As kids, Millennials and Gen Z-ers are told that they should be passionate about their work, that they should “do what you love and never work a day in your life.” We were told that this was the key to happiness. I tried to do that. I tried dedicating myself to my job, telling myself that I wanted to climb the ladder and someday be an executive. But despite giving more and more and more of myself to that job, I never received happiness in return. And so I realized that I was not really someone who could be fulfilled by their career. But you know what does fulfill me? Being outside, traveling, and experiencing new things! Backpacking, mountaineering, skiing! New people, places, and activities! But, even though I would love to spend my life simply doing those things 24/7, I need money. And health insurance.
Two years ago, I was in a job where I felt unappreciated, unfulfilled, and unable to live the lifestyle I wanted to live outside of work. I had a degree in Chemical Engineering, but I was acting as more of a project manager (or really, a babysitter for all of my older, more experienced coworkers). I was at a company that didn’t really care if I was being paid fairly, and didn’t really care that I had experienced many of those seemingly inevitable, yet unacceptable, uncomfortable moments as the only woman on a team of 20 men. I trudged into the same factory every day at 6 AM, after a 45 minute commute, because there is no such thing as “working from home”, or really any flexibility in your schedule, when you work in a factory. I would save up my two weeks of PTO, so that I could go on one epic, two-week-long trip each year, where I’d feel adventurous, free, and truly alive. But throughout the rest of the year, I lived the same stressful week over and over again, just waiting for those two weeks of PTO. Life was fine, but I wasn’t really living the life of which I had always dreamed. I was desperate to make a change.
The tech industry intrigued me. All I could remember from the introductory-level programming classes I took during my ChemE degree was that objects and classes were extremely confusing and extremely scary. I remember reading over technical interview questions on Glassdoor, and seeing one about linked lists. I then panicked because I had no idea what a linked list was, and assumed that I would never be able to comprehend what a linked list was. But I knew that Software Engineering could be my ticket to a better life, so I thought, eh, why not? I found the online Oregon State B.S. in Computer Science program and I knew I had to do it. And wow! It’s crazy how far I have come since then.
It’s wild to think about how the person who was panicking over classes and objects and linked lists just two years ago is now a full-stack engineer who can develop APIs, design SQL databases, debug network calls, create React components, and even write code in C and Assembly language. I am so thankful to this program. I’ve taken some really great classes and learned so much! Some of my favorite classes include database design, networking, API development and cloud services, and parallel programming. I also think that the data structures and algorithms courses in this program prepared me well for technical interview studying (a.k.a. the Leetcode grind), which are skills I will need and use for the rest of my life.
For me, deciding to become a Software Engineer was about more than just changing jobs. It was about trying to live a life that excited me. It was about financial freedom, flexibility, and ultimately getting time back for myself so that I could do the things I really wanted to do. I finally joined the tech industry when I accepted my first job as a Software Engineer about five months ago, and so far, it has been everything I had hoped it would be. I’m on a team that is > 50% women and I feel respected. My work is interesting, challenging, and dynamic. The company culture is overwhelmingly positive, caring, and encouraging. I spend my working hours entertained, engaged, and supported, and you really can’t ask for much more than that.
And the best part? I can work 100% remotely, and have unlimited PTO. I can spend more time being active outside, and travel more often. Since I don’t have to go into an office anymore, I can drive down to California, go on a morning hike, work from a coffee shop, and paddleboard on Lake Tahoe til the sun goes down. Or, I can fly to Hawaii, work from my aunt’s house on the Big Island, and spend my afternoons walking on volcanoes. Or, I can do both! And that’s the best part – with this job and with this field, there can be so much flexibility. There can be so much freedom. There can be space for you to create whatever life you want to live.
This BS in Computer Science has changed my life, and this is only the beginning.
