One thing people don’t always realize about CTC is how intentionally it challenges you in a way that makes you want to keep learning. I remember feeling pushed outside my comfort zone early on, but instead of feeling discouraged, it made me more curious and motivated to improve. A big part of that was how much the class emphasizes working with others. Collaborating on problems, debugging together, and learning from one another not only helped me understand the material better but also built my confidence and communication skills.

What also stood out to me was the opportunity to work with people from completely different disciplines, people I likely never would have met otherwise because we wouldn’t share the same classes. That diversity of perspectives made teamwork more meaningful and helped me think about problems in new ways.

Now, as a teaching assistant, I’ve gotten to see another side of CTC. The work environment is incredibly supportive, and there’s a strong sense that it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them. That kind of culture makes it easier to grow, take initiative, and support others in their learning, too. Overall, CTC doesn’t just teach technical skills; it builds confidence, fosters collaboration, and prepares you for real-world environments in a way that’s hard to capture on a website.