Why did I decide to learn software development?
As someone who had a traditional educational background, I always thought I would find my calling by traveling a safe path, a road traversed by many. Coming from a south Asian household, science and healthcare was always the right answer. It was the quickest and safest way to success. However, I quickly realized as I switched from dental to pharmacy that there was definitely something missing. At first, I found my dissatisfaction very frustrating. It was really easy for me to be hard on myself especially when I had so many friends and family make their professions in the healthcare field.
However, once I had made peace with the fact that I had to let go of my sciences background, it actually gave me a chance to find what I would actually like to do. It was a personal quest that I never even gave myself a chance to embark on. Honestly, it may have been one of the most liberating things I have ever done. I was lucky to have one friend in computer sciences and she gave me some resources I could explore.
Fast forward many months later and many hours on different coding programs and platforms, I am still on that personal quest to find what drives me. But thanks to letting go of what I thought I “have” to do, I am now making more time for what I “want” to do. This allowed me to realize my interests I didn’t know I had and further develop them into personal goals. My transitional journey into coding has many parallels to that newfound sense of individual growth. Software engineering made me realize how much I value creativity and incorporating my personality and own footprint into my projects. This was something I could never figure out how do to with a career in healthcare; honestly, at the time I didn’t even realized how much that mattered to me.
I guess, I’m still trying to figure myself out on this new career path. But I find solace in the fact that I’m not worried anymore. I find solace in the fact that I’m pursuing a career that allows me the versatility of incorporating myself and my ideas into my work and having it manifest itself though meaningful projects that can be a service to others. I find comfort in knowing that I’m giving into my interests without compromising any future job aspects because I know this career is rewarding as much as in job demand as it is indulging in my own personal creativity. I appreciate that it allows me to collaborate with others and learn and benefit from their experiences as I further grow in my professional aspirations.
Sometimes we discover our goals and aspirations once we know what drives us. Sometimes what we view as temporary setbacks are actually opportunities for self-discovery. All in all, I’m glad I had to take the long way to realize my goal, because even though there may have been pitstops along the way, I definitely made the most of them and I know what I really want to do even more on my journey. And the best part is…I’m super excited!!!
