Day 1: Documenting My Journey to Becoming a Software Engineer ????

Hey everyone! ????

I'm Brandon, a U.S. Navy veteran, computer science student, and aspiring software engineer.

I've decided to start documenting my journey into software engineering, from learning programming fundamentals to building projects and eventually landing my first role in the industry.

And I want to share the entire process, not just the highlights.

Where I'm Starting

I'm currently studying computer science at Mt. San Jacinto College, with plans to transfer to a four-year university.

My primary programming language right now is C++, but I've also started exploring Python, Unreal Engine, and hardware development with Arduino.

I'm interested in everything from traditional software engineering to game development and aerospace technology. One of my biggest career goals is to work at NASA someday.

But I'm still learning.

I struggle with concepts, make mistakes, spend time debugging, and sometimes have to revisit the basics.

And that's exactly what I want this journey to show.

What You Can Expect

I'll be sharing:

• Learning to Code: Concepts I'm studying, things I struggle with, and what finally makes them click.
• Building Projects: From simple C++ applications to bigger projects involving Python, AI, and Unreal Engine.
• Behind the Scenes: My experiences as a computer science student, including balancing coursework and personal projects.
• Career Development: Preparing for internships, hackathons, technical interviews, and eventually entering the software engineering industry.
• Lessons Learned: The mistakes, breakthroughs, and advice I pick up along the way.

Why I'm Documenting Everything

I want to be able to look back a year from now and see how much I've improved.

I also want other beginners to see what learning software engineering actually looks like.

Not just polished projects or perfectly written code, but the frustration, excitement, and problem-solving that happen behind the scenes.

I don't have everything figured out, and I'm not going to pretend that I do.

I'm here to learn, build, improve, and hopefully inspire someone else to start their own journey.

The Goal

Become a software engineer.

Build projects I'm proud of.

Work toward opportunities in aerospace technology or game development.

And document every step of the process.

This is Day 1.

Let's see where this goes. ????

— Brandon

Portfolio: brandonallah.dev