Have you ever felt like you don't belong in tech? Are you very underconfident in coding? Does even thinking of practicing code feel tiring? When you code, do you feel like an imposter? Do you feel like how much effort you put in, you are never going to get good at it? If yes, is the answer to at least one of these questions, then read this article.
Do I not belong in tech?
The thought that you do not belong in coding is because you are slightly higher than the beginner level. In the beginning, learning how to do anything including coding seems effortless. Easier than learning the alphabet when you learn a language(Human language). I bet you all felt really good when you wrote the first program "Hello World!".
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello World!");
}
}
Even when you learn the basic theories you feel good about yourself. You feel like you are pushing your limits and learning something new. But after a point of time, you get lost and feel the rope getting tightened. You feel uneasy and tired of trying. Leading to a blackout. This happens because of stress not because you don't belong here. Why do you stress? It may be because of many reasons. You feel your friends had started earlier and now you are lagging. You are in a hurry to get a job. Everyone seems to have it easy but you can not seem to find a way.
Why not get stressed up
I would say, first calm down. When you are learning to code the journey is not going to be easy. It has never been for anyone(not just coding, any skill). And comparing yourself to others will never make you better. Comparing yourself to your older self is what you should do. Have you gotten better? Ask this question often to yourself. You will then know where you stand. If you haven't advanced that means you have to do more work and nothing else.
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Boolean Improved = true;
if (Improved) {
System.out.println("Good Continue");
} else {
System.out.println("Put in more effort");
}
}
}
How to not feel underconfident
Take baby steps. Start with easy code. Make sure to keep pushing yourself and not round up to stage one again. I have done this mistake tons of times, it is not useful at all. It is rather destructive. It's a circular path, you start and end at the same place and don't ever make progress. Start coding on Hackerrank, GFG or similar platforms. This might make you feel uncomfortable in the beginning. But everything has its threshold. You will feel better once you see that you can code a little more than basics.
How to start coding right away?
Set a goal. Define a timeline to finish the goal. I would suggest a beginner-friendly goal to start with. Solving one question a day and understanding its concepts. Make it obvious and fun. Reward yourself after doing the task. You can also mark a tick on the calendar on the days you coded(Reference from Atomic Habits).
Conclusion
As a beginner, I also faced all the uneasiness discussed above. I was a biology student in my junior college years and I know how frightening it is when you start out on something new. Especially from a very different course than that you pursued in the beginning. But, you know many people start out in tech after being in different jobs. You are not an imposter. It is okay to forget what you have learned. It's okay to learn the same again. And it is absolutely okay to feel overwhelmed in the beginning. How and at what pace do you rebound from that feeling, that's the catch.
Have a wonderful learning experience✨.