Why I Decided to Study Software Engineering

Why did I decide to learn software engineering? The short and cliche answer is:

Balance.

I consider myself to have a creative heart. Since I was little I have loved project oriented hobbies. As a kid I was obsessed with medieval weaponry, trying to build a trebuchet or crossbow out of household items. Running the constant risk of getting parentally scolded, I frequently took apart my RC cars that I had just got for my birthdays, just to try to put it back together. This habit usually ended with a non-functional piece of junk, but I loved the way it felt when I got something to work.

As I got older, my creative energy shifted from mechanical to more artistic and expressive. I learned to play and record music, which is still one of my favorite ways to spend time. Similar to building household gizmos as a kid, finishing a song and having people listen and enjoy gives me an immense feeling of accomplishment, satisfaction, and fulfillment. I made this, and it's mine. While attending college I studied film, philosophy, and music. After graduating I worked in television, but I found the work to be less fulfilling and less creative as I had expected in school. It was an exciting industry to be a part of, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. Then, the COVID pandemic hit, the industry was on pause, and I had a moment to sit back and reevaluate my life's direction.

I looked to the things I loved and extracted the qualities that made them lovable.

Film and music were expressive and more abstract, while philosophy was logical. With time to reflect, I realized that I needed a career that was creative and that balanced my logical and abstract qualities. I had taken a couple coding classes in college and was always interested in learning more. So during the start of the pandemic I decided to learn on my own. As it turned out, programming was exactly what I was looking for. It felt like a perfect balance of problem solving and abstract creative thinking. Couple that with intense feelings of euphoria during those 'aha' moments in figuring something out and making something work, I knew programming was something I had to pursue seriously. A few months later and I find myself beginning Flatiron School's full time software engineering program. I know this journey will be extremely challenging, but I am beyond excited to delve into the world and career of programming.