I used to hate coding...

My first programming class was in C, and I barely passed it. So I took it again, not because I had to, but because a passing grade and actually understanding the material were two different things.

As the years went by with more languages sprinkled into the EE degree, I disliked programming less and less.

What finally turned the tide was my controls elective senior year. PLC code (programmable logic controller) is responsible for large complex machines and is written in the simplest of ways: boolean logic. I was good at it and, for the first time, I wanted to be.

My first job out of college was controls programming with about 75% overnight travel, fairly typical for the industry. I loved programming PLCs, but something needed to change for the sake of my relationship and sanity.

So I taught myself a different type of programming.

My first full stack engineer role was at an metal OEM, writing the systems that ran a custom shop floor ERP system. Knowing the floor turned out to matter more than knowing the stack. Anyone can write software, knowing why to write it matters more.