Hi, everyone!

A little about me post to begin my hashnode experience. My name is Bingeh, and I am an 18-year-old college undergrad, currently delving into the world of web development.

Before college, and tech, I didn't know what I wanted to do. No dream career to pursue, no special skills, nothing. I'd never gotten into much interaction with coding until I was 16. I was studying computer science in high school and had been doing so before then. It was mostly theoretical work, and practice had nothing to do with programming.

In my last year though, we were introduced to what I believed was a nightmare. Programming in C. Imagine me in that situation, lost and confused, and just flabbergasted at the concept. My learning approach was the worst, and while I thought I understood what was taught in class, I never really got it. Then came end-of-year exams, and there was me. I scored horribly in the practice exams, touching almost none of the coding exercises on my sheet. I made my decision then and there, that coding would never be my thing.

The time for college applications came, and 17-year-old me didn't know what she wanted to do in college. I didn't even consider a computer-related field, because why? I'd failed miserably before. While all my friends got into different faculties and professional schools, I still wasn't certain about my fate.

That's where my mom came in. She previously advised me to try my luck in teaching, but I didn't think I was cut out for that either. Nursing was out of the question, and then she told me to stay home if I couldn't think of what I wanted to do. I sulked for days until she asked me a life-changing question.

'Hey, what about that computer thing you always wanted to do?' she asked me. I turned down the suggestion because again, I thought my final exam result was proof that it wasn't my thing. What my mom said after that, changed my mindset.

'I know you. You can do it. A few months in, and you'll excel.'

She said those words over a phone call, and I'd never felt more invincible. My mom is a primary school teacher, and her education didn't go beyond college. She knows nothing about booming careers, or tech or computers, she calls me on the phone to complain about her Whatsapp not working. Her having faith in me like that brought me to tears.

I took the bold step and wrote an entrance exam to an engineering school. I passed and was admitted. My experience has been uphill from there. I met an exciting mentor, who showed me that it doesn't have to be complicated. With much practice, I got better at my problem-solving skills. The way I approached problems changed, and I started to soar in my own little world.

My point is, don't be afraid to try. You lose nothing by trying. Effort can get you anywhere you want to be, you just have to take one step to get going on that road. I never thought someone like me, who couldn't stand the sight of C, would be enjoying programming in python, java, PHP, and now javascript. I went from confused and on the brink of making a decision, I might have regretted, to being confident of every decision that I make for myself concerning my career now.

All my gratitude goes out to my mom, and my dad (who provided an extensive list of careers, politics included lol). My ultimate dream is to grow so much in my field, that they both don't have to work anymore. My mom was my teacher twice, and I'll honestly be doing many kids a favor by getting her to retire (never met any teacher like her. Literally). If I'd paid attention to a certain dip in my life, then I would never be where I am now. I see all the opportunities I have now, and I think I'd go back and shoot my 17-year-old self if she succumbed to past failures.

You find passion by doing. Do not be afraid to try!