Why I started Coding

Well, the people who know me from college think that I have been into coding from childhood and that I always wanted to be a programmer. It was not like that. I HATED coding before. So, the story now goes: why I started coding and why did I stick to it? So, let's begin the story, shall we? Here are the phases of it:

1. Pre-coding

Before coding was even introduced to my life, I loved to read books and write on it. I was a voracious reader who could be best described as a young girl surrounded by her books and lost in that world. With my superior knowledge of vocabulary and words (or so I believed), I loved to write articles and see them coming into life when I spun words and breathed life into it. I would be fascinated by the stories I can create with words on paper. It would bring me joy, sometimes tears, sometimes embarrassment but the best thing is that I can create with words and see it coming into life.

2. Enter my brother - computer genius/charmer

My brother was always into coding, sketching and what not, but basically mostly into coding. Fortunately, I am elder to him and by fluke he always considered me to be his partner of crime. So, if he has to code, he has to share with his elder sister with such utter joy and happiness that I also started coding alongside.

3. The process

At first, I did not enjoy the process at all! I mean who even likes to be heckled by a small dynamic freckled kid on coding who is persistent even to drag me to show his code on desktop and explaining me the dynamics of how he has coded that particular snippet. Boy, oh boy! was he consistent and persistent no matter how grumpy I was. So, the first stage was definitely grumpiness.

In the second stage, I began to be curious. What is this variable, object and class he is always talking about. What is so fascinating about the black screen churning numbers out? I started to listen. I did not understand everything at first, but later on, I was able to get a grasp of things. There is a certain logic associated with numbers and constants that are to be applied. To make things works, there are certain rules that can be followed but I can make things work depending on my creativity. So, the second stage was definitely curiosity.

In the third stage, I realized that it is similar to writing. I can create things on the basis of play. I can have fun with rules, variables and do stuff. It can be interesting, dull, inane, boring, amazing but no matter what, it is creation. That got me into coding. The realization that 'I am more hooked into creating things than just writing or just coding', that set me off. I also realized on that day why I loved writing. It was because it gave me the power to create things. No matter what shape they took, it is creation.

4. The journey now

So, where does that now leave me? Well, it leaves me still coding, still questioning, understanding the roadblocks, checking things out and coding. I think, I have more list of failures in my arsenal than success but you know what, the fun is in the process; some are half baked beans, some are really bad programs and some are extremely primitive but it tells my journey of trying, having fun, sometimes giving up, angry and then coming back. So, that's where I stand now.

so, that's all folks. Adios!