How I Got into Coding:
I am a first Gen college student.
I had no idea how college worked.
I could take anything and focus on something and graduate, eventually. Degree plans were for engineering majors or something really specific.
(Genuinely, I had no idea, I would have never graduated if I hadn’t changed my entire life)
In one semester I took these 4 courses:
English II, Arabic I, German I, and Chinese I
That was all.
On top of all of that, I intended on becoming a doctor. Did I have the slightest fucking clue what that all actually meant? Of course not. My family didn’t go to college, or even know any doctors. I only knew my family doctor. But I knew there was amazing work being done by doctors all around the world and I wanted that responsibility.
Until I couldn’t wake up early enough to go to my 8:50 AM class. Until I was hoping to get hit my the campus shuttle so I wouldn’t have to deal with my depression. Until I napped every day and missed hours of my on campus job in a ✨ prestigious ✨ office.
So I did what several other members of my family did: I joined the Navy! And boy my life became an adventure! I dated a married man 4 years older than me! I got pregnant at 22 and subsequently abandoned by this man! While living overseas!
Whew after years of stress and manipulation from him, it felt horrible to be free from him. Now I had to raise a baby and become an adult and live in the world as the Head of Household?
Nevertheless, armed with my GI Bill and my also single mother, I pressed on. I moved back to my original university, solely because I had grades that wouldn’t transfer to other universities nearby and I didn’t want to retake classes.
Until I learned the first thing about premed and I had to retake a handful of classes. I was going strong but I was getting burnt out. I knew I couldn’t keep up this level of academic commitment and continue to ramp it up as I would eventually have to go to medical school. I was taking care of me and my baby. I was financing this time. I couldn’t do it anymore.
So I went back to the drawing board. I got on the university catalog and looked over the list. Anything that would help me support my son and I financially that I was remotely interested was added to another list. I didn’t really see anything.
Growing up though, my grandfather (a Navy man and an electrician) and I loved toying with computers. I ended up being the Family Help Desk Technician. My mom said, “Why not something with computers? You’re so good at them!” I would roll my eyes and say, “Mom, I just Google stuff.” (Ironic, you know)
I eventually settled on Computer Information Systems with a focus on Programming. It seems like a cop out from going from Computer Science but would also give me options, like actual help desk, networking, etc etc. Entry level jobs were all available to me.
Coding was hard. I have ADHD but while I was in the Reserves, I learned I wasn’t allowed to take my medication for it. My 3.6 GPA from my Biology major dropped and sitting in dark basement classrooms surrounded by the hum of desktop PCs was awful. I couldn’t focus. I didn’t turn in a single assignment. I did OK on tests because the professors graded on the curve and gave study guides.
When I tell you I tried to learn, believe me. I was surrounded by kids (I was 6 years older than my cohort) who had taken AP Comp Sci the year prior, made their own apps and websites, or even attended full time coding boot camps at night. I was literally scraping by academically. I graduated with a 3.131 GPA lol which isn’t bad but coming from my pre-med mania, that was a crushing realization: I wasn’t good enough. (This isn’t the truth, but just what I believed at the time)
I took a job at a place that was very hard on me, despite having the reputation of being “fun.” I changed from being a SWE to a Test Automation Engineer. That was March 2020. My manager was rude. Need I say more?
With tears in my eyes, I quit. I thought, “Well I tried, I knew I wasn’t good enough.” I told my mentor, “I just don’t have the engineering mindset.” He disagreed and sadly we parted ways.
I began teaching kids to code part time. It was cool seeing this place grow. It’s like the after school activity for the kids who might not play sports, you know what I mean? Some kids did play sports. More than one. Some were involved in several activities, and I felt bad for them. Their parents had them doing something every night of the week!
But for the tiny computer nerds, they came and they conquered. It was beautiful. I felt inspired by them.
I decided to apply to a developer position and I had a few interviews. The position I currently hold is fantastic. My team is so incredibly helpful, cool, kind, all the things you want when you feel crippled by past failure and impostor syndrome.
They gave me new projects and tools to learn and had loose time frames for completion. They checked in on me. I have paired for hours with my team - and they taught me things in a non assuming way. I began to feel euphoric about work and what I was learning.
Then I saw the job posting. You know, the One. I applied and it all worked out. I have fears about success but they’re realistic and limited. Not limiting, though, they aren’t the same thing. I know I have what it takes to learn and succeed and thrive.
And that’s how I got into coding. Also if you read that, you know me pretty well. Please say hello. Share your story!
