Final Reflections

For my final blog, I thought I would reflect on the experience of undertaking a coding bootcamp and some of the fundamental concepts and skills I’ve learned regarding programming as a whole.

I would first like to say that I am probably one of Flatiron’s longest acting students in their program history. I was largely disabled for half of it and that seriously hindered my progress throughout most of it. Fortunately, this fall, I learned that a pituitary tumor at the base of my brain (benign, thankfully), Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and thyroid disease, were the root of my problems. I had been given wastebasket diagnosis’ like Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome initially and never saw any improvement, which is why this program has taken me so long. My health is largely restored and I am eager to dive even deeper into programming. To do so without the fear of becoming bedridden again is truly quite astonishing and I am still getting used to it.

That being said, here is what I have learned.

Patience is a virtue. I like to think of myself as an intelligent person, but any programmer will tell you that you have to get comfortable with the idea that you will never really master code. There is always something to learn, or a better way to do things. The technology is rapidly evolving, and you just need to get used to the idea that you will always have to learn. If that is something you cannot sit with, programming is definitely not the profession for you. You cannot have an ego, and I truly believe the best programmers are the ones that double check themselves and assume they did something wrong. They are the ones that aren’t afraid ask questions and research the docs for fear of looking stupid. When you have those skills and qualities, you develop better language, attitudes, and approaches to code. Leave your pride at the door.

It is good professionally to know what area of code you want to specialize in (i.e. front end vs backend, web apps vs mobile apps, etc.), but it is still vital to know what the opposing space is doing. Flatiron clearly has a focus on front end development, but we learn the meat and bones of backend development. Whether it was setting up a database, APIS, SQL, client side and server side communication, fetch requests, making applications with back end applications like Ruby, etc, Flatiron grads walk away with a strong skill set and vernacular regarding back end development. Separation of concerns is a core tenet in programming and it applies here, but it is also critical to understand the operation at a macro level.

Some of my biggest regrets during my time at the Flatiron school are not utilizing my resources fully and not articulating my physical circumstances sooner as they were happening. I was afraid to ask questions outside of the staff initially, and when I discovered the wonder of the Flatiron slack channel, stack overflow, and other online forums, I deeply regretted not leaving the womb sooner. Furthermore, I believe it was a mistake to hide my health struggles out of shame because I know it caused me more stress and turmoil in the long run. I know professionally this is not good decorum or practice as it is critical for management to know the concerning matters of their employees. That is something I will take with me as I apply to my first web development role.

Javascript/React turned out to be my favorite curriculum. People talk about the messiness of Javascript and how flawed it is (especially on webdev twitter), but that is what I think makes it fun. You cannot tame it, you can only try your best, and there is ALWAYS something to learn. Starting in the new year, I will be applying to as many front end roles that focus on Javascript and related frameworks. I feel confident that the Flatiron School prepared me for this.

I want to say thank you to the Flatiron Staff for listening to my situation and giving me the opportunity to finish the program. I am really proud to have graduated from the Flatiron School and look forward to connecting with staff and alumni in the years to come. I will always look back on this experience fondly and with confidence in my choice to come here. I am so excited to see where my coding journey takes me.

Best,

Deirdre S.