Why programming?
I can’t say I’ve always been an enthusiast of the ‘ black coding screen’ but I’ve been interested in things to do with computers from a young age. I was lucky enough that we had a computer at home back then and I was always curious to know what every button on the keyboard or every icon that appeared on the screen would lead me to. It was on one of these curiosity escapades that I apparently ‘killed’ the monitor and also almost got killed by my father but that is a story for another day. However, out of this curiosity, I became very conversant with using Microsoft Word and basic Excel and of course pinball and spider solitaire by the time I was in primary three.
I first heard about programming when I joined secondary school. This was just the basics of programming languages and what they are used for. When I tried to get to know more about this thing called programming, I found the whole concept very complex and I wasn’t interested in learning it. When I joined university, it was a compulsory course unit and we were to learn python and object-oriented programming. Though python was not very hard, I still didn’t think programming would be of any essence to me and therefore didn’t take what I was learning very seriously. Little did I know that a few months down the road I would have to actually to teach myself how to code.
I have always been interested in new technologies and inventions and at the start of my second year at university, I realised this is the path I wanted to take. I want to concentrate my efforts in research, development and innovation of affordable technological interventions that will improve the health and social well being of everyone in my community. This is because technology is around all around us and more and more technologies keep on coming up every other day. So why not actually use it for the betterment of our communities. This is when I realised that programming would be of great significance along this career path. Since then, I have been making an effort to learn how to code and more specifically the development of web-based platforms, mobile applications as well as database management and with time I have grown to love and have a strong zeal for programming. I’m also always interested in any resource that will avail me with information pertaining to data science.
Is it worth it?
Just by following the current trend that the world is taking, the answer to this question becomes obvious. Every system globally is being digitalised; be it in the transportation sector (transit passes, self-drive cars, transportation applications), health sector, education sector, financial sector, communications to mention but a few and behind each of these systems is a team of developers. Simply put, programming has simplified life. So why would it not be worthwhile?
The beauty about programming is that it is ever evolving. This keeps you active and always learning. You can not be bored once you fall in love in with coding. And by the way, it is not just for the development of big projects. You can actually apply it in your day to day life. Would it not be beautiful if with just a tap on your phone you could switch off your bedroom light from your bed and not have to stumble to bed in the dark because you first have to switch off the light? (I know most of us without two-way light bulb switches in our bedrooms can relate to this.) And that is another amazing thing about programming, it awakens your innovative side. You’ll always be thinking of ways to simplify every activity you do using technology. This is why I believe it is very important to equip children with programming skills from the early stages of education.
Has it been easy?
Programming so far has not been easy. Actually, it has been very challenging. It does not come naturally to me and I have to really work hard at it. However, it is worth it. There is a certain kind of joy and excitement I feel when I move from the confusion stage I go through while coding asking myself what it is that I am doing, to seeing an output as I envisioned it while coding. The joy in creation; bringing something to life. it ceasing to be an idea and something that you can actually see and use physically. Programming makes that possible. Whenever the going gets too tough and all I can see is gibberish on that black screen, I always remind myself of what my end goal is and the impact I want to make in society using technology. Having this purpose at the back of my mind will always get me through any challenge I face along my journey in programming.