My journey so far
Oct. 5, 2024
My journey into the world of tech began in the 80s with my first experiences coding in Basic. However, a change of schools meant I soon forgot about it, especially since I was never particularly strong in math and never saw coding as something I could excel in. Without a computer at home, my exposure was limited to playing with a friend’s Commodore 65 – although a source of endless fascination.
At university, I got my first chance to learn to use a computer, when introduced to the wonders of WordPerfect 4.2. I was genuinely amazed by the possibilities of computing, yet I still lacked the confidence to believe I could make something of it, especially since anything involving math seemed daunting. Despite this, I took pleasure in personalising software, installing alternative programs and browsers, playing games – although coding still seemed a world away.
In the early 2000s, I had a challenging experience working with a major bank where I learned I wasn't cut out to be an IT auditor. I realised that my personality didn’t align with searching for possible risks and mistakes; I preferred the excitement of making things happen with other people. How dull that job was, it was during this time that a colleague mentioned the advantages of Linux, sparking my curiosity. I got my hands on some CD-ROMs and installed it, marking the beginning of a life-changing journey.
Learning Linux wasn't easy – I truly learned it the hard way, occasionally destroying my system or even a harddrive, but finding immense motivation in eventually getting my system to function as I wanted and exploring incredible software along the way. I was hooked and never missed a moment to share my passion for open source software. By the 2010s, people started asking if in hindsight if should not have studied a CS degree instead of Political Sciences, I realised slowly that maybe I should try it. In 2017, I enrolled in a BSc in Computing and IT at the Open University.
Since then, I’ve become a hobby coder, grappling with the inevitable struggles but making steady progress. I’ve contributed to open-source projects, participated at Kaggle , built my own website, learned a lot of countless assignments. Each challenge becoming an opportunity to learn and grow. It’s been an iterative process, and there’s a genuine satisfaction in encountering a problem I can now solve because I’ve faced it before. I’m on track to complete my degree in 2025, and it's been a truly transformative journey.
Lessons Learned
Stay curious: The tech world is ever-evolving; there’s always something new to discover.
Stay focused: Avoid the trap of endless tutorials – find projects that challenge you and be persistent to realise them
Overcome imposter syndrome: Embrace the fact that learning is a continuous process, and everyone starts somewhere.
Seek out communities and opportunities: Connecting with others can make all the difference, providing support, insights, and inspiration. This year I attended my first PyCon and it was an amazing experience meeting so many passionate coders.
Photo: Kars Alfrink