A New Journey Begins: Learning to Code
Written by Rachel Pearse
My journey and interest in software engineering began as the youngest of three children. From a young age as far back as I remember for early years in Elementary School our family has always had a computer in our home. I enjoyed playing computer spaceship and Pac Man games on our computer and working on school work as I became older. I grew up in a creative household with creative parents. My mother naturally artistic: painting, drawing, and creative writing. And, my father was creative in his ability to break down, upgrade, and fix household electrical, plumbing, and building and upgrading computers. As such, my parents creativity was passed onto myself, the youngest of their children.
As far back as I can remember I have always been fascinated about the world around me whether, at home or outside world. The question of how and why things work was a question I never grew tired of asking my parents or my older siblings. I grew up watching my creative parents show us their world and exploring new worlds with us. Our exploration as a family revolved around regular family camping trips, family vacations, exploring-art museums, aquariums, hands on children’s museums, library time, and spending time with family and friends.
There was always an opportunity to play and ask questions to explore the answers to learning activities with my parents. My mothers creativity stemmed from artistic abilities: drawing, painting, and creative writing. My mom and dad were able to help us academically at school; as well as, and outside of school with at home academic studies curated by my mom which was outside of our regular school work. I enjoyed reading books, working on puzzles, playing board games with my family, creating-drawings, paintings, and creating things with art supplies.
The art of creativity and drive is an important aspect that I believe I have to become a software engineer. Asking questions about the world around us and discussing one’s perspective with others. I have always enjoyed my life from a childhood through adulthood. It was enriched my life experiences and with my parents wisdom and their guidance. I would ask for advice and my parents would give me feedback and I would make decisions after weighing my options critically. Then, choose what was best for my life my parents allowed us to make our own decisions as we developed good judgement as we grew from child to adulthood.
Allowing me to chose my own path in college acting only as advisors when we asked them. My parents allowed me to choose and explore my options for my college path. I worked and studied focusing my energy on making a difference in the lives of others. I graduated from college and received a degree that focused on public policy; end result of my hard work I was a member of National Honor Society and worked in non-profit agency for years. I worked with a local non-profit agency the focused helping families achieve life and educational goals by helping children from age 0–12.99 years of age. I enjoyed my job helping families within our community: helping others achieve their goal of becoming self-sufficient through the services we offered that enabled families to achieve education and job advancement opportunities.
My life revolved around discussions and learning through activities at home, school, and in church. This translated to the world outside of my family life. I learned by questioning, discussing, and speaking with others. Thus, I believe I learn best through the act of discovery by hands on learning opportunities.
The hands on learning environment that is offered to new software engineering students attending Holberton School focuses on real world software engineering scenarios. These real world applications created to provide a solution to a problem tailored to real world solution. From my perspective, as a starting point problem-solving in order to reach a solution.
A solution that is conceived and executed through research, planning, hands on trouble shooting, collaboration with others-students and mentors, to create a software solution. To create a software application that works and makes a users life easier. Thus, I believe Holberton School is an ideal environment that I would learn and end goal graduate taking on all that is offered as a student in a collaborative learning environment. Ultimately, working hard as a student to graduate, intern, and land software engineering job to continue the journey as a life long learner.
My inquisitive nature and life long interest as a learner was encouraged by my parents. As a child through adulthood I spent a lot of time with my parents and sister as we were a close knit family; as well as, relatives and friends. At home we spent time helping mom cook dinner, playing board games, working on our homework, hiking, working on art projects, and working on the computer. My family time favorite activities: family trips, camping trips, dinner time discussions about our day. Just the everyday enjoyment of talking, laughing, and discussing whatever was going on in our world at home, school, friends, and family.
Our family computer was a source of entertainment-playing games and a tool to complete homework projects. Both of my parents encouraged my sisters and I various home and school activities. My parents encouraged my artistic and academics activities. Especially, my interest in working on art projects as home, taking art classes, singing in choir, and taking computer classes in elementary school, in college, and more recently online learning environments, as well as, a short intro python prep course.
My interests in computers stems from watching my father as a small child through adulthood. My father worked outside of our home for over 25 years as a Quality Assurance working on Satellites within a governmental agency to ensure the passed QA standards set forth by government. Outside of his job my father spent his time focusing on his family and working on various household projects.
I would watch my dad working on at home projects-electrical, plumbing, bicycles, re-stringing his guitars and tennis racquets, working on family cars, his motorcycles, and computers. He would work on all these various projects breaking them down to upgrade or maintain them. I would talk to him about what he was doing and ask questions. Also, I would help him by handing him tools and holding a part this was throughout my childhood to young adult. Outside of working, spending time with our family he would be working on something with our computers. Whether it was a computer program, breaking down computer CPU, changing out memory, and hard drive.
My love of learning , reading, telling stories, putting on mini performances, creating art projects, singing in choirs at school and church, singing in a group, building forts as children, camping, exploring new places. And, discussing what we learned and making plans with our parents. All of which created a love of learning, asking questions, and thinking critically. Created an energy to always ask questions and trying new activities. My parents would encourage new activities and talk about working through your fears offering words of encouragement.
A reminder that its okay to be unsure about trying new things but do it anyway. To explore your options whether its a new hobby or are a new job. To go explore new things. Establish new goals and dreams by setting goals and move towards them with action plan. Learn from your mistakes and grow my mom would advise me by saying, “If your not uncomfortable your not growing.” And, my dad would encourage me too by talking to him about what I was doing at work and hobbies because life is not all work. It is important to have something else like hobbies as source of enjoyment too.
Life changes and moves quickly there are ups and downs sometimes pain has to be endured and overcome. As you go through life moving forward with life plans and changing gears to fit your circumstance. And, I have already started my new journey and will continue to learn to code with the goal of becoming a software engineer and truly wish my dad was here to see my new adventure begin.
My fathers life journey ended when he passed away last year in the Fall of 2016 he had been in remission from cancer for years. He held on, as long as, he could as he increasingly had health complications due to the after effects of his cancer treatments. As he was still in remission from cancer when he passed away. I will always remember my father as a man of integrity and truth, his guidance, remember his love, kindness, protective nature over our family, and time spent together family and friends world. I honor his memory and fill the void of his absence talking about our memories of my father brings me comfort. Not a day goes by without me thinking of him and talking about the lifetime of memories.
My collective memories abound with my dad all who were touched by his presence and now his absence. He was an avid reader of all topics, researched, and explored new ideas, enjoyed spending time with friends and family. My father maintained a wide array of hobbies from riding his motorcycle to maintaining his computers, and other hobbies. He found the time and kept in touch with all his family and friends. Our memories of my dad through shared experiences of friends, neighbors, and families. We were a part of his life and the moments in time spent with with each of us a different relationship. As a husband to my mother, father to his daughters, grandfather to his grandchildren, an uncle to his nephews and nieces, a cousin, brother, and friend.
A piece of my heart will always have a void but I will continue to pursue new adventures just as my father did. He always encouraged myself and siblings from a child through an adult to use critical thinking in all that we did in life. From reading to maintaining hobbies, outside of work, and spending time with friends and families. I will never forget the love he has shown all who entered his life. Spending time talking with his friends and families. My father-never forgotten always remembered I will cherish his life. And, his legacy lives on in the hearts of all whom had a relationship with him he encouraged all and listened offered advice through his experiences.
A man of truth and integrity. He never lectured me as a child or adult about life. He was always actively listening to you talk about what was going on in your life and offered encouragement and the gift of new books on a regular basis. And, would say just enough to give you advice to make you think long term about the topic of discussion. Always in conversation with my dad you would come away from them thinking about your conversation or reading about this new topic or perspective. Both, of parents encouraged me to think for yourself, to try new things, by thinking critically-creativity in thought and action was important to them.
My parents created a home environment that encouraged growth and learning which is important aspect of learning and working towards a new career as a software engineer. As such, I believe I would make a great addition to Holberton because of my intuitive and inquisitive nature. I have learned to think critically to write down, learn hands on by applying what I have learned through practice. The creativity to be open minded and work through new things. To learn new software engineering skills and best practices. Through the ongoing act of hands-on activities, learning from speakers within the tech industry, applying what one learns by creating, and to persevere to over come challenges as you keep learning, to use your resources-researching on internet and seeking advice from new and experienced software engineers. In conclusion, I will continue to works towards my goal of becoming a dynamic Software Engineer ready to learn new things and seek new adventures. Thus, my creative energy and love of learning will make me a successful addition to Holberton School as I am a hands on learner, collaborator, and inquisitive by nature.