FORGET PASSION: HOW HATE TURNED THINGS AROUND
In many real life stories of conquest and success,passion is cited as the drivers. Think Warren Buffets who started a business at 13,Bill Gates who quit college to pursue his PC dream and Mark Zuckerberg who started Facebook in a hostel. The similarity of their journeys - Passion oiled their later accomplishments.
My story, however, is different. I found my passion from what hated most. This is my story.
That Tuesday afternoon,with a merry heart, nothing could take my mind off the promising future. I had just learnt of my good grades in the national high school exams. My childhood dream to be a civil engineer beamed before me. One day, I would lead the next superhighway project in Kenya. Or build the next skyscraper in town.
How could the picture be complete without the amazing campus life at the top most University in the country. I resided in the air.
When applying for placement in the government-sponsored undergraduate program,I had only one thing in mind - a Civil Engineering degree at the University of Nairobi(UoN). There was no negotiations with either the course I would study or where to study it. Civil Engineering at UoN or nothing. It would take only a matter of time.
Time told. As was the story with many others, I had been selected for the degree but at a newly elevated University College. Despite the University being a former technical college, I was sank. Something had to be done, whatever it took.
After unsuccessfully pursuing an interuniversity transfer and later failing to be enrolled in the parallel study module at UoN, I opted for another top university where I would study Civil Engineering.
After an extensive research and bouts of frustration by the scarcity of institutions offering the same course, I identified computer science as the next best choice. Not because I loved computers but I believed it was the closest to a technical career I willed to take. Also,the pressure of time waiting for no man, and concerned relatives was much to be ignored. This was definitely going to be a tough journey, I thought. Anything to do with computer had been my object of hate since high school. And if the basics didn't interest me,how could the advanced be my passion.
In my first and second years at college,I hardly took any units seriously. Cramming helped out with the exams until the third year came knocking. There was no cramming code. Things had gone practical. Some things had to happen.
3 THINGS HAPPENED. -
When starting the 3rd year,I joined a discussion group with 3 other students. We bumped into an online app development competition. With nothing to lose,we participated and emerged winner. We developed an app that alarmed residents in flood prone areas in possibility of deluges. This was a beginning of flips.
Early last semester, I met a guy who was a civil engineer but ran an IT firm. He had joined our class to gain more technical insights on the IT field to efficiently run his company. He challenged me to undertake a few projects in his company which I did but without perfection. Both experiences (the hackathon and the projects) completely shifted my view of computer science and IT in general. They taught me the positive implications of IT in economic and social lives. I could use my IT proficiency in supporting civil projects that bettered others lives. Last month,(July 25-28th 2018),I attended a Developers Student Club summit in Lagos,Nigeria as part of the Google Students Program. I could only marvel when speaker after speaker detailed how technology was changing lives. I also started reading articles and studying other literature on the same. I am happy as the leader of the Developers Club to be a part of a worldwide community dedicated to put her knowledge in designing socially impacting initiatives. Be it an app for alerting doctors of malaria outbreak in Baringo ,or training children on basic computer literacy or writing codes for a top firm.
MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS I’VE LEARNT FROM MY EXPERIENCE - Having a mentor, a friend, coursework discussion group and a network of determined folks whom you share goals and interest areas with will largely facilitate your growth in the field. Throughout my struggle, I felt like an island. I didn’t have someone who assisted me with applying the transfers,or guiding me to the best technical colleges or to help me with my frustration with the coursework. Then I didn’t realise it. Mentors,career coaches and someone you could open up to are as important to accomplishing your career goals. Despite the stereotype that comp science guys are antisocial, introverted nerds,working with like minded people hugely boosts the motivation to pursue challenges that grow your skills and knowledge.
My path has been one of learning the hard way. Of losing lessons while focusing on frustration. Though I tell this story,it's not meant to encourage you follow the same path. As William B. Sprague once remarked, " do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking". Do not wait for an opportunity to sprout to find your passion, to pursue your dreams or tackle your problems. The time is now,in what you are currently doing.
