Growing up, I did not have any idea what type of career I wanted to pursue. It was not until my first semester in college that I discovered my love of programming. I always had an interest in computers and knowing my way around software. The first programming language I was ever introduced to was Java in an ICS 111 class. I had never encountered something so frustrating yet rewarding at the same time. To be able to solve problems in such a logical yet creative way was something refreshing and fit to my way of thinking. Programming encourages you to improve in your problem solving skills and to become efficient and concise.
However, the path I’ve traveled was not very smooth. While attending college, multiple events happened that lead me to pause my studies for a couple semesters. My proficiency declined and the knowledge I had gained diminished to the back of my mind as I focused on other things. Eventually, life had become much more manageable and I was able to return to school. What was once a dream a couple years ago will now become reality as I prepare to graduate in Fall 2020.
The good thing about programming is that if you are familiar with the syntax of another language, similarities appear in other languages as well. Although I had a long hiatus from programming, I was able to jump back in to where I left off and grow. Instead of Java, I began learning C and C++. I am now getting introducted to Javascript and C#. There are so many languages and tools, I hope to become proficient with a lot of them.
Software engineering is such a large and abstract thing that you can be learning and improving for such a long time. To be in a world where resources are abundant and quick to access really allows me the chance to grow in my abilities. Hopefully I can use my knowledge and skills to become an asset to a company. The future is near and I am looking forward to it.