So, what is coding?

How I got into computers.

Have you ever wondered how Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram were created?

No? Well, me neither.

To be honest, I never had much interest in computers. I purchased my first Mac computer in 2016. I barely knew how to type my name. I've never used a computer before. It took me some time to figure out how to type quickly I never took a class nor was I introduced to the world of tech. I assumed that working on computers meant fixing them, but it is far more than that.

So, what exactly is coding?

Coding is the process of learning the computer's language in order to make it do what you want it to do. There are numerous programming languages to learn so that you can create whatever you want. You have the opportunity of creating a website or an app. On one side in the image below you tell the computer to do by using code. On the other side is what you have created using that code. Pretty cool, right? At least, I think that's cool. 😄 😄 I’m currently creating a soccer app that connects people who want to learn, play, and talk about futbol. It’s like a social media platform, but all about futbol! With the World Cup coming up, I know futbol enthusiasts have plenty to share! ⚽️

Here is my story of how I got into computers.

I enjoy studying in coffee shops, and one day, a random guy asked if he could sit with me because there were no seats available. I said, 'Yeah, that's fine.' This guy took out two computers and one of those color-changing keyboards.🤔

He asked me what I was studying for, and I replied that I am a pre-med student. When I asked him why he had so many computers, he replied, 'Oh, I'm just coding.' I told him I had never heard of that before. Keep in mind, I did not grow up with computers or technology—I'm from a small town where all we did was sports because our internet sucked! 🥹

Going back to the story, he kindly explained what coding was, but I didn't understand anything he said. I nodded as if I understood, because I had assignments to complete, and said, 'Ah, that's great; maybe we can talk more about that after I finish my assignment.' When I looked at his computer, the screen looked like this:

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That was the first time I saw what coding looked like.

Coding appeared to be a difficult thing to learn. I assumed that random guy was a hacker or something because he mentioned doing something with security. We later became friends, and all he talked about was how amazing and cool coding was, and how I should try it. I was still studying psychology and taking pre-med classes because I wanted to become a doctor at the time.

Then, Covid happened, and I met my boyfriend, who was also into computers. During Covid, I still wanted to be a doctor, so I was taking classes to apply to medical school, but something didn't feel right. I realized it was not worth the effort for me to become a doctor. I decided to take two semesters off before enrolling in more classes. So, during that time, my advisor emailed me and told me that in order to graduate, I needed to double major or minor in something other than psychology.

As a first-generation Latina college student, I must navigate college on my own. And my biggest mistake was believing the advisor who told me I didn't need a minor or double major to graduate; instead, I should have checked online, but I didn't. So, now what?

I then took another semester off and then a whole year because I decided I no longer wanted to be a doctor or wanted to go back to school “just to get a degree”. Also, I was not sure what I wanted to double major or minor in.

Later on for about two months, I listened to the Harvard University 👉 computer science lectures. 🧏🏻‍♀️

My friend, the cyber security guy, kept asking if I had done any coding, so I attempted to code my first website using this book.

I end up deleting it because I did not like how it looked. Plus, for me, reading this book was not a good way to learn to code.

But then I started to read another book, Tech Boss Lady. In it, Adriana Gascoigne discusses what it's like to be a woman in the world of tech. She discusses her experience and how she became a female entrepreneur. I was inspired to become a tech boss lady too.

Also, watching the show Silicon Valley and the movie The Intern motivated me to learn more about coding. 🤭

So I enrolled in my first coding class to learn Javascript from Codecademy and started to look at other people’s projects. Then, I realized, wow, I really like this! This is awesome. I also want to create cool things on the internet. Which lead me to like coding even more!

So now here I am.

I began my coding journey somewhat unexpectedly, fueled by curiosity and a desire to try something new. Initially, I taught myself the basics using free online resources and quickly discovered a passion for it. I started working on various projects, primarily using JavaScript, which soon became my go-to programming language. As I delved deeper into coding, I expanded my skill set by learning frameworks like React and Svelte to build dynamic and efficient applications.

Fast forward to now 2024, and I’m now pursuing a degree in Software Engineering. My journey from a complete beginner who could barely type to someone passionate about creating software has been transformative.

So follow my journey at Instagram or TikTok where I post my learnings and my journey.

Thank you for reading this far. I hope my story makes you curious to learn more about coding too and you can also give it a try. ❤️‍🔥