Why Coding?
The question of whether to enroll in the Flatiron school was not something I took lightly. The school itself is a major financial investment and would lead to major changes in my routine and general lifestyle. Originally, I had gone to college for music, studying Jazz Performance. I moved to Brooklyn shortly after graduating, and with that came many nights hanging out till 3 or 4 AM at various gigs and jam sessions. The many musicians I met were astoundingly talented, and I found the shared passion for jazz amongst my broader social circle invigorating and exciting. But eventually, the late nights and low pay started taking their toll on me and I began to realize that I needed to find a more sustainable field to work in.
I had known a number of jazz musicians who had made the switch to coding. It was somewhat common to hear that this or that guy, that I met at some gig or session, had decided to enroll in a bootcamp. Most seemed to end up generally successful in their new life, though I didn’t quite understand why at the time.
But as I started approaching the decision more seriously, I began to realize the ways in which the two fields are remarkably similar. Both involve learning an underlying logical structure and then applying that logic in a variety of settings and situations. Both require you to be a constant student and to think creatively about the application of new knowledge. And both fundamentally require cooperation and good teamwork skills.
In many ways, I think the aspects of my personality that made me excel musically lend themselves well to the coding world. I find great fulfillment in jumping from interest to interest, learning the various rules and systems, and seeing how they relate. It’s almost a joke amongst my friends that I’m constantly learning about a new field.
Even outside of music, whether it’s cooking, making coffee, baking sourdough, or growing vegetables, I always enjoy getting into the nitty gritty. I’m deeply driven to develop a base understanding of the logic and principles behind whatever I’m engaged with. Like other millennials, I came of age at the same time that technology and the internet exploded into their full potential, something that very much defined my formative years. The prospect of deepening my understanding of computing, of peeking under the hood of these tremendously powerful and ubiquitous tools, fills me with excitement.
I’m happy to say that so far, I’ve found myself to be correct in these assessments. I’ve deeply enjoyed the learning process, as well as the flexibility and self-directed nature of the program. I’m excited that there’s so much more to learn and look forward to seeing what more this educational journey has to offer.
