23

Between 2020 and 2021 my life changed drastically . In December 2020 I was still in undergrad, thinking about my future but also on edge because of the pandemic. After I graduated I was undecided on if I wanted to start a career or further my education. My degree is in ethnic studies so it wasn’t like I was specializing in anything specific. I decided to look at LSAT prep material and I also pondered upon an introduction to coding short course. Fast forward 6 months and I’m in the middle of a full stack software engineering bootcamp. The story is still unfolding but I would like to make an account of what my journey has been like since starting the process.

Shooting in the Gym

Finding a free or inexpensive introductory coding course is recommended if you are interested in coding. Even though I did explore coding a little bit before starting my bootcamp I feel as though I jumped in head first. When it comes to bootcamps you are absorbing a ton of information in a few months. This will work for some people but it is very easy to become flustered. Doing your research on what aspects of coding you are interested is very helpful too. For me I like to learn and developing new skills is a good use of time. When I first started learning HTML and CSS my creations were very amateur but I was super proud of my self and liked the idea of the front-end coming together.

I wanted to learn how to build a full blown functional website so I started to search for programs that would be a good fit for me . I knew I wanted to pick an environment that mission was to provide inclusivity and diversity; thats just something I am big on. I also wanted to pick a program that was very involved and fast pace because I wanted to jump start to my career. Some bootcamps have different scholarships for women and people of color to so if you are in an underrepresented group there a recourses out there for you .It is good to come up with a few options, check out the curriculum, the reviews, and the don’t be afraid to reach out to people who have been enrolled in the course about their experience . Make sure the your pick is right for you it may be hard to find a perfect match but you can set your self up for success by making sure your learning environment is healthy. Before you can enroll in a bootcamp you most likely will have to take some sort of technical test. When I was in this process I seen two types of test one was like a take home and you are giving a computer directions on how to put together something simple. This test wasn't in any specific computer language but directions on syntax where given. The other test was solving an algorithm in a coding language that you were comfortable with. When picking a coding bootcamp to attend the best bet is to be choosy, this is a serious investment in yourself however you look at it.

First Quarter

I just want to note that I think the choose of calling these types of programs bootcamps are very fitting. I thought I had a great work ethic before this program but I still needed to crank it up a notch. It was really took a while to find my footing in the beginning just because it is hard for you to see the bigger picture or the finished product when you are just starting the process. In my bootcamp you learn a different computer language every three weeks this is called a phase. You have to pass a coding challenge to move on to the next phase and you get a couple of chances to make that happen. Im not going to pretend I went through these challenges effortlessly. The more you study and take in information the more likely you are to pass. I try to work harder every phase and I set goals for my self as I go.I try to take in information about code whenever it is possible, sometimes I fall asleep to youtube tutorials. It somewhat brings anxiety seeing others in the cohort having to repeat a phase and realizing that if I don’t learn enough quickly then I could also have to repeat. On the contrary there is nothing wrong with having to repeat a phase if you do and I wouldn’t lose stamina if so.

“If I lose 1, I bounce back like 2, 3 did with 4, 5” -Big Sean

Half -Time

Half way though my bootcamp I feel like I’m heating up. Im learning how to absorb the information and what study habits are good for me. Call me old fashion but I still like to write things down by hand, I also like to make informational webs to help keep my thoughts organized. Having a daily goal of labs to complete is also helpful when you have a-lot in the queue . By this point you are also spending a lot of time with others in your cohort so it is nice to make friends and get support from those who are simultaneously going through the same thing you are.

The Locker Room

Emotionally, I am starting to feel super proud of myself. I try to work as hard as I can so it is nice to see it starting to payoff. My performance in the first half had them on the front of their seats but I ended up coming through. My anxiety about participating in this program has some what calmed down. As a Black woman in a software engineering course you kind of only see about 2 or 3 others. Finding and reaching out to other Black women who are either been coding for a while and our interested in coding Is super helpful. It’s cool because most of them do some sort of blogging to talk about their experiences and how they started coding . I also watch others in my cohort talk about their feelings and realize that its okay for me to reach out and ask for help and it’s okay to not have the answer or be wrong when attempting to give an answer. When watching others pick project ideas it was nice to see them pick things that they were interested in outside of code. Im starting to feel more comfortable presenting projects that I have fun with or are somewhat interested in. One way to think about it is if I am uninterested in someone else's topic thats not going to stop them from sharing it and as long as I am respectful and being engaged I should expect the same.

The fourth Quarter

We have to see how this one plays out. I am going to take everything I learned in the first half and apply it here.Even though I am giving it a lot, I still have more to give. I could always work harder and smarter. There can be a healthy balance between work and personal life so I am going to work on that . Also being kind to myself, not being afraid to give my self a pat on the back. My teacher told me not to compare my self to others and that really stuck with me because this is my journey. We all came here to work and when it comes down to it doesn’t matter what socioeconomic background you came from or what you were doing before you enrolled . What matter is who has been working hard enough to make it through each phase. I pride my self on that and I will continue pushing my self in anything that I pursue as should you.

I‘m MJ in the play-offs, can’t miss the shift. -Sada Baby