From my first class in middle school, learning Spanish captivated me. I loved learning every new word and verb, and watching myself made the experience even more exciting. You may be wondering why I’m talking about Spanish when this is an article about coding, but let me explain.

Lately, I have started to learn how to code (specifically starting with HTML) and the learning process has been extremely similar to learning a new language. Each new element, value, and attribute makes me want to learn more, and my skills improve with each lesson.

Because it is the language of computer processing, classification, and identification,

coding is an extremely valuable skill to have in an era like the twenty-first century where technology is ingrained in our everyday lives.

There are innumerable coding languages used on the internet: however the most commonly utilized languages are HTML, JavaScript, Python, and PHP. Each language serves a different and contextual purpose within a functioning processor, like a browser reading code in order to portray the right image.

However, a question still remains: why should you learn to code? There are many answers to this question, especially for members of Generation Z that are beginning to enter the economy as independent participants.

1. The demand for people well-versed in coding languages increases every day in almost all types of businesses, from restaurants to insurance firms. Adding knowledge of Java onto a resume is developing into an attribute that is becoming comparable to adding a second language like Spanish or Mandarin.
2. Not only is it a lucrative career, but it is also extremely versatile for a person with an extensive knowledge of computer languages. Learning to code can offer a variety of jobs at several different work providers.
3. Coding helps the mind develop new outlooks on solving problems outside of code, like math or busy schedules.

I cannot stress the benefits of coding enough not only as a productive hobby, but as a young woman considering the next stages of my life. As of these few past years, women only make up about 26% of computer science professionals. Infiltrating such a male-dominated career path is certainly intimidating, but it is a field deprived of diversity and therefore highly demanding in female representation. Women need to take advantage of the institutionalized misogyny within the computer science field by taking code development jobs in order to eventually dismantle the male advantage within the profession.

At Rosary, AP Computer Science is one way students are introduced to coding. Viviana Mercado ’23 addressed the benefits of learning about computer programming saying, “Being in computer science class has made me realize how amazing it is that we as young women have the opportunity to be in a class where we get to learn how to code and do so many things on a computer.”

I have already seen changes in my thought processes during school, improvements in my time management as a result of the integration of coding into my everyday life, and consequently, more diversity in my skillset. Whether you’re a teenage girl looking for a new hobby or not, coding can have massive beneficial effects on your life that create productive habits that can last a lifetime.

If you are considering learning to code, I started with free and accessible websites like https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/ and https://www.w3schools.com/. Both feature options to apply code visibly and offer easy to understand instruction to introduce coding languages one at a time.