A different path, a different view
16 Jan 2024
From plants to computers
Leading the decision to exercise my interest in software engineering, is to acquire the skills I need to be able to broaden my creative ability. Or at least that’s what I first thought… Before the global pandemic when we all were experiencing lockdown, and jobs were on hold. I was an active volunteer with a local non-profit organization on Kauai. It was with the Native Plant Society where I enjoyed a community of native plant enthusiasts sharing the goal of educating others of the importance of native plants in our local environment. From this experience, I was offered the opportunity to help redesign their website. Making me somewhat capable of this endeavor was that prior to taking on the project I had some familiarity with website building platforms. In my former occupation as a seamstress, I would create and sell my work on a self-run ecommerce website. Within our small group, that was the most experience any of us had with establishing something on the internet.
One thing leads to another
As the pandemic replaced our once engaged lifestyle. The unfinished project would be suspended. Yet my curiosity and desire to explore this interest of mine took over. During the experience of working on as much of the website we could put together. I experienced some frustration with not knowing enough to design and implement beyond the scope of what we were able to do. There were some things I could figure out and present. However, I knew I could do so much more. During the lockdown I decided to return to college, enrolling in courses and a degree program in computer science. To cultivate my environment, and bring these dreams to fruition.
Reaching beyond my finger tips
More than just the realization of wanting to know more, is my hope to do more. It wasn’t just the artistic perspective of designing a website. But the meaning of what that presence could represent to a non-profit, or any business. And it’s not just in having a website that can offer this extension of communication. So in doing what I enjoy, and in having embraced my curiosities I realize that my interests in software engineering is to develop programs that assist in the improvement of communication. I have some personal ideas of where that may lead me. Which I’m not quite yet ready to speak into existence. Though what I do know is that I obtain a sense of creativity and drive to produce functional and user-friendly programs that can help improve communication. I hope to be able to create this extension that offers others to strengthen their establishment, push their mission, and allow for realistic goals to lengthen their purpose.