Life rarely follows the path we plan for it, and that it okay. In this article, I will be sharing my personal experience of what made me choose the path of becoming a Front-End Developer where I rediscover my passion, overcoming challenges, finding a sense of purpose, and building resilience.
From Health Science to Web Development: A Pandemic Pivot
Growing up I have always enjoy creating art and drawing, I was fascinated by the idea of translating what I envisioned from my mind into a piece of paper. However, as I got older the exposure I had with art creation became lesser. With society’s expectation and fear of missing out (FOMO) of what my peers were pursuing, I focused on health science and thought about pursuing a career in the healthcare field. After graduating from high school, I started my degree in Occupational Therapy, which I thought I had my path all figured out. Helping others felt like a noble pursuit, and I was confident this was the right fit for me. But as the pandemic shifted the world, it also shifted something within me — I began to lose interest and no longer enjoyed what I was studying.
Feeling adrift, I explored new avenues. I dabbled into design, or animation and games design —fields that aligned with my lifelong love for creating art. Yet, I still felt a little lost, unsure of how to translate my passion for creativity into something sustainable.
Finding My Ikigai: The Search for Purpose
With the power of the internet, it was during this period of uncertainty that I stumbled upon the Japanese concept of Ikigai (生き甲斐)—the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. Feeling inspired and hopeful, I put my studies on hold and took a step back to rethink about my future.
As I researched different possibilities, I came across digital design and web design. Why hadn’t I thought of this before? The idea of blending creativity with technology resonated deeply with me. And just when I was exploring my options, I discovered that TAFE was offering a fee free web development course. It felt like the world was calling and giving me a nudge.
A Hesitant Step into the IT World
I grew up surrounded by technology and it has become a part of what I use and interact with daily, but stepping into the world of IT? Woah woah woah, hold on a second. First of all, it sounds intimidating. Second of all, I didn’t have a background in computer science, and the idea of writing code seemed daunting. But I reminded myself of two things: my curiosity and my love for creating something meaningful.
Given the course was free and there was nothing to lose, I took the courage and enrolled into Certificate III in Web Development to see how I will enjoy it. Which then leads on to a Certificate IV qualification. As I progress the course, I was amazed at how much I could achieve. Typing up lines of code and seeing my ideas come to life on a screen was nothing short of exhilarating. For the first time in a long while, I felt motivated and eager to learn.It felt like something in me has been lit up. And finally, I progressed into a diploma qualification where I focuse on the front-end development.
Rediscovering Passion Through Web Development
As I got more into web development, it has became more than just a course; it has became a way for me to channel and express my creativity. From designing layouts, to building functional components, and making something both beautiful and interactive gave me a sense of accomplishment I hadn’t felt before.
With all that being said, my learning journey wasn’t always smooth sailing — there were quite a lot of incidents where I struggled with technical concepts such as JavaScript, debugging, and creating responsive design. There were days when I doubted whether I was cut out for this. But with every breakthrough, I regain my confidence and conitune to push my limits. I was also very fortunate to be in an environment with like-minded people where I could learn different ways of problem solving and gain insights of different programming practices.
Reflecting on the Journey
Looking back to what I progressed so far, I’m very grateful for the twists and turns that led me to where I am today. What started as a hesitant step into the unknown became a journey of self-discovery and growth. This experience taught me that it’s never too late to pivot, learn something new, and find a path that aligns with your passions and purpose.
So to those who are feeling a little lost or unsure about your future, I want to let you know that it is okay to take a step back and explore new and diffiferent opportunities! Sometimes, the right path becomes clear only when you’re willing to try something different. For me, discovering web development was more than just finding a new direction—it helped me reconnect with my creativity and uncover a sense of purpose I didn’t know I was missing.
