Be who you needed when you were younger

I saw this image on a friends’ Facebook news feed today and I was immediately struck by it. I just spent my past weekend at a Chapter Lead Summit with Ladies Learning Code, strategizing how we can positively change the world and close the gender gap in tech for women and girls. I think a big part of why I want to be involved with LLC (especially in the Girls Learning Code classes) is because I wish something like LLC existed when I was young. When I was growing up, I was a terribly anxious kid (still an anxious adult) and I needed a lot of encouragement to take a risk so I didn’t a lot of the time. Every single woman and girl who comes out to an LLC class for the first time is making an investment in herself and taking a risk on something they think they might not be able to learn. It’s as much about confidence as it is about learning tech skills. For them and for my younger self, this is who I strive to be for my younger self and all the kids out there I get to interact with.

Take a risk and learn that mistakes are ok

I really struggled in school in certain topics (electrical circuits, you’re the worst). Those struggles made me feel like I was stupid and that I couldn’t do it. Presently, I try my hardest to be the kind of person who can take educated risks, fail and learn. We try a lot to tell the girls in GLC classes that even the most experienced developers have to google problems and mess up before they solve things. There are also a heck of a lot of discoveries that happened because someone made a mistake. It frees them up to go, ok, this is a part of learning, let’s keep going.

Try not to let what other people think affect you (too much)

Even as an adult I still struggle with this one. I have always fought with not fitting in. I have absolutely gigantic hair, hands with bright red palms and I can make a conversation awkward with little to no effort. All a kid wants to do is blend in and not be noticed too much and I stood out a little too much for my liking. I still stand out a little too much for my liking, but I went into a creative career where that’s acceptable and sometimes celebrated. Sometimes it’s important to be a weirdo and in a leadership role so younger kids know being a weirdo is totally fine and nothing to worry about. Some of the best things I’ve heard out of the Girls Learning Code classes are weirdly awesome, like the gal who went to halloween as a “Zombie Princess”. How awesome is that!? We should celebrate that kind of thinking.

Engage and encourage others

I am an introvert, but running a volunteer education initiative has forced me into situations where I have to talk to people, sound smart while I do it and get them to believe in their own abilities. I have days where I don’t feel very smart and confident, but you will never catch me discouraging someone else and telling them they can’t do it. I am a furious champion for other people. The people I remember the most from childhood did the same. They saw I was a slightly nervous kid but with the right encouragement I turned into a chatty Cathy who wanted all the bonus work I could get. I try really hard to pay this back and give that to others because very little feels better than learning something you didn’t think you could.

It’s still a work in progress. I feel like I’m going to be an old fart one day and still be anxious that my neighbour in the hospital has a cleaner bed pan than me and is judging me about it. It happens. Despite the challenges, forcing myself to be a role model for others has helped me be a better version of myself and hopefully make life better for others out there. Can you look at this note a very ambitious girl gave me at a Girls Learning Code class and not feel your heart explode? I dare you to try.