I don't just identify as a mother, but also as an artist, a developer, a creator and hacker of things. I became so wrapped up in motherhood that the other parts of me were neglected. I yearn to get back into the tech/art world. So I started to relearn and explore current trends in both UX and web development. Most of my brushing up happened in online bootcamps. I can attest that as a stay at home mom, online schooling is probably the best way to continue education and take care of a child and home.
I serendipitously came across an article about the GWG/Udacity 2018 scholarship. When I decided to apply, I explained wholeheartedly that I need to become a better and stronger programmer. Of course, I don't want to only secure a meaningful job, but I want to become a strong female role model for my son. I want him to see that despite the adversity that I may face as a woman and mother in a fast-paced industry, I can overcome these obstacles to achieve happiness and fulfillment in my career. I want him to see that when you put in the work and empower yourself with knowledge that you can achieve both a happy/balanced work and family life.
This course has been beneficial to me because it encourages me to find a balance between my family and studying life. But most importantly, it has helped me to make friends who have the same interests as me in a city that I am relatively still new to. A small group of us meet weekly online and in coffee shops to hack away at a side project that we are building alongside the Udacity course. Before this course, I often feared that I had taken off too much time from development and that I was no longer a viable candidate to any company. However, after doing a few bootcamps along with the Udacity coursework I feel as though I am up to speed enough that I could start interviewing for jobs shortly. And not only has the coursework improve my coding skills, but the moral support that I've received from Udacity's online community has been invaluable to restoring my confidence and desire to continue down the path of becoming a solid web/ux/developer. Udacity has been the confidence booster that I didn't know I needed!