Maria and Coding With Maria
Maria lives and breathes coding – and for a good reason! It’s an outlet for her creativity and a constant challenge for her. But it hasn’t always been this way – she hasn’t written a single line of code un until university! Learn more about this wonderful human’s journey below and follow her on social media to get inspired and learn something new with every post!
Follow Maria on social media and learn about her story below!
About Maria
Being a software engineer is something I am very passionate about today. It’s become a part of who I am, it’s what I do even outside of the regular 9 to 5 schedule, it’s what keeps me motivated even when things are not going right. But I certainly didn’t see myself feeling this way back in my freshmen years in college.
Learning programming among other kids who’ve been coding since they were in middle school can be tough. I’ve not written a single line of code until I got into college and facing all that new information and concepts felt very overwhelming. Now I understand – that’s the feeling you get when you step out of your comfort zone. But back then there were times I would think that I am pursuing the wrong dream.
I am so glad that I didn’t give up and kept on learning, practicing, attending hackathons and meetups to be in touch and learn from people who were in the same boat as me. But it wasn’t until I applied for my first job as a student assistant that I got my major breakthrough and felt absolutely in love with programming. Seeing people realize that programming is something that everyone can learn, helping them understand how simple it becomes once you learn fundamentals is what excites me the most!
How did you get into tech?
I accidentally came across a YouTube tutorial on how to create a very simple Android app. The idea of creating something that never existed before and exposing it to people got me very excited and was the reason I applied for bachelors in Computer Science. I, later on, took part in an exchange program in Germany and have been living, studying and now working here ever since.
What languages/technologies do you have the most experience in?
Backend Web Development using Java (SpringBoot), JS (React.js/Vue.js)
What are you currently learning/practising?
Outside my 9 to 5 full time job as a Java Software Developer I do online tutoring in Java, Data Structures and Algorithms, Whiteboard challenge/Technical interview prep.
What are your favourite resources to learn/stay updated on tech?
Baeldung Spring and Web Development tutorials, LeetCode/HackerRank to keep your problem-solving skills sharp, TutorialsPoint.com to briefly read up/brush up on some tools/technologies, GeeksforGeeks (geeksforgeeks.org) is a place I’d recommend for tutorials on a variety of topics in Java, C, C++
What would people learn about by following you?
Coding Interview/Technical Interview tips and tricks, tips on a career in tech, learning programming with no prior experience, back/front end programming, teamwork, freelancing, self-discipline and teaching yourself how to code.
What inspired you to start sharing your experiences on social media?
Starting off, I’d often hear that “programming is too complicated for most women to handle since not everyone can have a technical mindset”. Today I am a huge advocate that brain capabilities are something that everyone can train/improve no matter what race/age/gender you are!
It’s up to how much time and effort you are willing to sacrifice for your self-improvement! And this is my message on social media. I try sharing useful resources for people in tech
How can we get in touch with you?
Email or DM at @codingwith_maria
Lightning round
iPhone or Android?
Android
Dogs or cats?
Dogs. My family and I own 2 dogs and 4 cats that were adopted from the streets. Sometimes it can get a bit crazy, but coming back home to these happy little tails is the most wonderful thing in the world.
What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?
I’m a huge fan of everything with a peanut butter flavor.
What’s the next place you want to travel to?
Australia, Greece, England
How many hours of sleep do you need to get to feel like yourself?
7
What is your superpower?
It’s doubtfully a superpower, but being very stubborn, I know for sure that I will reach my goals no matter what.
I think that being stubborn is definitely a superpower! That persistence is what brought you here and what keeps on moving you forward 🥰 very excited to see where it gets you!
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