Let’s start with a statement of the obvious; writing code is hard.
I’ve always maintained mad respect for my Developer friends and co-workers. It’s for good reason that Software Developer jobs are some of the highest demand and highest paying in the nation right now (and dare I say, the world?). But we know this already. What I think is less obvious about this profession is that it’s also fun and extremely satisfying when your hard work turns into real solutions.
I just completed my second week of DevPoint Labs’ developer bootcamp in Downtown Salt Lake City. To date, most of my coding background has been limited to the occasional HTML & CSS updates. I’ve dabbled in JavaScript & Python learning programs, but I’ve never held a full-time developer job or performed any real extensive coding outside of short bursts & code changes. Last Wednesday, I got my first taste of being deeply entrenched in the code.
For context, I signed up for this bootcamp relatively late, which means that I was behind on completing the recommended prep work before attending my Day 1. Technically speaking, the prep work could have been skipped, but I’m a believer in going through the early steps as thoroughly as possible in order to progress through the advanced lessons that I knew would be coming up quickly in a fast-paced learning environment like DevPoint Labs.
So, knowing that two critical projects would be coming due in week two, I spent all of week one, and part of week two finishing my prep work, instead of working on my very important projects. By Tuesday, I was already stressed and I had to code a calculator to hand in Wednesday, plus a “grocery store” application by Thursday.
This past Wednesday was a non-stop, all-day coding binge.
I woke up, rushed out, and coded my brains out after a brief stop at the grocery store to buy enough food to keep me from taking a lunch break. I wrestled with code from 9am until 9:30pm (if you include my three hours of classroom learning). I completed both assignments, and I went home completely drained of brainpower, but with a feeling of accomplishment I haven’t felt since my college finals days.
After my first, real exposure to the coding process, here’s what I learned:
Coding isn’t easy
We know this, but like all skills, sticking with it through the uncomfortable times makes it do-able. Yes, there were times I wanted to jam my fists into my keyboard. Yes, there were plenty of moments when I wondered if this damn bootcamp will even be worth it. And I really wondered over and over again if I had the right type of brain to do code work. These are all normal thoughts, but persistence and focus are the antidotes.
Syntax takes time
Syntax is the most confusing aspect of code, but sound logic comes first. When they say, anyone can learn to code, they’re pretty much right. Assuming you don’t have real mental disabilities, coding becomes easier when you focus on the logistical flow of the thing you’re trying to create. Each time I got stuck, I tried to forget about the exact syntax of the code and take a step back to look at the logic and order of my desired objects and events. I think this is a skill that most people have. We just have to remember that we have it.
Coding is not boring
Whenever I used to pass by a developer’s desk at work and see that black screen with oddly-colored characters and symbol on the screen, I thought to myself “wow, that must be really boring to look at all day long.” I always think about those ancient IBM computers from the 80s that had nothing but matrix-style green letters on a black screen. But the reality is, coding is more like putting together those 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzles. It might look like just a boring table with tiny pieces of scattered cardboard, and it might take lots of long pauses to get the pieces in the right spots, but puzzles are fun.
Problem-solving builds confidence
I really believe that every time you face something hard, and then conquer it, a little piece of confidence mindset gets added to your life. Crazy as it sounds, the act of overcoming things you thought were impossible helps you learn ways to solve other challenging obstacles in your life. Knowing that you can break big problems into smaller, manageable chunks takes away the anxiety of “I can’t” and replaces it with the confidence of “I’ll figure this out.”
I can has code-burger?
