Branching in a Different Direction Once More: TypeScript
21 Jan 2025
Let me branch out once again, so that I may experience something new every time I grow.
As one of the first assignments of my software development class, I was tasked with learning first the basic JavaScript programming language, a language that I was already familiar with through my experience gained in high school. As with all other programming languages I have learned so far, JavaScript was easy to grasp through the foundational elements of most programming languages, such as variables, data types, operators, and functions. Honestly, it is truly awesome to experience that prior knowledge in the field of programming can be easily applied to new topics that one has not learned yet.
An analogy of a fledging sapling
I want to provide my viewpoint on my experiences of learning programming with an analogy of a young sapling.
The sapling was first planted during my time in high school where I experienced coding with HTML/CSS/JS firsthand.
My pragmatic programming teacher laid the foundational elements of my programming language.
The sapling had help from its planters with firming the ground around the sapling.
Learned knowledge was retained through daily repetition of the basics of coding.
The sapling had help from its caretakers who laid mulch around the sapling to retain its moisture.
A curiosity for new computer science knowledge was born through the gathering of new ideas in and outside of the classroom.
The sapling was watered by its nurturers as well as the rain originating from clouds of the sky.
As I left my introductory classroom to pursue higher education in computer science, I could not help but feel a sense of uneasiness.
Seeing that the sapling had developed to a point where it will survive on its own, its caretakers moved on to plant more saplings.
Out of the nursurey, into the forest
But was I knowledgeable enough to master future programming subjects on my own?
The sapling was then brought to a completely new location that was not as safe as the nursery it had been planted in.
But I wasn’t alone at my university.
The sapling saw that I had been transported to a forest of great size.
I had been given this invaluable opportunity to continue learning about computer science through my college classes, my professors, and my classmates around me.
The sapling looked around and saw many other saplings, young trees, and old trunks around it, as well as a river that stretched as far as the eye could see.
It was here that I could truly learn with those who had the same goals as me, to learn from those who had come before me, and take in the unquantifiable pool of knowledge that was gathered over the course of programming history.
The sapling could interact with others similar to it, be shielded from strong winds under the protection of the old oaks, and be fed with water from the expansive sky that watered all under its domain.
As I learned new programming languages and computer science principles, I could feel my base of knowledge growing day after day.
The sapling in this environment grew roots and branches that connected it to other trees and displayed its progress of growth.
Another branch on the tree
Learning TypeScript was no different, as it was a superset of JavaScript and I could build on the variant of prior knowledge I had over the semester of learning Java, C, C++, and more.
The sapling grew many branches, with some branches originating from other branches, all connected to its sturdy foundation and its growing roots.
I can see that TypeScript is an ideal language for collaboration, as variables and objects can be more discretely defined to the benefit of others who may be working on the same project.
The sapling was also helped by those around it through interconnected roots, which helped the sapling develop its branches. Using athlete programming challenges and WODS is also a beneficial way of letting me retain information so that I can learn and understand more elements of TypeScript.
The young tree, through a combination of many different sources of nutrients, such as air, sunlight, and roots, grew to have many strong branches which it proudly displayed.
I look forward to finally creating a project that I can call my own, with collaboration from my classmates, and tasting the sweet fruit of my labor.
Fully matured, the tree was ready to bear fruit, but for whom?
For me, of course, as I cannot wait to taste the sweet and pleasing fruit! Through determination and perseverance, I am confident I shall cultivate my fruits of labor that anyone can enjoy, for that is my goal of my TypeScript journey.
The fruits of my labor
To produce fruits of labor that is pleasing is of the utmost importance, and to release moisture into the neverending river of knowledge is of the greatest honor, for the day that I pass on in life I may also know that I have passed on products that is worthy to be used to nurture a new generation, who shall do the same forevermore.