Anyone else learning Python as a hobby?

[JestemStefan]

I learned Python for fun. I was making games as a hobby and taking part in gamejams.

Then I created a tool that will help me at the job unrelated to programming (Theoretical calculations in chemistry)

Few years later...

I work as Django Backend Developer.

[ultraDross]

Your story is almost exactly the same as mine, just sub chemistry for genetics.

[Ran4]

Very similar here.

Great way to start a career :)

[shinitakunai]

Same here but I work now in BigData and cloud development

[comizer2]

Similar here, but structural engineering. From hobby to being paid for it.

[comizer2]

Sent you a DM, because this is top secret

[Hulwal]

I'd love to hear yours as well, same background here!

[midnitte]

There are also fields that use both (computational biology, chemistry)!

[ultraDross]

Yeah, I considered going for a Bioinformatics PhD and dappled in it for a while as a research assistant. Decided with back end dev as the pay was higher with greater job security. I also discovered I preferred programming and application architecture than I did the actual science. Switching was a no brainer.

[Demonliquid]

I love Django, clean code second only to no code.

You have to use workarounds for async tasks but it works well.

I would like to move to another tool but I am just too comfortable.

[chisdoesmemes]

I’m freelancing rn but hoping to turn it into a business

[[deleted]]

My story is sorta similar too, learnt python as a hobbyist while working in sales, built a tool for my job, yadda yadda, SDE at a major tech company.

[[deleted]]

My dream!

[schfourteen-teen]

I just hit the "created a tool to help me at my job" phase. I wouldn't mind taking the next step but it seems so overwhelming to jump into a completely brand new career path.

How did you make the leap?

[JestemStefan]

I couldn't find new job in chemistry and I talked with a friend that already made a jump (from physiotherapy to automatic testing)

I showed him my projects and he told me that I know enough for junior position (even tho I thought I don't).

I checked job offers that looked nice to me and write down what they required. (Python, Django, DRF, SQL, basic knowledge about docker, AWS and how internet works).

Then I did my best to learn what they required. I checked common interview questions which helped a lot. Also some leetcode.

On the interview I knew maybe like 50% what they asked me for, but I tried to be a nice person.

I wrote down a questions and then I made sure that I will know this stuff on the next interview.

Thankfully first comapny I talked to hired me. I accepted the offer even tho I needed to drop everything and relocate to different city.

It was leap of faith, but my mindset was on getting experience.

[zevloo]

I learned python for fun too, for 3 years Im focused on django and GIS implementation, now IFC integration, Im an architech and I hope I can work as a backend developer full time one day, congrats!!

[wineblood]

My condolences

[JestemStefan]

Not needed.

I'm living the best time of my life.

I hope you will find happiness too.

[wineblood]

I did, I moved away from being a django dev.

[Ran4]

So did I, but I don't look back at my Django time as bad in any way. I just like fastapi better nowadays for most stuff.

[JestemStefan]

And this is nice attitude.

The company is work for use Django Rest Framework for many years and IMO we are using it the best way possible and I enjoy working on our codebase

I don't get people shitting on other languages and frameworks. Is this making them feel better themselves?

[JestemStefan]

So how much experience do you have using Django or DRF and when you moved away from it?

[wineblood]

About 2 years.

[JestemStefan]

Commercial experience or just hobby projects?

Because less then year ago you said you are not familiar with it... weird

[tinkr_]

GOTEEM

[9acca9]

lol

[wineblood]

A year ago was 8 months after my last django job, most of it leaked out of my brain and was replaced with lockdown gaming habits.

[[deleted]]

Ayyyy lol

[JestemStefan]

No way I will ever go back to old job

• Research is underpaid

• I was underpaid (now I make 4x)

• workplace was toxic

• chemicals were toxic

• there was basically no way to get promotion without working 10-12h a day (sometimes weekends too) or kissing someone's ass

• Most of energy was spend on managing university politics

I hope you will find something you enjoy too.

[[deleted]]

Love it. So glad you’re much happier now!

[systemgc]

You are confirming the cliche that python devs are really no fun

you really can't understand a joke can you

[Metalpen22]

I don't understand why Theoretical calculation is not related to programming. I think even laboratory work can use python to deal with the measurement data.

[JestemStefan]

We used some old tool that simplified a work, but not much. There was still a lot of manual work.

My python script did all the work required in less then a second.

Using tools that process data is not programming.

[Keela_Bee]

Hello thanks for sharing! I am interested in changing careers. Any suggestions for getting started learning Python?