Three realizations helping me learn to code. Again.
By: Daeshawn Ballard
Tags: iOS App Development, Swift, First Post, Learning To Code, Swift Programming

Three realizations helping me learn to code. Again.

Photo by Safar Safarov on Unsplash

If you told me back in August 2020 that I would not be finishing up my Swift “boot camp” by now, I would have laughed… I guess the joke is on me.

It didn’t make sense as a rapper and athlete, but I fell in love with coding back in high school. I had my curiosity, encouraging parents, my friend, Saffeon, and my teacher, Mr. G, to thank for getting me into it. I completed projects in HTML and CSS (an anime fansite), Basic (a Pac-Man clone), and Visual Basic (a Contra Clone).

I thought I would major in computer science in college with all my momentum, but I did not. I excelled in my java class, but the heavy theory-based classes after that caused me to drop the major. I am a hands-on learner, and the teaching styles I encountered didn’t agree with me. So, I graduated with a business degree, but that didn’t stop me from still pursuing learning to code.

That brings me to today. I found my chance to get back to learning to code via Devslopes’ Academy for iOS development. I started in August 2020 and wanted to complete it by January 2021. So, you can imagine my frustration and disappointment when I look up in April of 2021, and I’m not. Instead of beating myself up about it, here are three realizations I’ve reached:

I should have aimed to be 1% better every day

I started in August of 2020 and took a ton of breaks from coding. I took those breaks because I needed to walk away from challenging projects to regroup. The issue with this was when I walked away for a break, and I didn’t keep my skills sharp.

I used a Duolingo-type app called Unwrap by Paul Hudson to keep with the basics, but I didn’t do it every day. My goal should have been to get 1% better every day instead of not coding when I didn’t use the app or resume projects.

I would be far better off than I am now. As I see it, I missed out on a ton of “compounding interest,” but instead of money compounding, it was my swift skills. Now I squeeze in time to listen to a swift podcast, read an article, or practice via the app if I take a class break. Every tiny bit matters, even if it’s only 5–10 minutes per day.

External motivators are as crucial as internal ones

My goal of becoming a software engineer wasn’t enough to keep me accountable. All my internal motivators (things that I wanted) didn’t cut it. You know what helped, though, other people (external motivators).

Classmates of mine on the same projects as I was or behind me, who passed me by as I took breaks, gave me a sense of urgency. And talking with friends I have that are also on coding journeys provided me with even more.

These interactions gave me a sense of healthy competition with my peers. It wasn’t a competition of skill, but progress. I refused to be too far behind or, worse, not having progressed. The thought of not following through with what I told them I’d do, drives me.

Life happens, and that is okay

I found myself on a roll with my learnings at the start. I was taking down challenge after head pounding challenge. But, when I started to step away to regroup my thinking and approach, I always intended to come right back. I soon found out that life would sometimes not allow that.

I work full-time and have my own service-based business, and for a while, the balance was easy to maintain. But, the balance started to shift, and I found myself taking longer and longer breaks from coding.

Look, I would love to have enough cash in the bank or cash flow and not have to work for a while and only focus on my studies. But I don’t (yet), and that’s okay.

Things will happen in life that throw will you off balance, and you have to expect that. The best thing you can do is roll with the punches and not let them knock you out. Adapt and overcome.

In conclusion, the negatives in my coding journey have taught me valuable lessons. They’ve made me more intentional about my studies. They’ve also reaffirmed my purpose and desire to succeed. So, I say to you embrace the negatives, don’t be too hard on yourself, and keep going; it gets better.

Happy coding!