We’ve reached the end. Or at least, the end of this stage of the journey.
To recap:
- a little over a year ago, I started exploring the bootcamp prep materials
- after a lot of uneven pacing, I made the decision in January to commit to finishing the prep curriculum
- in March I applied and was accepted to the online engineering program, and at that point began a month’s pre-work
- in April, I began the program proper which, five months later, is coming to an end
I’ve had plenty of experience taking on commitments with accelerated paces, but this was at a completely different level than anything I’ve ever encountered. Not only was the subject matter completely unknown to me when I began, but the prospect of cramming the necessary foundational knowledge to make me a competitive entry-level hire over the course of a short five months was almost laughable. And yet, here we are.
During my last session with my educational coach, I was asked to reflect on what I had learned about myself going through this program. For the first time in a very long time, I pushed myself into a challenge where I had no guarantee of success, no former experience or exhibitable affinity with coding to drive my interest in pursuing the subject. All I knew was that I wanted a change from what my life was, a chance to take more control over my future than auditioning for underpaid gigs or wondering whether I’d get the shifts I needed to make rent was affording me. When I think of my other cohort members and the various backgrounds that led them to take on this program, it amazes me that we were all willing to take the risk and make such a monumental shifts in our lives. It’s debatable whether it takes a special quality in a person or a particularly desperate set of circumstances to make a life change on this scale, but there is no doubt that the determination and perserverance needed to see that decision through is something worth recognizing in every person that manages to complete this program
If there is one takeaway that I would leave for anyone who’s considering a bootcamp like Flatiron, it is that struggling with something new is a sign of growth, not failure. Programming is one of those rare fields where breaking things is an integral part of the process. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn from and optimize your code. As many sleepless nights and emotional breaks as I’ve experienced in the past year (especially during the prep course), I would have had many more had I not been able to forgive myself for what I don’t know and move forward.
Many thanks to the people who have supported me along the way, most of all my incredible and generous cohort lead Nancy, and my fiance without whom I could never have made it this far.