After working a factory floor, learning coding at home and scribbling my workings on cardboard to pass the time on shifts, to taking an online course, lots of late nights and bugs, building small apps, making new friends and many job applications and interviews, I got my first job as a junior developer and I couldn’t be happier! Just wanted to share that with you all :)

Edit: thanks for the awards and comments!

When I first decided to learn JavaScript, I was terrified. 46 years old, no prior coding experience, and surrounded by stories of young prodigy developers. But a month of consistent learning completely changed everything.

AI tools have been an absolute game-changer for people like me. ChatGPT, Cursor, and YouTube became my coding bootcamp. I know it sounds like I'm "cheating" the system, but these tools made learning not just possible, but genuinely fun and engaging. Instead of getting stuck in tutorial hell with a million unanswered questions, I'm actually building real projects.

The magic happened with two tools: Cursor, which is like having a super smart coding buddy, and WillowVoice for voice dictation. Being able to speak my code instead of typing makes the entire process feel more like a conversation. It's incredibly natural like I'm explaining a problem to a friend. Suddenly, I'm in flow state, prototyping ideas faster than I ever thought possible.

During my learning journey, I've built a personal budget tracking app, a workout progress tracker, and a local restaurant recommendation website. And these are all amazing things I now have in my portfolio.

It might sound like I'm skipping the basics, but I'm actually learning more deeply than traditional methods. I'm not even just copying solutions anymore. I can debug code independently, understand complex concepts, and start thinking like a real programmer. After just a month of consistent, enjoyable practice, I'm preparing to land my first entry-level programming job.

These AI tools have democratized learning in ways we couldn't have imagined just a few years ago. The barriers to entry have completely collapsed. Anyone else feeling so grateful for AI?