Meet our students: Sébastien

Meet Sébastien, a student from 24 Québec’s first cohort of May 2021. In his early thirties, he heard about the campus from a staff member at the Jacques-Cartier Community Center in Quebec City. We wanted to learn more about his background.

42 Québec: Where are you from, Sébastien?

Sébastien: I come from the Côte-Nord. A few years ago, I moved to Quebec City to be closer to my mother and family.

42: Were you familiar with computer science before studying at 42 Québec?

I studied computer science before. Then, I went through a challenging burnout that caused me a lot of struggles. Being involved in many social activities helped me get back on track.

42: What are your hobbies?

I have been very involved in the community. Through that, I’ve dabbled in carpentry, circus, social activities like sports, and I enjoy game programming. I have done amateur cartooning; drawing is one of my favorite things. I’ve also done amateur theater and dance therapy, and I’ve even recorded a quaint love song on an album. (laughs)

42: It’s an impressive artistic path! And why coding?

I’m a part-time artist (laughs). Code is not all about logic; it’s also a creative process. Like a puzzle, everything falls into place in your head when you start coding. It’s like starting to play the piano: you let yourself go, and it works. Video games brought me to coding, which drove me to do more with that knowledge. That’s what brings me to 42 Québec. I’m learning to code because of my passion for video games, but I’m keeping my options open. Maybe, in the end, I won’t go into video games, I don’t know. One thing is for sure: I like helping others; it’s a new skill I discovered through the 42 pedagogy. The students at 42 Québec all have different backgrounds, but we all have a lot of ambition. We share the same objective, our desire to reorient ourselves.

42: What do you like the most about 42?

I feel free here. I remember looking at the 42 Paris website a long time ago and thinking: “This is going to be too intense for me!” And in the end, it’s more accessible than I thought. I don’t have to sacrifice too many things in my life to learn at 42 Québec, and it’s healthier that way. With the financial help from PRATIC, it’s fantastic; it makes life easier. It’s an opportunity to do something realistic without taking too much risk. There’s also teamwork, great relationships, and collaboration between peers. As long as you have initiative, you always have help. And the offices are beautiful and modern. There’s color everywhere, and it’s inspiring. I’m hypersensitive, but here, I feel comfortable.

42: Can you tell us about your Piscine experience?

The first week was difficult, but I was determined to stay. I had to learn to manage myself, to listen to myself more. I also had to reach out to others. My biggest challenge was to talk to others. I changed workplaces often to vary my interactions. I quickly understood that we were not in a competition. I compare the Piscine to the worst-case scenario you can meet in a workplace. I still have great memories of my Piscine! Helping each other get through this type of situation brought the group closer. Now I know the best way to get through a rush is collaboration because I achieved the Piscine.