A Different Kind of Bootcamp
Coming from a triathlon/fitness perspective, when I hear the word “Bootcamp”, I think of a high intensity workout with little rest between exercises. Images of people sitting around in front of screens for hours is definitely the opposite of what that word implies to me. But in the past few weeks, I’ve found myself in that exact situation!
I recently started a coding bootcamp at Actualize in Chicago. This is a 12-week course where I learn basic skills to start a new career as a web developer. This is a really exciting change, as I’ve been working in the scientific research field for the past 15 years. I’d gotten a bit burnt out with science, and academic work relies so much on government funding, which unfortunately is seeing less and less money these days.
In contrast, the tech industry is booming, and every day there seems to be new apps and website coming out all the time. Personally, tech has played a huge role in my life.
I’ve connected with others via website communities; not only via the usual suspects like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, but also interest-specific communities such as Craigslist, BeginnerTriathlete, and DietBet. I track my activity and workouts on Fitocracy, Fitbit, and Garmin. I’ve kept track of my food intake over the years first on Fitday, then Spark People, and now MyFitnessPal. I use phone apps to check into the gym (I have no clue where my membership card is, haha!), or get loyalty points at my favorite food places such as Snap Kitchen, Starbucks, and Lettuce Entertain You restaurants. I have a friend who’s been able to successfully train for half ironman and marathon-distance events while managing her Type 1 diabetes using her Apple Watch.
There are so many possibilities with tech, and people are thinking up new ideas every day to come up with ways to improve all aspects of daily living. This realization is what made me decide I wanted to be a part of the tech industry! I’m looking to sharing my journey into the tech field through this blog!
