Self-Paced Coding Bootcamp Routine in Isolation + Helpful Resources
Learning how to code is hard, especially by yourself. It took me a while to work out how to study in general and how to effectively manage my time. In addition to studying for my coding bootcamp, I enrolled in a few Udemy courses like JavaScript Advanced Concepts, Learning How to Learn, React + Redux, and Data Structures and Algorithms. Luckily I didn’t have to spend a fortune on them, and I highly recommend those who are struggling in their self-paced bootcamps to take a look at courses on Udemy.
After working part time at a deli, coupled with a difficult home life, my studies suffered tremendously and had been for 2 years since I’d been enrolled in my bootcamp. It wasn’t until I left home and moved to Poland this August to be with other family that I was able to take my course work seriously.
In the beginning my attention span was non-existent (I was struggling to concentrate for 15 minutes at a time…). I would read a lesson in my coding bootcamp, take an hours long youtube break only to get back to studying and forgetting pretty much everything. This went on for longer than I feel comfortable sharing. My competitive nature got to me when I saw all of my friends and acquaintances getting ahead in life while I was struggling to complete an online coding bootcamp. I had to reevaluate my life choices.
Anki
I took a course on Learning How to Learn. I learned about the forgetting curve, the Feynman Technique, and spaced-repetition among other things. An extremely useful tool for spaced-repetition is the online flash cards, Anki. You can download the app to your phone or computer or use the online version after creating an account. The app gives you more personalisation in supplying you your learning and memorisation statistics but the online version is fine too (I use it). Every morning I’d wake up, go over my Anki ‘due cards’ (cards that I needed to go over) and make sure I got them down. Anki is super helpful because it takes note on which cards you have trouble with (or not) and makes sure to quiz you on them either in less than 10 minutes if you’re really struggling, in a day or two, in 5–7, in 12–14 days, and the better you memorise your cards, the longer the period of time that they’ll show up again. Anki works on the honor system so you check whether you got the card down or not.
Routine
After all my Anki’s I’d go over my notes from previous lessons (from my bootcamp and Udemy). Now I know ‘going over notes’ isn’t a great technique and I’m still trying to finesse this but here’s what I’ve been doing. I’d go over previous lessons and highlight things that I either didn’t understand or had questions about. After highlighting and researching things that didn’t make sense, I’d create Anki cards to make sure that I’d remember later on. This is where things are tricky for me (and they always were, even in school). I’d be that person who would highlight everything because I wasn’t able to discern what was useful information and what wasn’t. It took some getting used to and after a while I got better at including things that I found useful in my Ankis/notes.
Notion
Notion is probably the best productivity tool out there (imho) because it has everything you possibly need. Need somewhere to journal? Use Notion. Keep track of todos? Use Notion. Need a calendar? Use Notion. Need a macchiato? Kidding. Before notion I’d have like 4 different notebooks with all my ideas on them completely out of order, without any cohesion and it was no wonder why I couldn’t stay on top of my work. Oh and Notion is really flexible so you can create your own type of template and organize your workspace however you want. Seriously, stop reading and check it out. I’m even writing this draft on here. I can honestly say it changed my life. I’d create a template for each week and it’d be a repeating list of daily things to do. Things like, going over old Anki cards, making new Anki cards, working on my coding bootcamp, working on my Udemy courses (each had its own checkbox), journaling, reading for fun, time allotted for Youtube or Netflix. And for everything I managed to work on I’d highlight the day in blue, and for things i didn’t get around to i’d cross over and make sure to work on the next day. And just the action of crossing over something that I’d work on was totally satisfying and it’d motivate me to do the most I could.
Notebooks
I know notebooks aren’t eco friendly but I don’t plan on throwing them out anytime soon. Maybe they won’t be useful down the road but they’re something I’m proud of. There’s something about flipping over old notes that you’ve spent writing and learning over and looking over notes of your notes that’s tactilely satisfying. It’s fun to see your progression in your hands and seeing the time pass and your knowledge grow. I love notebooks and I’ll probably always use them because an iPad just ain’t it for me. But to each their own.
Helpful Resources
- JavaScript Allonge; 6th Edition — For anyone who maybe has had trouble with functions at school or would like to learn more about the fundamentals of CS (using JS). This is an ebook that’s FREE (I KNOW) and it’s incredibly detailed and informative and it’s great. 5 stars.
- MDN Tutorials — If you’re learning JS you’re probably using MDN on a daily basis so this isn’t new but since I use it everyday I thought I’d mention it anyway.
- Udemy — Udemy is great because it has lessons on pretty much anything and they can be pricey but keep checking in whenever they have promotions (they happen a lot) so buy your courses for $10.99 not $109.99. Unless you can.
- Courses I Enrolled In
- Learning to Learn [Efficient Learning] (Zero to Mastery)
- Master the Coding Interview: Data Structures + Algorithms (Zero To Mastery)
- Complete React Developer in 2021 (w/Redux, Hooks, ect.) (Zero To Mastery)
Just a side-note: this was probably my least favorite course. The instructor who created all of these courses (Zero to Mastery’s, Andrei Neagoie) didn’t teach as much as the new featured instructor in this course. There’s no doubt that the new instructor is extremely knowledgable and a seasoned developer but I prefer Andrei’s teaching style.
- JavaScript: The Advanced Concepts (Zero To Mastery) (Favorite)
