How Pink Programming helped me

I’m writing this from my desk at tretton37- a place with amazing coffee and nice people who also happen to have serious coding abilities – and I’d like to say a few words about how Pink Programming helped and supported me along the way.

After a degree in Linguistics, and studying six “people” languages, I desperately wanted a change but wasn’t sure where to start ... until I was introduced to HTML and CSS while proofreading a friend’s webpage.

Even though I found programming fun, mentally stimulating – and a much needed breath of fresh air- I felt intimidated since I knew no female programmers IRL. I felt so outside of my comfort zone that I also applied for a masters in Linguistics as a backup while applying for a programming course.

But then, a few weeks later, Pink Programming showed up in my newsfeed and I found the mental and emotional support network I needed. The lovely women I met at various Pink Programming events – programmers, some in the same shoes as me, some who came by to keep a friend company, mums thinking about a career change- were all a great source of encouragement.

And I made friends – wonderful ones- some who respond with encouragement and remind me that they were once in my shoes, even when I’ve sent them too many messages in a row, saying pretty much the same thing, but phrased differently each time: “ Idk WTF I’m doing. I want to go home and eat cake with my cats!!!”

So, if you’re someone out who is in the same shoes I was in last year: It’s okay to not know much about programming or even anything about programming. It’s okay to be unsure. It’s okay to have a mind full of apprehensions and questions. But do come by to Pink Programming and say hi.

And you’re always welcome to write me with programming related, cat related, and cake related questions at rosemary.alice.reid@tretton37.com