Why I Am Learning to Code

Many seem to jump onto the coding bandwagon in recent years with the explosion of technology startups, and the expanding coverage on the importance of coding to be well-equipped for the future employment landscape. My initial leap into coding was based on a mentality of fear i.e. if I do not learn coding, my employability will be at risk, I will lose out to younger kids who can whip up codes like nobody’s business etc. As I started learning coding through free online resources, I felt directionless as there was no discernible goal I was heading towards. I was picking up coding like I was buying insurance, except that I didn’t know what I was insuring against. The process was not enjoyable or meaningful.

After speaking to a friend who successfully learnt coding from scratch, I realised that I needed to ground myself in a tangible coding project that would allow me to measure my progress, as well as keep me focused on this long journey. With that in mind, my goal is to build my own website to host the short form videos I will be producing come August this year. The aim is to build a simple platform that can support my content, and of course, to go through the ups and downs that come with any project. I aim to finish building this website by November, which will give me four months, on top of the other work I have to juggle.

As a woman too, it makes it even more meaningful for me to learn coding, since the world of code is still very much male-dominated. I am driven to inspire other girls and women to pick up coding, and build a community of female coders, which can only be a plus for technology and our world.