When I first decided to switch into computer science, I was coming from a heavy medical research background so I did not have a lot of confidence in my abilities. I also attended a PWI, so in majority of my courses as a CS major I was often the only woman and black woman in my courses. I loved programming so I put my nose down and just grinded it out for 2yrs until I got my degree. Doubting my capabilities every step of the way… that is one of my biggest regrets.

“You really are your best advocate”

I wish I had realized that doubting myself only served to missed opportunities and shrunken capabilities. It is a lesson I wish I had learned while I was in an environment to make connections with ambitious people in my field. You really are your best advocate.

Also, programming is not for geniuses who think in binary (lol). On a basic level programming is just problem-solving in a specific way. The only thing that makes programming intimidating, in my experience, is the unknown. Get started and it's an entirely different story.

Kaity Clark is a Java Developer and Cyber Enthusiast helping beginners get started.

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