3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Learning to Code

#beginners

Let me start by saying that prior to applying and becoming a student at Flatiron School, I had absolutely no experience with coding. All I knew was that it involved computers and making them do...things. Once I was accepted into the program and started on the pre-work, it became very clear that the tablet with an attached keyboard I had been using wouldn't cut it once classes started. Flatiron rented out a Mac to me, which was amazing and I'm super grateful for that but led me directly into the first thing I wish I knew before starting this program:

1) How to Use a Mac

My first day on campus I was handed a MacBook Air to use for the course of the program. When it came time for laptop set-up I realized how little I knew about Macs. Everything from how much pressure to apply to the touchpad to where downloaded/installed programs and applications go was not as intuitive as Apple fanatics have espoused over the years. It's been 6 weeks and I've become more comfortable with this Mac and, while I'm not convinced of its OS superiority, as long as I can get my work done I'll deal with it.

2) How to use Pry

Pry is a magical clarity bringing Ruby gem that I now use excessively and without shame. When going through the pre-work assignments, I'd hear from online coaches to "use Pry" but I had no idea what it was or how to use it. Placing binding.pry allows you to run your code, pause on the line the pry was placed, and see exactly what's happening inside the code. My whole life changed when I used it successfully the first time and highly recommend using it if you're feeling unsure about what your code is doing.

3) Imposter Syndrome is Real

Everyone will tell you about Imposter Syndrome and to not let it get the best of you but, like most things in life, it's easier said than done. I've found that reminding myself that people around me are feeling the same way and flipping any negative thoughts into positive ones helps take the edge off that impending feeling of failure. One of the most common thoughts I have is "I'll never understand how to do this." and I'll (try to) reframe it as "What steps do I need to take in order to understand this? What are some resources available to me?". There are so many ways to deal with Imposter Syndrome and if you're experiencing it I highly recommend doing some research and finding something that works for you.

I'd love to hear from anyone about any of the things I mentioned here or what you wish you knew before learning to code!