Students: Start Here

Your quest board. Pick a lane, make a plan, start building.

Choose Your Path

Pick a Lane

There's a place in cyber for every type of person. Which one fits you?

Defender

Monitor, protect, and respond to threats. You're the first line of defense.

Investigator

Dig deep, find evidence, solve digital mysteries.

Ethical Hacker

Break in (with permission) to help, not harm.

Builder

Create AI-powered solutions and automate everything.

Your First Week

First 7 Days Plan

Don't overthink it. Just start.

Tonight

Watch a 20-Minute Intro

Watch 'Cybersecurity in 7 Minutes' or 'What is Ethical Hacking?' on YouTube. Get a feel for what cybersecurity actually is.

This Weekend

Set Up One Free Lab

Create a free TryHackMe account. Complete the 'Pre Security' learning path. It's free, it's fun, and it teaches real skills.

By Next Week

Finish Your First Tiny Project

Complete 3-5 TryHackMe rooms. Write a short summary of what you learned. Share it somewhere (even just with friends).

Hands-On Learning

First Home Lab

You don't need crazy hardware. Start simple, build from there.

Virtual Machines (Free)

Download VirtualBox (free). Install Kali Linux and a vulnerable VM like Metasploitable. Practice in a safe environment.

Cloud Labs (Free Tier)

Use AWS or Azure free tier. Set up a small server, practice securing it. Learn cloud basics while you're at it.

Raspberry Pi ($50-100)

If you want hardware, a Raspberry Pi is cheap and powerful. Build a home network monitor or security tool.

Build in Public

Your First Public Proof

Show what you're learning. It doesn't have to be perfect—it just has to be real.

GitHub Readme

Create a GitHub profile. Add a README that shows who you are, what you're learning, and links to your projects.

Simple Write-Up

After completing a TryHackMe room or CTF challenge, write a short summary. What did you learn? What was hard? What was fun?

Small Portfolio Page

Build a simple website (even with GitHub Pages) that showcases your projects. It doesn't have to be fancy—just real.

Keep Going

What's Next?

After your first week, keep the momentum going:

Complete a full TryHackMe learning path (SOC Level 1, Complete Beginner, etc.)
Start studying for your first cert (Google Cyber, ISC2 CC, or Security+)
Build 3-5 small projects and write about them
Join online communities (Discord, Reddit, TryHackMe forums)
Start applying to entry-level roles or internships

Remember: You don't have to be perfect. You just have to be consistent. Show up every day, even if it's just for 30 minutes. That's how you build a career.