Welcome to my blog. Pour yourself a tasty beverage and relax. While we’re not here for a very long time, I hope that we’re at least here for a good time.
Ok. Where do we start? At the beginning I guess. Don’t worry, I will try to finish before the elevator stops. I think this bit of background will help us get better acquainted and paint some prospective into my crazy passionate journey to become a Software Developer.
As far back as grade school, I excelled in Math and Science, but truthfully I really loved computers and technology, especially video games; However, my mom didn’t view binging on Zelda or dissecting computers as serious career moves. As a result, there was heavy influence for me to study something the family could be proud of – Engineering.
In my ‘hood, Math and Science was for weirdos and engineers were like unicorns. So, this pursuit came with an awkward social existence and huge uncertainty.
To become better acquainted with my destiny, I flipped through a few science brochures and attended some seminars, but throughout the 1st half of undergrad I still didn’t know which engineering discipline to focus on. So, after sage advice from my mentor and a few life changing experiments, I decided to double down in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Little did I know that this would be the fastest way to eliminate my social life.
After a few internships at NASA and 2 BS degrees, I landed in the Food and Personal Care industries and excelled at designing equipment and processes for Fortune 500 companies, during the day. At night, I managed music artists and planned live concerts and music fests nationwide. It was in this incredible experience that I felt the most invigorated and it brought home the importance of pursuing passion.
So, several years later, I was inspired to revisit my love for coding and video games. I searched and attended as many free CS courses that I could google and fit within my hectic schedule. During this exploration, I discovered the OSU online CS program and had an epiphany to become a Software Developer. My wife thought I was crazy and having another mid-life crisis moment. She said it was too late to code.
I initially was reluctant to apply to OSU due to being away from academia for so many years and the fear of not being able to keep up. So, I decided to take more free classes. I eventually grew a pair [of nerves] and enrolled. In the beginning of the program, it took awhile to adjust, but now it feels like home, and I can’t believe we are already about to begin Capstone.
I’m excited to embark upon and share this journey with you, but as an OG approaching mid-career, I must confess that I am nervous of what’s on the other side, particularly the perception of an experienced Chemical Engineer but newly pursing Software Developer.
Maybe a Ferrari would’ve been easier?
This is my floor. Thanks for listening. See you next week.
