Learning to code with my sister as my teacher

Student Spotlight | Tahani Adbullahi shares her story about embracing adversity and reinvention by learning to code.

Most of us experience various shifts in the path we are on in life. This could be related to your career, education, relationships or goals. What one may not realise, at first glance, is the catalyst that sets it all off.

My catalyst was the moment I sat with my doctor who informed me that I had fibromyalgia and would need further testing. According the the NHS, “fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.”

My diagnosis set off a chain reaction that pivoted the direction I’m heading in, in all aspects of my life. It was a moment that forced me to sit back and reflect. An experience that demanded I look at myself, my lifestyle, and my goals, and ask myself “am I truly happy with where I am, where I’m going, and the manner in which I’m getting there?”

I truly believe that God sends you waves of opportunity and change when you are truly ready. It takes acceptance, reflection, and honesty to move forward in a healthier and positive way, especially when previously you have gone through the motions mindlessly just because it has become the norm.

With my diagnoses still pending, I could sit and mope, perhaps throw dramatic tantrum, or have a pity party. Or, I could use this moment as a sign for me to sit up, really pay attention to the message, and start pursuing what really sets me on fire.

So I started a bucket list because I’m not one to waste one more moment before my situation could change for the worse. I wanted to grab life by the hands and run in the direction of all the things I’m passionate about.

You see, I like to make things look pretty. However, I’ve never had the opportunity to pursue my creativity due to lack of confidence, knowledge and practice. I realized that I have not been as adventurous as I would have liked to be in life. The fear of failure was always holding me back. This had to stop.

I could not wait for the fear of failure to dissipate to write my bucket list. To hurry the process along, I started to challenge myself and take accountability. I would dare myself to venture into the unknown.

One of these challenges was my secret desire to embark on a journey into the world of creativity and innovative tech. As a Muslim and a woman from Middle East, you can imagine the reasons for not daring to reinvent myself and step out of my comfort zone, given the negativity in today’s society towards to all that I identify with. However, with the promises of courage, creativity, adventure and the support of my wonderful twin sister, I decided to take the leap.

Before you know it, I was sitting in a class learning how to code and my sister, Marfat Abdullahi, was my teacher. I know, weird right!? My decision to join the web development course at 23 Code Street is slowly developing into another knot to add to my growing list of unforgettable and cherished moments in my life.

The class offered an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, to be around other like-minded people, and work together with an amazing team at the coding school. The best part is that I’m learning to code and my sister is my teacher.

Yes, not your average situation but here I am and I’m loving it! What makes this so extraordinary is how 23 Code Street and my sister are working hard by bringing this sort of adventure, joy, and opportunity to other women in India, who may never have the opportunity to have these experiences.

This goal is one that aligns perfectly with the kind of person I want to be. These are the type of values that I want to emit to the world. My desire is to give something back to the community whilst doing something I love.

Being back in a classroom is nostalgic, but I definitely prefer it to self-study. Attending a space solemnly focused on development, sharing ideas, and learning new skills in an informal setting, gives 23 Code Street less of an educational institution vibe. It’s more like meeting a group of friend to learn, socialise, exchange ideas, get creative and really just enjoy the process behind writing code. We are creating something using programming languages that look complex but are, in fact, so cool!

Kicking butt at HTML, CSS languages, and JavaScript, working on responsive design and GIT just solidifies more and more that I love doing this. I’m actually creating and making things look pretty using innovative tech. Can I really complain here? No. I really can’t.

I never realised how awesome coding is and that it is so vast with its potential. I’m personally drawn more to front-end development. I love creative design in general from logos to icons or UI and style-guides.

I’m looking forward to completing the course, and to see where it takes me. While I’m enjoying it (because, yes it is fun!), I look to explore what other parts of me I can discover. My journey of self-discovery and care is a long way from ending, but this is definitely an amazing starting point.

I am grateful to turn a negative experience into a positive one filled with potential. So, I like to remind you and myself:

The world can be a chaotic, at times fast-phased and nausea-inducing experience. However, you have the power in your capabilities to set change in motion. You are your guardian, your protector, your friend, and your carer. So make sure that you are kind to yourself and reach for the ability to really look around you and recognise the waves of opportunity and change for the better, the stronger and happier you.

Originally published on The Ascent. Tahani is currently a student on 23 Code Street’s Part-time Web Development Foundation. Follow Tahani on Medium because she’s great.