Why I decided to study Software Engineering

A computational process is indeed much like a sorcerer’s idea of a spirit. It cannot be seen or touched. It is not composed of matter at all. However, it is very real. It can perform intellectual work. It can answer questions. It can affect the world… —Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs

At 17, I left the San Francisco Bay Area to attend the University of Washington. At the time, I thought I had my future figured out. I was going to get a double degree in Business and Communications and work in marketing. I remember skimming through the university time schedule and the “Intro to Programming” course catching my eye, and I remember feeling disappointed when I realized that it just didn’t fit in with my plan. It wasn’t until years later at the end of my undergrad, that I found an opportunity to take introductory programming and computer science course; I fell in love. Never before was I so completely engaged in a class. It was challenging and head-scratching at times, but those a-ha moments when a topic finally clicked were addicting.

After that course, I took my computer science and programming education into my own hands. I watched free online courses and read computer science books in my free time. By far, my favorite book was Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs. The authors did such an amazing job of illustrating “the magic” of computer programs and really taking a step back from programming syntax to look at the bigger picture.

If I could go back in time and convince 17-year-old me to deviate from “the plan” and take that programming course, I would in a heartbeat. While I can’t go back, I know now that Software Engineering is what I want to do in the long run. It’s a field that combines so many of the things that I enjoy and it has such a wonderful way of drawing upon both the analytical and the creative. At present, I work in accounting and while the idea of a career change is a bit scary, I’m excited for what’s to come.