feat(blog): education i

src/content/blog/posts/2025-01-27-education.md

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+---
+title: EDUCATION I
+description: Thoughts on unstructured, accessible, education.
+tags:
+  - education
+---
+I come from a unique educational background. I attended a small charter school in Westlake, TX, that fully integrated the International Baccalaureate (IB) program into its curriculum. With a graduating class of just 60 students, I had the opportunity to know most of my teachers personally—many of whom, in my junior and senior years, had doctorates. This made for an incredibly individualized and comprehensive education—one that was truly transformative.
+
+Two things stand out to me the most about my experience.
+
+First, I received a well-rounded education that genuinely felt interconnected. The subjects I studied weren’t isolated; they meshed together in meaningful ways, incorporating multiple perspectives and worldviews. I was constantly reminded of the global impact of everything we do. I appreciated that my education wasn’t confined to a "STEM track" or any predefined specialization. Instead, it encouraged me to engage with a variety of subjects from an interdisciplinary perspective, making me excited to learn across different fields.
+
+Second, I had teachers who genuinely cared—about me, my interests, and the way I learned. They understood that if I was late turning in my research prep, it wasn’t because I wasn’t working—it was because I had gone down a rabbit hole, spending extra time exploring a topic that fascinated me. They recognized that I didn’t need to do the busywork to prepare for the bigger task; I just wanted to dive in. And they encouraged that. They nurtured my curiosity, pushing me to pursue my passions and grow both as a learner and as a person. I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing those classes or the teachers who made them feel like home.
+
+My parents sometimes ask if I regret not going to a public school, where I could’ve earned more AP credits and gotten a head start in college. My answer is always the same: I wouldn’t trade my passion for learning for a few extra credits. Nor would I have grown as much as I did during my years at Westlake Academy.
+
+The IB program emphasizes "[providing] an education that enables students to make sense of the complexities of the world around them, as well as equipping them with the skills and dispositions needed for taking responsible action for the future." At the time, I understood this as being encouraged to think critically about my surroundings, my knowledge, and my education. Four years ago, I might not have fully grasped how much this would shape me—but now, I see it in everything I do. It’s why I naturally take an interdisciplinary approach to research, why I thrive in spaces where I’m passionate, and why I’ve grown into a leader in the areas that matter to me most.
+
+The value of my education wasn’t just in the knowledge I gained, but in how I learned to engage with the world. Westlake Academy didn’t just teach me subjects—it taught me how to think critically, explore ideas deeply, and connect disciplines in ways that made learning feel limitless. It showed me that education isn’t about checking boxes or following a rigid path; it’s about curiosity, adaptability, and the pursuit of understanding.
+
+The most valuable lessons weren’t the ones confined to a syllabus or a final exam—they were the ones that taught me how to learn. I realized that education isn’t just about absorbing information; it’s about developing the ability to question, synthesize, and apply knowledge in meaningful ways. True learning happens when you step beyond memorization and start making connections, when you embrace complexity rather than simplify it, and when you recognize that every answer leads to new questions.
+
+The best kind of education doesn’t just prepare you for the future—it teaches you how to shape it.

src/content/blog/posts/_2025-02-10-education-2.md

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+---
+title: EDUCATION II
+description: Thoughts on unstructured, accessible, education. Part 2.
+tags:
+  - education
+---
+I worked with [Replit](https://replit.com) circa 2023, a time when I was hooked on their idea of democratizing access to programming. Their mission was to create the next 10 million developers. They had made access to Replit free for educators, made the best online code editor, created a community for people to share projects, and even built a freelance platform for students to win their first "bounty" and make real money.
+
+As with many companies struggling to profit in the edtech space, Replit decided to pivot, unfortunately leaving behind that mission of empowering students and instead building tools to empower others. I still loved the problems being worked on at Replit and decided to stay for another six months before I moved on, but it had made me realize. **It's really fucking hard to build for students.**

src/pages/thoughts/[id].astro

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export async function getStaticPaths() {
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 >
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     >
         <div
             class="flex flex-row items-start justify-start w-full mb-[25px] lg:mb-[70px]"
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export async function getStaticPaths() {
             </h1>
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         <div
-            class="flex flex-col-reverse lg:flex-row items-start justify-start w-full lg:ml-[15px] mb-[80px] lg:mb-[140px]"
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         >
             <div class="flex flex-col items-start justify-start mr-auto">
                 <p class="text-lg lg:text-[24px]">author: rayhanadev</p>
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ export async function getStaticPaths() {
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