The learning curve of an aspiring developer

Allow me to begin at the near-end of the beginning. I am seven- count them, highlight them, cherish them- SEVEN weeks into the LeWagon Full-stack Web Development Bootcamp in Lisbon, Portugal (and may I just add, as proud as a freakin’ parent, that LeWagon was just named “Best Coding Bootcamp Worldwide” by SwitchUp, and I fully back that title). I’ve been planning, preparing, and studying over the last year to pave the way for this new experience, and still, nothing could have truly helped me to anticipate the deep dive into new, bright, foreign territory of vast experiences I’ve gained from being here.

Unlike many of my fellow students(… wagon-mates… wagoners?), I don’t have a background in the tech, science, or math industry. My background is in liberal arts and education. I have been teaching High School English in the United States for the past four years. Obviously, now I’m not doing that anymore, and the reasons being, I can save for another story, but I was always interested in the other half of my brain- the side that cultivates algorithms, computer logic, formulaic design. Still, software development is very new, unchartered territory for me.

So, venturing into this new industry, field, realm, world, UNIVERSE (how much more alien can I make myself sound, because that’s how I feel), I recognize there are sharp knowledge gaps in cases as simple as vocabulary, vernacular phrases, big names in the tech world, new innovations… just tech lingo in general, compared to that of my classmates and instructors. It has definitely been a learning curve for me bridging that gap, because there is an undeniable language and culture to software development that I’m learning. Paul Ford touches on it hilariously and sarcastically, but also honestly in “What is Code?”. Now if you’re good at something, and you enjoy something, then who cares about the culture and status quo of it, right? I’m already being told “you don’t look like a software developer;” whatever the hell that means. BUT I do recognize getting into development means entering into a non-stop cycle of constant learning, updating, and revamping what you know, how you practice, how you code, how you collaborate- it’s one of the few industries that is affirmably guaranteed to increase in supply and demand, but no one can predict how or in what form, because it’s always changing. As a junior developer, that’s exciting and frightening, and I want to narrow this learning curve by keeping up with the language and culture.

Immersing yourself in the tech world, is in itself a full-time job(a fun one), and I’ve learned to be selective but also inclusive about it. First of all, you gotta be passionate about it, and if you’re not, become passionate about it. Software developers are probably the most efficient people at collaborating, sharing knowledge, taking risks, helping each other, building communities (online and in the real-world), and it’s very easy to gain insight into that. I have a few tips I’ve been using to step into that community.

There are many opportunities to be a part of coding culture on and offline

1. Use and contribute to Stack Overflow and open source projects; if you’re gonna take info, try giving back too.
2. Read programming and coding books; to my pleasant surprise (English teacher here), coders are readers, and fast readers too (well, more like skimmers, but still…).
3. Medium has changed my life in keeping up with the things that interest me- sweet, short, aesthetically pretty articles/stories/essays about anything that interests me, from guides to opinions? Come on now; it’s too easy.
4. Hate reading? I get it (well, really I don’t, but I understand time is not always on our side). Try podcasts! Same idea as articles and books, different medium.
5. Attend Meetups and conferences where you get to talk to other developers, pick their brains, spit out your ideas. There are so many scenes for developers and digital nomads; I’ve had the opportunity to check out cool meetups, workshops, and conferences while here in Lisbon, and it makes a difference. Like the saying goes “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” So, get yourself into the right one.
6. Join online communities. There’s a developer scene on almost any platform- Twitter, Reddit, Slack… this is probably the easiest, least time-consuming way of immersing yourself in the developer culture. Just browse it, take a few minutes a day to see what the big topics are. It goes a long way.

This is definitely not an exhaustive list, or a mandatory one, but it has been a help for me. My time at LeWagon is winding down, and more than once, over beer with my classmates in the evening, we get all somber and sentimental about how we don’t want it to end, because it’s been such an awesome, bonding experience. Community does make a difference in how you process an experience, especially a new, grueling experience as a full stack developer. It can be intimidating and exhausting, but so very cool and rewarding. And of course, never forget, take moments to unplug. Immerse yourself, but also put yourself in different environments too, away from a computer, away from code, and let your brain… dare I say… reboot? I know; my own eyes just rolled at that too.

Share your own tips, tricks, and Gandalf-wise advice on your journey as a developer! I’m also looking for claps, feedback, and anything else you have to share… because I’m needy.