As the spring semester loomed in the distance, I clattered away at the keys of my computer. Tastes of python, tidbits of R, tackling Javascript, I spent any free time I could scavenge in free online tutorials. I like the idea of being a developer. I like the romanticism of bringing something to life with words. It has always been fun to create aesthetically conscious designs or attempts at well-written content, but the ability to take static pixels and add interactivity, to add functionality, is a skill that has an undying appeal.

This semester, my academic adventure will be into the world of development. No matter the role I end up in, or what team/project I may be involved in, creating will be my focus. There is an entire microcosm that I have lightly scratched the surface of, even at my proficiency level I am a novice at best. It’s time to take what I have learned to an entirely new level.

TANDEM may be a pipe-dream, but in building that, or any project for that matter, I hope to gain real hands-on skill. For better or for worse, success or failure, I will come out of this semester with a greater ability to give life to the things I create.

As Jacob Barnett says, I will stop learning, start thinking and start creating.