The tech industry is insanely competitive. Even the brightest students from top universities struggle to break into FAANG. But strangely, I’m not discouraged by this. Maybe it’s because I don’t fully grasp how hard it is yet. Ignorance might be a blessing in disguise, I think it might be like trying to make it to the NBA without ever picking up a basketball.

I was introduced to programming by my younger brother after he completed a Flutter bootcamp. Until then, coding was as alien to me as speaking another language. I’ve always loved problem-solving, math, and physics, thanks to some incredible teachers. That passion became a positive feedback loop: the more I worked at it, the better I got, and the more encouragement I received.

When I graduated high school, I wasn’t sure what major fit my interests. I knew I wanted to be in engineering but didn’t know what career best aligned with my skills. At the time, I thought computer science engineering sounded cool, but I was advised to go with mechanical engineering instead. Fast forward to today, and I can honestly say that while mechanical engineering has its perks, it’s not a natural fit for me. I struggled with the hands-on work and found myself losing interest as the curriculum shifted away from theory and math.

That’s when I stumbled upon programming. Two months ago, my brother introduced me to coding, and I was immediately hooked. After watching countless YouTube videos, I dove into Harvard’s CS50p course, which was exactly what I’d been looking for. It clicked.

Now, I’m focused on this journey because coding is interesting — it’s mentally stimulating, and it aligns with my strengths. While the perks of working in big tech are attractive, that’s not my primary motivation. FAANG represents the pinnacle of computer science, and having that kind of goal gives me something to aim for — something to push me to improve without cutting corners.

I’m not the smartest person out there, and I don’t have connections or a prestigious background. But I believe common sense, a positive attitude, a strong work ethic, and a clear goal can take someone far — maybe even to FAANG.

So, I’ll be documenting this journey to hold myself accountable and connect with others who are on a similar path. I’m open to feedback, advice, and constructive criticism. Let’s do this.