How learning to code saved me.

I checked the clock again. How was this day going so slow?

But then again, every day went this slow.

I looked back at the thousand page aircraft requirements document I was reviewing. It was mind numbing tedious work.

I had been a systems engineer for four years working on various projects for companies like Honeywell, Parker Hannifin, and Boeing. I graduated with my Masters in Aerospace Engineering and I was good at my job.

There was just one problem. I hated it.

When I was in school, what I was learning excited me! I was designing airplanes, I was making 3d models, I was president of a student organization where we designed, built, and flew airplanes and multirotors. I was using 3d printers, laser cutters, carbon fiber composites, and 6 axis CNC machines. It was fun and exciting and satisfied my desire to solve problems and be creative.

But then I found myself in the industry, and the large majority of jobs were nothing like that.

** I know there ARE super cool jobs in the aerospace industry. They are just rare and hard to get into. Don’t feel like you need to respond and tell me there are :)

Every hour and minute in my cubicle seemed to stretch into eternity and a part of me died each morning I woke up. I didn’t want to go to sleep at night because when I woke up I would have to start it all over. I couldn’t enjoy the weekend because all I could think about was having to go back on Monday. (If I wasn’t already working the weekend.)

I was deeply depressed.

I know this might sound a little dramatic, but I KNOW there are people reading this right now, nodding in agreement, feeling the exact same way.

I had realized pretty early that I wanted to change careers. But wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do. I tried a few things before trying out coding again. Affiliate marketing, drop shipping, a few other “get rich quick” deals people desperate to change their lives (like I was) sometimes fall for.

But when I opened up Xcode for the first time and wrote my first simple app, that was it. I knew I had found my new calling.

I immediately fell in love with Swift and programming for iOS. I love the creativity of both writing the code and designing the UI. I love solving complex problems and that feeling of euphoria seeing my code work after a particularly difficult bug.

It was a long hard journey. Learning to code is not easy. Especially when you are working a demanding full time job and have a family.

But if I can do it. So can you.

The day I gave my 2 weeks notice, was one of the happiest of my life. I skipped out of the office, a smile on my face, a burden lifted from my soul.

I was going to be a developer.

Now I love what I do. I love coding. I love creating something where there was nothing. I love teaching our students and in turn learning from them. I work from home and get to spend more time with my family, which has since grown by one in the form of our squishy new little girl.

Learning to code saved me, and now I get to help others.

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