My laptop kept freezing during homework. Constant hangs, sluggish performance—Windows 10 wasn’t cutting it on my aging hardware. So I did what any reasonable person would do: I downgraded to Windows 7.
For a few months, things were better. Sure, some drivers didn’t work, but at least I could get stuff done. Then I got bored with how Windows looked. I had friends who spent hours customizing their Windows themes, but every article I read warned about the same thing: mess with system files, get the blue screen of death.
I learned that lesson the hard way.
Enter Linux
A teacher once mentioned an OS that was friendlier for hacking, networking, and programming. That got me curious. After some research, every blog pointed me toward the same answer: Ubuntu is perfect for beginners.
So in 2016, I installed Ubuntu 16.04 LTS. That was my first taste of Linux.
Quick backstory: Linux is an operating system family created by Linus Torvalds in 1991, released under GNU GPL v2 (Wikipedia). It’s open source, meaning anyone can modify and redistribute it. This openness spawned countless communities and distributions.
And here’s what happens to everyone who tries Linux for the first time:
You fall into the customization rabbit hole.
Settings → Appearance. Change wallpaper. Move the dock. Resize icons. Change themes. Install new icon packs. Then the inevitable question hits:
"How do I make this look like macOS?"
Suddenly you’ve forgotten about your projects, your homework, your… well, everything.
I spent way too much time tweaking. But slowly, I started actually learning. Installing apps through terminal. Finding Linux alternatives to Windows software. Photo editing with GIMP. Debugging issues. And when I couldn’t fix something? Just reinstall and start over 😑
The best moment? A classmate looked at my screen and asked:
“Wait, are you using a Mac?”
Instant personal branding.
It was just Linux with a macOS theme, but still—felt good.
The Frugal Life
I still use Linux because it sips RAM and I can make it look however I want. At one point I ran Lubuntu 18.04 LTS with XFCE—minimal desktop environment, under 1GB RAM usage, zero animation effects. Pure efficiency.
Upgrading wasn’t an option. My laptop’s been running for nearly a decade without a single hardware change. The HDD makes concerning noises. Every day I pray it holds up a bit longer.
Hopefully I can install an SSD soon. Please. 🙏
The Real Lesson
Looking back, necessity bred good habits. That frustrating, freezing laptop taught me patience—but patience alone doesn’t solve anything. I couldn’t just sit there waiting for it to unfreeze.
A slow laptop is a small problem in the grand scheme of things. But that small problem taught me something bigger:
Problems are opportunities.
Opportunities to learn. To adapt. To get creative with limited resources.
So thanks, old laptop. You taught me things school never did. :))