I dropped my CS major because I couldn’t do a bubble sort. Now I have 60,000 users for my Google Word Cloud Add-On
I dropped my idea of a double major, stuck with Economics, and started working in international development. Life went on. Now, as a successful mid career professional with a somewhat stressful job, I was looking for a “midlife reprieve.” I decided to learn to code again. I wanted the adult to conquer the fear that cut short the dream of a child. I also remembered how coding helps destress and clear the mind (before the bubble sort came in).
I started my journey of code. Here’s the TL;DR
- 2000 hours of weekends and evenings — check
- Close to 60,000 users for one of my software products — check
- 5 software products in Chromestore — check
- Can code up an app in a week, something that would have taken me 3–4 months, just two years ago — check
And most importantly a lifelong desire to continue as a (hobbyist) programmer.
The longer version:
I am not an expert programmer. Novice++ at best. My code is very green. I know it. My partner Abir Qasem, who has a Phd in Computer Science, agrees. But I have no fear of programming anymore and I do have a few products that people like and use. I am deeply humbled by the knowledge that I have so much more to learn. But at the same time I am very happy and proud of whatever little I have achieved.
I kept records of my progress mostly to learn from my experience and to know if and when I need to throw in the towel. But since this journey has at least, on a personal level, become a success story, I want to share. I have inspired by the journey of others. So I am sharing my story in the hope others may find it useful. And I like infographics too. So ‘nuff text.
