunion, except that you\u2019re meeting those people for the very first time.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Read my<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/asthajain.in\/wordcamp-bhopal-2023-conference-in-city-of-lakes\/\"><em>experience as an Organiser at my first ever WordCamp<\/em><\/a> <em>| WordCamp Bhopal 2023<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What next after organizing the first WordCamp?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had an incredible time, but also, I had no intentions of dwelling any further.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But credit to the people I met here\u2014 WordCamp Mumbai happened. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And somewhere between Bhopal and Mumbai, something shifted.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Astha&apos;s thank you trophy for being Speaker at WordCamp Mumbai 2023 \" class=\"wp-image-8848\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image4-772x1024.webp\" width=\"772\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\">\n<p>\t\t<\/p><\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Memento by WCMumbai <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Celebration cake for 22nd anniversary of WordPress by WordPress Bhopal community.\" class=\"wp-image-8846\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image3-1024x1024.webp\" width=\"1024\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\">\n<p>\t\t<\/p><\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">WP22 anniversary cake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/Memento-WCPokhara.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8873\" height=\"1783\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Memento-WCPokhara-edited.webp\" width=\"1607\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Memento by WCPokhara<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Family photo from WordCamp Bhopal 2023\" class=\"wp-image-8852\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image8-1024x681.webp\" width=\"1024\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\">\n<p>\t\t<\/p><\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Family photo from WordCamp Bhopal 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fire these two events ignited in me was insane. By 2024, I found myself thinking much more consciously about the gap I saw between my own field and the technology ecosystem, and between technology and the larger society around us.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I started looking for ways to bridge those gaps wherever I could.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I began seeing community events differently.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not just as events. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But as opportunities to bring people together around something that could potentially make a difference.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>I think community events are a great way\u2014 a stage from where you could bring a change. It\u2019s an opening for you to utilize, to serve a purpose.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Outsider to Builder<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was supposed to be an outsider. I <em>was<\/em> one.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the cordial, welcoming, \u201cjust a smile away\u201d setup of this community had me, for good.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think the give-and-take in my case sums up as <strong>perspective<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Witnessing grandeur of the OG Camp<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then came the ultimate, Crown of Jewels, Camp of Camps: <strong>WordCamp Asia.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had an opportunity to emcee at WCAsia. Absolutely loved the energy. That\u2019s probably the least I can say, because words still don\u2019t quite justify how I felt at that moment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Exposure is so important\u2014 culturally, professionally, and in all the other ways possible. For me, WordCamp Asia was exactly that. <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Some people knew of my presence there. A majority did not. The people I knew helped me connect with the people I didn\u2019t. But there were also those who came by without knowing me at all\u2014 just a smile or a kind word away.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Emcees at WordCamp Asia 2025\" class=\"wp-image-8849\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image5-1024x768.webp\" width=\"1024\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\">\n<p>\t\t<\/p><\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emcees at WordCamp Asia 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"WPBesties Winner photo featuring Taco, Astha, Anooja, Michelle, Nathan &amp; Lokesh.\" class=\"wp-image-8853\" height=\"1014\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image9.webp\" width=\"1020\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\">\n<p>\t\t<\/p><\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">WPBesties winner image feat. Taco, Astha, Anooja, Michelle, Nathan &amp; Lokesh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/Indian-contingent-at-WCAsia.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8871\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/Indian-contingent-at-WCAsia-1024x683.webp\" title=\"Indian Contingent at WCAsia 2025\" width=\"1024\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Indian contingent at WordCamp Asia 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/asthajain.in\/wordcamp-asia-2025-recap-best-conference\/\">I can\u2019t seem to get over from WordCamp Asia<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It reminded me, once again, how simple yet profound human connections can be.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I came back apart from a sore throat, with a rejuvenated sense of self, and perhaps a little more courage\u2026 which led me to lead <strong>EmpowerWP Bhopal 2025<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Shifting focus from<\/strong> <strong><em>What<\/em><\/strong> <strong>\u2192<\/strong> <strong><em>Why<\/em><\/strong> <strong>: EmpowerWP Bhopal<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This time, the question wasn\u2019t simply <em>what event can we organise?<\/em> It was <em>who are we organising it for?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This was the time when Women In WordPress were organising women\u2019s day event across the globe. We wanted to bring women in Bhopal into the conversation who weren\u2019t necessarily already part of the ecosystem\u2014 homemakers, women looking to upskill, women on career breaks, small business owners, and women who had, for one reason or another, found themselves somewhere outside the active workforce.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we envisioned EmpowerWP Bhopal, we knew it had to be inclusive\u2014 not just for the conventional attendees, but also for the very women who have shaped our lives. Trying to make digital opportunities feel a little closer to home. It went beyond our expectations in the best possible way.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image12.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Newspaper report featuring EmpowerWP Bhopal (Women&apos;s day event) in 2025\" class=\"wp-image-8856\" height=\"689\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image12.webp\" title=\"Newspaper cutting of EmpowerWP Bhopal\" width=\"1024\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Newspaper report highlighting EmpowerWP (Women\u2019s day event)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/central.wordcamp.org\/news\/2025\/04\/empowerwp-bhopal-2025-a-journey-of-inclusion-and-impact\/\">Read about EmpowerWP: A journey of Growth and Inclusion<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then came the <strong>WP Build Tour<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Touring across the State: Igniting the fire amongst students<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If EmpowerWP was about creating a bridge for women, WP Build Tour took the idea of access beyond the city.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We went across Madhya Pradesh, our state with 55 districts but just one active WordPress chapter, reaching more than <strong>1,700 college students<\/strong> and helping them build their own websites in a day.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>WP Build Tour 2025 was never just about code or content. It was about confidence. About potential realised. About futures being built\u2014 one student, one website, one breakthrough at a time. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The idea was rooted in something I had been thinking about for a while\u2014 the gap between what the industry needs, what students are taught, and what students actually get an opportunity to <em>do<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So we took WordPress to them.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image10.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Group photo from one of the stops of WP Build Tour 2025.\" class=\"wp-image-8854\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image10-1024x576.webp\" title=\"Group photo from a tour: WP Build Tour 2025\" width=\"1024\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Group photo at one of the stops of WP Build Tour<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/central.wordcamp.org\/news\/2025\/10\/bhopal-hosts-wp-build-tour-2025-empowering-1700-students-across-central-india\/\">Bhopal Hosts WP Build Tour 2025: Empowering 1700+ Students Across Central India<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The WordPress community had given me the space to try these things\u2014 to experiment, to bring in ideas that perhaps didn\u2019t fit the conventional definition of a tech event, and to push boundaries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And for that, I remain deeply grateful.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Organising events is one thing, and adding purpose to them takes it to another level. For us in Bhopal, organising events has never been just about the \u201cevent.\u201d It\u2019s about going a step further and sparking change, no matter how small. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The realisation at WC Pokhara<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WordCamp Asia had felt like a peak, and I was quite happy simply soaking in its afterglow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, out of nowhere, I heard whispers of <strong>WordCamp Pokhara<\/strong> happening in Nepal. And just like that, something stirred again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had no plans. But this one felt like it had plans for me.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was another thought that kept ringing in my mind:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>When I\u2019ve had the privilege of being on both sides\u2013 non tech in tech, why not support the people who are still somewhere in the middle?<\/strong> So I wanted to talk about what we can do for the community and also <a href=\"https:\/\/asthajain.in\/how-wordpress-community-helps-you-attend-flagship-wordcamps-scholarships-grants-support-programs\/\">how the community supports us<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Packed up and flew to Nepal. And what did I find? My <em>alter ego<\/em>, perhaps.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I didn\u2019t go looking for a community this time. But by the end of it, I knew\u2014 <strong>I belong here.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image11.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Group photo from WordCamp Pokhara 2025\" class=\"wp-image-8855\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image11-1024x683.webp\" title=\"Group photo: WC Pokhara 2025\" width=\"1024\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Group photo from WordCamp Pokhara 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/asthajain.in\/pokhara-people-purpose-my-wordcamp-nepal-journey\/\">Read about WCPokhara: People and Purpose<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Ultimate. The Calling. The Answer.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just made me realise how our calling is not always something we discover at the beginning. Sometimes, it is the urge that keeps bringing us back, again and again, even when we try to walk somewhere else.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And how a community can make that uncertain journey possible: giving us people who encourage us, opportunities we couldn\u2019t have seen alone, and sometimes simply the reassurance that we are not the only ones without a map.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to constant supporters in this journey including (but not limited to) <a href=\"https:\/\/theadityashah.com\/\">Aditya<\/a> Shah, the <a href=\"https:\/\/in.linkedin.com\/company\/wordpress-bhopal\">WP Bhopal<\/a> community, the global WordPress Community at length, and <a href=\"https:\/\/yoast.com\/about-us\/community\/\">Yoast<\/a>! From celebrating WordPress anniversaries together to honoring <strong>WP Bhopal\u2019s decade long journey<\/strong>\u2026 It\u2019s been worthwhile to grow along.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It got me friends, and somewhere along the way, it got me a <em>life<\/em>!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image13.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Peers turned Friends from WordPress Bhopal celebrating success of WordCamp Bhopal 2023!\" class=\"wp-image-8857\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3026\/09\/image13-1024x534.webp\" title=\"Friends aka team members celebrating success of WCBhopal 2023\" width=\"1024\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peers turned friends celebrating success of WordCamp Bhopal 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What\u2019s up with me now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, I am a lawyer turned entrepreneur, in the tech space. Building <a href=\"https:\/\/ariham.com\/\">Ariham<\/a>, a people-first agency, with WordPress at its core.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And when I look back at the 16-year-old who simply wanted somewhere to put her thoughts and poetry, I realise I couldn\u2019t have possibly mapped this journey out. I don\u2019t think I was supposed to.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To so many firsts\u2026 first time making a website for somebody else, to the first international trip to the Philippines, to first time being a speaker at a foreign land\u2026 the WordPress community has taken me places, and I am so excited to see what we\u2019re gonna be up to next! <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A lesson I would like to pass on<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe the unconventional path isn\u2019t a lack of direction. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe it\u2019s a different way of finding direction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe your calling isn\u2019t always something you recognise immediately.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe it\u2019s the thing that keeps pulling you back.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The idea you can\u2019t let go of.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The work you keep returning to.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The thing that, even after you\u2019ve tried to walk away, somehow finds its way back into your life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because sometimes, the <em>road not taken<\/em> doesn\u2019t look like a beautiful path waiting for you.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, it looks like there is no path at all.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Maybe you\u2019re not lost. Maybe you\u2019re early. Or maybe you are the one building the road.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/essays\/how-a-law-student-ended-up-with-wordpress\/\">How a Law Student Ended up with WordPress<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/heropress.com\/\">HeroPress<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hear Astha read her own essay aloud. I come from a transitional generation, and somehow, I\u2019ve ended up as a hard core non-tech person in a heavily tech-driven space. Fitting into a box has never really been my thing. And perhaps, that has been the point. How often do you think you\u2019re lost? We often [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6547,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news"],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/astha_jain_banner-e0mPLy.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6546\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/frontlinenewsng.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}