People often ask me: "How did you get into tech?" My journey into this industry wasn't as straightforward, but sometimes, the unexpected paths lead us exactly where we need to be.

The Med School Dream

Growing up, it was my dream to become a doctor. Coming from a Haitian immigrant family, the expectation was clear - you aspire to be a doctor, nurse, or attorney. That pressure and my fascination with the human body made healthcare feel like the natural path for me, especially with so many of my family members in the medical field. This led me to start as a Biology major at Northeastern University. But reality quickly settled in after struggling throughout my first semester and pressure from my academic advisor to reconsider whether this path was right for me.

The Pivot

During winter break, after being in survival mode for much of that first semester, I started reflecting on my interests. I've always been good with computers, removing viruses, debugging internet issues, and occasionally using the terminal, so I thought making software could be interesting. That next semester, I took my first ever programming course at Northeastern: Fundamentals of Computer Science I, which used a functional programming language called Racket.

Oh boy, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I left one set of difficult classes for an even more challenging set. Between keeping up with my other courses and trying to wrap my head around this new way of thinking, I was constantly playing catch-up. But in that chaos, I discovered the beauty of software development. With every new program I wrote, I was fascinated by how much power yet mystery computers held. Taking small functional pieces and combining them to create something practical or beautiful was astounding to me. I always described this feeling as when an artist releases their work into the world and sees how it resonates with people - that moment when something you've created connects with others. That's when I realized I had found my new passion.

The Internship That Changed Everything

My early days as a software engineer were challenging because turning my ideas into running code was hard. But everything shifted when I landed my first co-op (internship) as a software engineer at Novartis Pharmaceuticals. The first few months were tough - I struggled to write effective programs and navigate the massive code base. However, I was determined to improve and would read technical blogs every day to learn new paradigms, and around month three of the coop, something clicked. Suddenly, I could translate my thoughts into code and read and understand programs much better than I had started. By the end of my coop, I received an offer to work part-time while continuing my studies at Northeastern.

Looking Back

Looking back at my journey from aspiring med student to software engineer, I'm grateful for that difficult first semester that pushed me to explore a different path. While the transition wasn't easy, finding satisfaction in building software and that "aha" moment during my internship confirmed I had made the right choice.

For those of you considering a switch to tech or just starting your journey, it's okay if things don't click right away. Whether pivoting from a different field or starting from scratch, that initial learning curve can feel overwhelming. But if you stick with it and push through the challenges, you will make it!

What's Coming Up Next?

Here's a preview of some topics I'm excited to explore:

• Small Company, Big Impact: Tales from Startup Life

• Mergers, Acquisitions, and Plot Twists: A Dev's Tale

• The Hidden Skill Tree: Leveling Up Beyond Code

• Large Scale Everything: My Jump into Big Tech

Let's Connect

I'll be publishing new posts every month. Do you have topics you'd like me to cover? Do you have questions about working in tech? Or do you just want to share your journey into tech? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section below.

Your experiences and perspectives will make this newsletter richer and more valuable for everyone!

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