Finding Myself

So I just graduated Dev Bootcamp last Friday.

I’d like to share my experience with you.

I began the program with an introductory course to programming under my belt. Because of this, I was very comfortable with the introductory material. I breezed through it and was flying high. Then, the storm that is the fully-immersive, onsite of Dev Bootcamp came underway.

I was not prepared for the speed and intensity of the onsite portion. Making myself knowledgable, available, and prepared to closely collaborate with a community of wildly diverse backgrounds and skillsets was something I had never committed to. Performing from sunrise to sundown at the highest level of mental and emotional intelligence was a tremendous shock to the system. Quite simply, this was the hardest thing I had ever done in my life. I quickly began to question myself, my intent to become a technologist and my future as an engineer.  I had never done anything this hard in my life. I became incredibly stressed, irritable, and isolated. I felt myself regressing as a person.

What Must Be Done

I came to the realization that if I was to grow into a better person, and become what I have always envisioned, I needed to learn to humble myself. I needed to learn to listen. I needed to learn true hunger. I needed to learn to embrace confusion, uncertainty, sheer absurdity and everything that comes with it.

What Was Done

I worked 12-14 hours daily, 6 days a week. I was committed to the material, the transformation, and the notion to become a valuable asset to my colleagues. I found true, meaningful camaraderie, inspiration, passion and ideas in my cohort mates. I became a sponge, seeking and absorbing guidance and mentorship in anyone who was willing to provide. I reciprocated this with my fullest effort. I was okay with being confused. I was comfortable with being uncomfortable. For the first time in my life, I experienced a true community of learners, dreamers, doers, and I was in full devotion.

There comes times in our lives that we deem as defining moments. Graduating Dev Bootcamp was a defining moment. I know who I am. I know what I am capable of. 1200 hours of coding, coffee, blood, sweat, and tears later, I am ready. I am ready to build beautiful, meaningful things. I am ready to fail. Spectacularly. I am ready to learn Spanish after failing it in college. I am ready to conquer the unfathomable. I am ready to bring passion, persistence, and peak performance to each new endeavor I embark upon.

And, somewhere in the mix, take over the world.