More About Me

Beginnings

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me and my coding journey. I came to coding later in life, after a period of exploration where I wasn’t quite sure what career path to follow. Initially, I considered medicine, but realized it wasn’t for me—especially the thought of working with blood and surgery.

It was during my senior year of high school that I discovered programming, thanks to my cousins in Canada who shared their enthusiasm for it. Hearing how computer science offered both creativity and variety, unlike repetitive tasks in some other fields, I became intrigued. The idea of being able to build any software I could imagine won me over completely.

Now, I’m passionate about exploring new technologies and pushing my skills through challenging projects. I actually enjoy the problem-solving and perseverance required to tackle coding roadblocks. For me, that’s where the real thinking begins.

First Projects

Some of my earliest projects came from my Computer Science classes at the University of Georgia. While these projects may not seem substantial, they helped me grasp key programming fundamentals and understand how to approach large problems by breaking them down into manageable tasks. Most of my projects are available on my GitHub, but one in particular stands out: a command-line game called Sliding Numbers. This project introduced me to effective algorithms and the importance of optimizing performance.

Sliding Numbers was built in Java as a CLI game where the user works with a randomized 3x3 grid of tiles numbered 0-8, with only the 0 tile allowed to move. I used Java’s Scanner library to handle keyboard inputs, which registered as moves in the game. The board was represented as a two-dimensional array, and I used the Taxicab Method to implement the tile movement algorithm.

This project taught me that writing code is just one part of creating a program; the real challenge lies in problem-solving and determining the steps needed to reach the final solution.

Outlook

As I prepare to graduate from the University of Georgia this December 2024, I’m thrilled to be returning to the United States Air Force Base in Warner Robins to begin my career as a software developer. During my summer internship there, I worked on flight software, designing and implementing the UI and functionality that pilots see in their control panels. This experience taught me a lot about how large organizations build software at scale, as well as the importance of working with a supportive mentor and contributing to impactful projects.

While I can’t share specifics, this internship emphasized the critical focus on security and integrity at the Air Force Base. Knowing the stakes—that the code used in military aircraft could mean life or death for pilots—highlighted the importance of safeguarding information against any threat. This experience solidified my commitment to the field of software development and inspired me to keep learning about new technologies that can solve complex problems.

Currently, I’m dedicating time to both work and side projects, continually expanding my skills. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to connect. For me email is the best way to get in touch. Thanks for following my journey, and I hope you have a great day!

Last Updated: November 11, 2024