This is for my students, and for anyone who is embarking on learning to code, whether in a bootcamp, self-taught, or university.
Make flashcards of core concepts/new vocab/code snippets you see again and again. Use index cards, or better yet, Anki
Go to office hours, even if you fully understand the material, or conversely, even if you are completely lost.
Write down every error message you get and how you solved it.
Ask questions to the point of feeling obnoxious, then ask more questions.
Read the error messages/stacktrace. They are your guideposts.
Work on homework in groups.
Write about what you are learning. Publish it on Twitter.
Work in short sessions, 30 minutes at a time.
Have a time where you turn your laptop off for the night.
Do not allow yourself to be frustrated. Take a break before that happens.
Ask for extensions, if you need them!
Answer other people's questions. Concentrate on forming a collaborative dialogue with them, instead of having the 'right answer'.
Do not procrastinate. Often the hardest part is getting started. Just work on the thing for five minutes.
Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. Try the 70% rule: can you get this thing to work 70% of the way?
Your new favorite phrase is 'I don't know.' Use it!
It is ok and expected to use Google, a lot. It is not cheating.
Seek positive encouragement from friends, family, or even the internet.
There are often many right ways to do something. It is ok if your way is different than your colleague's.
There are pieces of code, and then there are finished projects. Programming is everything that happens in between.
The best way to learn to program is not 'to build projects', necessarily. But that is a very efficient way.
Teach others. Take on a mentee.
Photo by Tudor Baciu on Unsplash
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