Hindsight Award Submission
Hinsight Award Submission
"I hate coding. I'm never going to make it in the tech field."These are words I wholeheartedly believed in high school. It was excruciatingly boring and difficult to me, and I didn't believe that I was smart enough to become a software engineer. Being one of only two girls in my computer science class didn't seem to help either. I felt alienated, and I didn't really relate with most of the boys in my class.
Finding something difficult does not make you "bad" at it. In fact, it's the opposite. It means you've pushed yourself out of your comfort zone, and you became better as a result.
When I came to Carleton, I started to realize that I'm actually not only competent, but great at programming. I've met many incredible women in computer science who have inspired me to keep pushing myself as well.
Within my first year, I've managed to dip my toes in game dev, AI, and web programming. I've collaborated with classmates and friends to attend virtual hackathons and build awesome projects - things I wouldn't have dreamed of doing back in high school.
The most important piece of advice is - never be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone. If you can't figure something out today, don't give up. You can take some time to think about it, and try again tomorrow. If you take weeks, months, or even years to grasp a concept - so be it. That's your own effort and perseverance to be proud of. Do not let anybody put you down for it.
To sum it up: be a learn-it-all, not a know-it-all.
Completing a degree in computer science is no simple task, and everyone knows this. Holding on to this piece of advice, I can overcome and excel in anything. Whether it's learning how to use a loop, mastering advanced algorithms or thriving in my future career.
This is me, stuck at home and taking online classes. Just imagine what I can do once I get into the real world.
I'm ready to take on the world, but is the world ready for me? That's the real question. So be ready!