Eighth grade is awkward, but offered multiple opportunities. "I can edit hypertext markup language (HTML)" note: I'm shocked I wrote that correctly without looking it up. "I can write in-line styles. Can't remember if we did any CSS--so, probably not."
Troubling lack of respect for authority boiled into being made an example. "I'm in physics, chemistry, band, and theater, but I'm a *might* hurt people because I'm not small and frail?"
I went on to finish the homework that would be awarded 0 points for doing but I'd get in more trouble if I didn't do. "Preparing me for the real world huh?"
I pulled out my graphing calculator and... the manual it came with. "I'm not reading all this, but I have heard that some people somehow write entire games on one of these--drug dealer, mario clone, ball puzzle game"
I read the few pages on output and GOTO and began writing. "Magic 8 ball (RNG). React (RNG, i/o, High Score). Die Roller (RNG + easter egg:loaded dice). Dating Sim (Text Based branching decision trees. G-rated)." "Not all fun and games, I wrote a practical application too. Forumla solvers (Menu, input, variables, calculations, output)
College hit some crash bottoms and brick walls. Such is life. "I'm learning COBOL without a computer, VisualBasic without sleep, and my 13 year of my native language. At least I tested out of Math." "Why is my degree in business and I need to pass Marketing and Accounting? I don't care. As long as I get to code." "I know kung-fu--well, I know c# and Java and really the concept of programming from a more philosophical standpoint." "If 1/3 of the class is going to drop out, can I tutor the 1/3 that's going to fail?"
I was allowed to be a student tutor. I tutored multiple programming languages I either already passed classes for or was getting an A in the class currently. I also tutored algebra since I tested out of it.
Back to college for an accelerated course in application design with focus on databases.