Switched from mechanical engineering to software at 26 — the hardest part wasn't the code

Switched from mechanical engineering to software at 26, after four years in a job that had nothing to do with code. Learning to program wasn't the hard part — I actually enjoyed that. The hard part was walking into interviews next to 22-year-olds and constantly having to explain that yes, I'm serious, yes I know I'm 'late'. Still figuring out how to frame the gap as an asset instead of apologizing for it.