If there's a stick in the road, do you go around it or decide to drive to Texas instead? I used to believe that obstacles were put in place as a sign that we shouldn't go down a certain path. If it's hard, it wasn't meant to be. Over the years I've learned that obstacles and set backs happen, and if I truly want something, one fallen limb isn't going to stop me. I am proud of my persistence. Learning code went from a "maybe someday" dream to my reality. I am enjoying the challenges thrown at me and each time I come out learning something truly amazing about technology, the beauty in languages and math, and another way to solve a problem. I am so excited to see where this skill takes me.Growing up in Oklahoma, my sister and I spent endless summer nights and early mornings looking up the best html codes to add to our online diaries and myspace pages. A hot pink page border, a frog shaped curser, and rain drops that dripped down the page as you scrolled are what first sparked my interest in technology and coding. I spent years working in the service industry taking on roles in every corner of a restaurant from server, to dishwasher, prep cook, cook, bartender, and supervisor. I believe this helped me learn to adapt to any situation and come up with unique ways of tackling issues. Upon completion of the Merit America Java Development course, I will be proficient in Java, SQL, and Spring.