Learning to code by yourself is a lot like dating. You check out what’s out there, who’s doing what, who has a sleek, new interface, who keeps you engaged, and who can help you to be the fullest version of yourself. Eventually, you land on the right one, and you marry it. For some, this is a long and terrible process, full of heartbreak and frustration. For others, you find the right one, and you’re high school sweethearts. For others, you leave the right one, and then maybe make your way back to that final commitment (that’s me).

I started dating code in the Fall of 2017. I’m not a new grad or someone with tons of time. I’m a mom of an 8, 6, 3, and 1 year old, who was adjuncting in the English Department at a local university. I was struggling with anxiety and PTSD, stemming from a labor and delivery gone wrong with my youngest child. So why not add one more thing?

In actuality, this is the one thing that made all those other things work. I’ll call this the infatuation phase. My focus was on the code, using my brain, learning a new skill, and falling in love all over again with learning. When you make a commitment to learn everyday, each day becomes part of an adventure. As the Chinese proverb says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”