My Journey as a mediocre software engineer

Part 1: The Encounter.

console.log(`hello world`)

My first encounter with programming was in junior high school. My dad enrolled me in some basic html and css course in Jakarta. At that time I wasn't quite sure, what is the purpose behind that course. I create simple html page with simple css, yeah of course I use a lot of marquee elements. It felt like I could hack pentagon when I could create text running on my screen 😂.

Nothing much happening in this section, because the thought of becoming a software engineer didn't really cross my mind at that time. It's just, I kept thinking about this time (it's around 2007), knowing that I become a software engineer now, like how can my dad predict that it could be a thing now. That course I think, is like a gate for me, eventhough I didn't really code after the course ended.

Part 2: Last Resort.

Several months before my graduation day at the university, I felt anxious. I wasn't really sure about life after college. Where do I want to work? what kind of job will I get with my current skillset? Those questions was making me anxious. As a computer science I didn't want to end up as Management Trainee (MT) in some State-owned enterprises. It's not like MT isn't a respectable job, it's very respectable, but I felt like I was wasting my 4 years for studying if I didn't use it in my Job.

I realized that my coding skill was far below average at that time. I didn't even know what's happening in the industry at that time. What programming language/tools/frameworks did they use? I had no idea. It felt like, I join a gladiator with just a t-shirt and short pants in my body, no equipment, no armor, and no weapon.