The very first line of code I ever wrote… and the journey it started.
This Python program was my very first real coding project. It was for my intro to programing class were we made a simple laundromat calculator. I wanted it to calculate prices based on weight, add tax, and maybe even store customer info. Looking back, I realize this wasn’t just about doing math with code it was the moment I saw how programming could automate stuff and solve real problems.
The user puts in their last name, chooses from a menu, and the program responds to that input. It can calculate prices based on laundry weight, allow someone to change the tax rate or cost per pound, and even store customer data. It might not be fancy, but it’s the base of everything I’ve learned since.
I learned so much from this. How loops work, how to use conditionals, and how to take input from a user. I also started to understand the importance of data types like why I needed float() instead of int() when dealing with prices.
One of the coolest parts was using a dictionary to store customer info. That blew my mind the idea that I could keep track of people like a mini-database using code I wrote.
It’s wild looking back at this project now. I’ve written a lot more complex code since then, but nothing feels quite as exciting as seeing this work for the first time. That moment when it printed the correct price? That’s when I knew I wanted to keep learning this stuff.
Want to check it out? You can see the full code on my GitHub: