Why You Shouldn’t Stop Coding
By: Sofia Khan
Tags: Girls Who Code, Computer Science, Coding

Photo by Girls Who Code

I give up a lot.

From educational ambitions to personal hobbies, there is a long, long list of things I’ve given up on. The list includes passions, hobbies, interests, and even small daily activities like household chores or updating my computer. I’m a habitual giver-upper; I’m incredibly lazy and when things get even the slightest bit difficult, I would rather step away from it than tackle it head on.

Yet, I haven’t given up on Computer Science, though sometimes it seems like the entire industry is against me. I’ve sat through lectures and club meetings and internship interviews feeling out of place and like I don’t belong. I did not get a single perfect grade on any of my Data Structures homework assignments. There is so much I’m lacking in, which constantly makes me question my validity in this field. I’m the literal definition of imposter syndrome.

After the train wreck that was Data Structures, I let go of my passion for coding. I passed though, so I took it as a good enough sign to continue my degree, but I couldn’t remember the reason why I chose this major in the first place. It began to feel like an obligation rather than a goal. I wasn’t able to see myself as a software engineer, or a game developer as I originally dreamed for. I lost my motivation, I thought, forever.

During the past summer in quarantine, there wasn’t much to do. Previous breaks, I used to work on my own small coding projects to show to my friends. I felt drained from learning programming in school, though, so I refused to even open a code editing software. I was left watching random YouTube videos recommended to me and starting new TV shows on Netflix.

My friend, however, is currently working towards an IT degree. She said she felt unproductive during the break and started watching a six hour Python course. Though I was disgusted by the idea of a programming tutorial six hours long, I decided I was bored enough to check it out. I’ve only watched the first thirty minutes so far, but those thirty minutes I spent arethe reason why I decided to keep coding.

The instructor gave the audience a problem to solve, telling us to pause the video to complete it and unpause when we’re done for the solution. As I scrolled down to read the comments, I found a comment from someone who was new to coding. They talked about how they got the first question right and felt so happy that they were able to figure it out on their own. I was able to feel their happiness through the screen.

I’m not sure why it made me a bit emotional, but I couldn’t help but think back to when I was in junior year of high school, unsure of what to pursue in the future. I tried my luck and applied to a Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program. I somehow got in, and I remember learning Python for the first time there, watching code that I personally typed with my own two hands come to life.

That’s why I started coding in the first place: to create, and to watch the things I create actually work. That’s why I started to question whether I liked the subject, because I was creating things I didn’t fully understand, which ultimately led them to failure. My next personal project was a small game for my friends using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, since I could simply refresh the page and see the changes immediately. It’s what I showed to my employer when applying for a web developer job. Now, I create and update website pages in real time, and I’ve finally found what I truly like.

If you’re currently feeling frustrated with Computer Science and thinking about quitting, let this be a sign to keep going. Think back to the reason why you started coding in the first place, whether it was because you had a dream in mind or simply because you thought it was cool. Go back to your roots and let yourself breathe for a moment. Sometimes, you need to solve a quick Python question that you’re overconfident in to remind yourself that you got this. You really do got this.

Keep coding. I promise you won’t regret it.