When the article generates “Hello World!” as the default blog title for a Computer Science student, you take it and run, at least figuratively. As the introductory program to every language when learning how to code since Brian Kernighan’s The C Programming Language in 1978, it seems fitting as the title for the introductory post of my first blog. So, “Hello, World!”
At this point in time, I am in my final year of my degree at Oregon State University for Computer Science with a focus on Cybersecurity. I am also fortunate enough to live in Kirksville, Missouri with my husband and our three children and to work for the State of Missouri’s Office of Administration in the Information Technology Services Division as an Application Developer while I pursue my degree.
As I look forward to the rapid approaching close of this chapter and step closer to earning my degree, I still can’t help but reflect on how I made it this far. Originally, college was only an option because I didn’t know what else to do with myself. I attempted to pursue other goals and took time off after high school to ‘find myself’ without expectation and a lot of it didn’t work out, but things happened for a reason.
The same semester of starting college, I found out I was pregnant. While it wasn’t how I expected my journey to begin, I was determined to meet the challenges of parenthood, college, and whatever else life decided to throw at me. Through that determination, I had my son, completed my associate degree, had my daughter, married my husband, and continued to work full time and pursue my education. Each challenge was a lesson to learn and a step to finding my passion for helping others, learning, and setting a good example for my children.
With that reflection of my overall journey, this term, I want to focus on accountability and visibility. I’ve spent the last four years quietly developing the minimum to understand the fundamentals, and to honestly just get by while handling those aforementioned challenges. I’ve lucked out so far and managed to land an amazing job where my work has become more visible but doesn’t quite showcase what I am capable of. Creating side projects that interest me, working on my capstone project, and publishing this blog weekly are all ways for me to increase the visibility of my work and to help those who support me in my life to better understand what I do.
The capstone project I will be blogging about is an exciting time in the degree path, as it marks the beginning of the end and allows for me, as a student, to put those fundamentals to use and build something meaningful. We choose from a list of interesting projects, some that help the community, others that would be fun to learn, and some that have been in progress for multiple classes now. I value having a good team more than a specific project and will be lucky if I get both. Some options include game development, which has always been interesting to me, and others include web development, which I consider myself to be more qualified for, but making a final decision from the list was tough.
As I move forward with this blog and my capstone project, I aim to challenge myself in ways I haven’t before. Whether through game development, web development, or whatever project I land on, I am excited to showcase my skills, document my progress, and learn as much as I can along the way. This journey, from the unexpected beginnings of parenthood and college to balancing a full-time career and my family, has shaped me into someone who not only survives but thrives in the face of challenges. Now, as I approach the final stretch, I am ready to turn “Hello, World!” into something much bigger—a symbol of growth, persistence, and the exciting future that lies ahead. Stay tuned for the next chapter, and thank you for being part of this journey with me.
