My 2025 YouTube activity in review

I started my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@DanOpcode in 2023. Between 2023 and 2024, I made some travel vlogs. In 2025, I wanted to try a different format, with me walking outside, talking about subjects I care about – mainly IT related things. And toward the end of 2025, I wanted to record myself in front of my computer instead, doing reaction videos and programming sessions.

Toward the end of 2025, I also increased my consistency with uploading new videos to YouTube. In 2023, I made 1 video. In 2024, I made 4 videos. In 2025, I made 33 videos. Most videos during 2025 were made in November and December. At the beginning of 2025, I had set as a goal to make 12 YouTube videos during the year, a goal that I by far exceeded.

I believe I have interesting viewpoints to share. I am an experienced programmer, and I have heard from colleagues throughout my career that I'm very skilled. I also feel passionate about programming and IT – it's both my profession and hobby. I also enjoy teaching and spreading enthusiasm. Therefore, I believe that I have a perspective worth sharing with a broader audience, and I wish to be able to inspire and improve the skills of others who aspire to get into or get better at programming.

I enjoy watching YouTube a lot. That's where I have gotten inspiration for the different formats I have tried. I will most likely return to making some more vlogs and videos where I talk outside, and I will probably explore other formats too.

For me it's a very enjoyable process to make and publish a video, especially the ones I have made since November. I enjoy sharing my thoughts, and throughout the day, ideas for new videos often pop up in my head. When I get an idea, I like when I can quickly record, edit and publish it.

Also, I see how I'm getting better at making videos. For each video I record, edit and publish, I find things I want to improve upon for the next video. It can be with the gear I'm using, the quality of the video or sound, how I'm speaking or recording myself, the features I use in the video editing software, etc. I find this process of learning and improving very satisfying.

Furthermore, I want to celebrate my achievement of having reached 50 subscribers on YouTube on December 31st:

Today, on January 1st, when I'm writing this, the number has already gone up to 51:

Each time somebody chooses to subscribe, it feels great knowing that I have produced something that somebody out there wants to see more of.

During the spring of 2025, after I published my first video where I shared my opinions on a particular subject, I still remember how excited I was to see that I had gathered a few views and a watch time that was equal to the length of the video. I deduced that somebody had watched the whole video, and for me that feeling made it all worth it.

My later videos have received a few hours of watch time each. Some have received more, some quite a lot less. But it still amazes me when a video I have published gathers more watch time than it took me to produce it.

I find the process of making videos fun, I like replying to comments on my videos, and I enjoy seeing people watch my videos.

During 2026, I want to continue making videos. However, I don't know in what direction I want to go in. I also don't know what pace I want to keep in making them. Depending on my life circumstances and what other projects and priorities I have, I might choose to do them less frequently than I have done during these last 2 months. Time will tell.

Below are the thumbnails of the videos I published during 2025. Just for preservation and as a memory.