My name is Han Jo Xi, and this is how Python became my first programming language and eventually led me towards software engineering, artificial intelligence and web development.

My Journey in Python Programming

When I was seven years old, my cousin introduced me to the computer game Roblox. From then on, I became fascinated by computer games. They were fun and entertaining, but I was also curious about how they were made. I began wondering how games could be programmed and how developers turned their ideas into something people could interact with.

This curiosity eventually grew into an interest in programming and computer science. When my mother saw that I was interested in programming, she signed me up for programming lessons. It started with Scratch, a block-based programming language which was easy for beginners to learn. However, at the age of eight, I started learning Python programming.

Why Python?

Python was, and still is, one of the easier programming languages to learn because its syntax is simple and resembles plain English. This made it easier for me to understand programming concepts easily without being overwhelmed by complex syntax.

What followed?

As I began secondary school, I started expanding my knowledge in Python towards real-world applications, such as Discord bots with Pycord, machine learning with PyTorch and Web Development with Flask. I also took on O-Level Computing, which taught me basic computer theory such as logic gates and binary interpretation, as well as Microsoft Excel and its basic functionalities.

Not only that, but I signed up for many hackathons, such as the Uber Global Hackathon, Lockheed Martin's CodeQuest and Singapore's National Olympiad in Informatics.

Present Day

In secondary four, I managed to secure a spot in Nanyang Polytechnic's C43 Diploma of Applied AI & Analytics through the Early Admissions Exercise.

My journey with Python has brought me from writing simple programs as an eight-year-old to using it for many purposes, such as web development, chatbots and passion projects. While Python was my first programming language, it also became the foundation for my interest in software engineering, artificial intelligence/machine learning and web development.