Delight Olu-Olagbuji; Backend Engineering Intern- Cowrywise
I’m super excited to share my experience as the first Backend Engineer Intern at Cowrywise. It’s been a whirlwind of code writing, learning, and growth.
Stepping into the Unknown
Walking into Cowrywise’s office on my first day felt like stepping into a new world. It was my first internship at a physical office, and I didn’t know what to expect. I met Obasola as I walked into the office- a Brand Designer at Cowrywise. He welcomed me nicely and made me feel more comfortable. After some minutes, Timi Joel, a Growth Associate at Cowrywise, welcomed me into the office. That was the second time I was actually meeting him, after our first interaction during the virtual interview. Soon after, I met my fellow intern Oyinda, a People Operations Intern and we were both onboarded by Timi.
Building a Tracking and Notification Service
Understanding the Scope
One of my key projects was to build a tracking and notification service. The idea was to create a system that helps Cowrywise keep track of its customers’ activities and send them reminders or notifications based on what they do (or don’t do). Imagine a scenario where you start to create a savings plan on the Cowrywise app but don’t finish it, this service will notify you that you haven’t completed the plan creation and send you a friendly reminder to log into the app and finish it.
Diving into the Code
I started by getting familiar with the existing architecture. Integrating the new service required some deep dive into the codebase and brainstorming the best ways to ensure smooth operations. There were moments when I felt like my brain was doing a workout, but those late-night debugging sessions paid off. Seeing the notifications work flawlessly was beyond rewarding.
Writing for the Engineering Blog
Switching gears, I got the chance to write an article for the Engineering Blog. This was an exciting challenge for me, even though I had started dabbling into technical writing before the internship.
Writing the article felt like sharing my journey on a big stage. It was nerve-wracking but also incredibly rewarding. Seeing my article published and getting positive feedback from the community was a highlight of my internship.
Mentorship Moments
One of the standout aspects of my internship was the incredible mentorship I received. My line manager, David, was a seasoned backend engineer with a knack for making complex concepts understandable. David took the time to guide me through challenging tasks, offering insights and tips that you just can’t find in textbooks. There was this one time when I was stuck on optimizing a database query. David didn’t just give me the solution but walked me through the process of identifying the bottleneck and brainstorming different approaches. These moments of mentorship were invaluable and played a huge role in my internship experience.
Learning
Every day at Cowrywise was a learning opportunity. From mastering new tools to understanding the core of scalable system design, the learning curve was steep but exciting. One thing that stood out was the culture of continuous learning. Whether it was through online courses, code reviews, tech talks, or informal discussions, there was always something new to absorb. I found myself diving into topics like microservices architecture and task automation, areas I hadn’t explored deeply before. The best part? The supportive environment made it easy to ask questions and experiment without fear of failure.
The learning curve was steep, no doubt about it. There were days when I felt like I was in over my head, especially when diving into legacy code or tackling a particularly tricky bug. However, these challenges were also the most rewarding. I remember struggling with integrating a new API and feeling completely lost. But with persistence, I finally got it to work. Each hurdle I overcame boosted my confidence and skills, making me a better engineer. It was a reminder that growth happens outside your comfort zone, and every struggle is a step towards mastering your craft.
Eureka Moment
My “Eureka” moment came during the development of the tracking and notification service. I was grappling with an issue where notifications were not being sent out reliably. After hours of debugging and testing different approaches, it suddenly clicked—I realized there was a concurrency issue causing race conditions. Implementing a queue system to manage the notification dispatch process solved the problem. That moment of clarity, followed by seeing the service run smoothly, was incredibly satisfying. It reinforced the importance of perseverance and thorough analysis in problem-solving.
Work-School-Life Balance
The Internship program was designed for students who are on break, but a few weeks after I started my internship, my school resumed a new session due to its “unique” calendar. Balancing work, school, and life was definitely a juggling act. Being a student while interning meant my schedule was packed, but I learned a lot about time management. I set up a routine that included dedicated study hours, work blocks, and, importantly, downtime. Cowrywise’s flexible work culture was a big help- knowing I could adjust my work hours to accommodate my classes made things a lot easier. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but the support from Cowrywise made it seamless. In addition, the occasional virtual game nights hosted in the ambassadors’ community provided a much-needed break and kept the stress levels in check.
The Cowrywise Team
What made my journey truly special were the people at Cowrywise. The team felt like a big, supportive family, always ready to help and guide me. From intense brainstorming sessions to casual coffee breaks, the camaraderie was incredible.
The friendships and connections I made here are priceless. It’s amazing to work in an environment where everyone is passionate, driven, and always willing to lend a hand.
Looking Forward
Being the first Backend Engineer Intern at Cowrywise has been an incredible learning experience. I’ve grown so much, not just in terms of technical skills, but also in collaboration, creativity, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
If you’re passionate about growth and looking for a place to make a real impact, the Cowrywise Ambassadors’ community is your go-to starter pack!
Here’s to more code, more challenges, and many more epic journeys ahead. Catch you on the flip side! 🚀 💙
