2: The coding studies begin!
Published: 2023-10-17 10:57:04

**My First Day at Coding Bootcamp**

So, it has officially begun! Today marks the first day of my coding journey through an academic institute, a thrilling 10-month adventure where I'll be diving into the world of programming and web development. The list of technologies and languages I'll be learning includes MongoDB, PostgreSQL, JavaScript, Flask, Node.js, HTML5, Express, CSS, React, and Python. The catch? I have absolutely zero experience in any of these, but I'm brimming with a sense of commitment, excitement, and, yes, a healthy dose of anxiety.

**New Beginnings and Nervous Anticipation**

You might be wondering what's making me so anxious. Well, there are a few things on my mind as I embark on this coding odyssey:

1. **Understanding the Subject Matter:** Will I grasp the intricacies of these programming languages and technologies?

2. **Time Management:** Will I be able to juggle the assignments and self-study effectively, considering the demanding 10-month schedule?

3. **Perseverance:** Will I persevere and not give up when faced with inevitable challenges and obstacles?

My classes will be 100% online, but the institution offers the option of physical tutor support on-campus if needed. I believe it's a fantastic blend, as sometimes you just want to sit down with someone and sort out your issues face to face.

**Day 1: Induction and Insights**

Today's class was primarily an induction session, focusing on administrative details and acquainting us with the online teaching tools. A few aspects of the session piqued my interest:

1. **Diverse Class:** Over 50 students attended the session, and they hailed from various backgrounds, ranging from defense personnel, construction workers, gardeners, retailers, chefs, interior designers, IT support, to bankers, and more. It's incredible to see such a diverse group pursuing coding.

2. **Self-Taught Coders:** Some students had already been learning to code on their own, which is both inspiring and a bit intimidating.

**Introducing Myself**

We were asked to introduce ourselves on the chat, and here's what I shared:

- **Name:** Manoj
- **Location:** Sydney, Australia
- **Career:** Business Operations
- **Why Here:** To learn to code, build my dream web apps, and eventually work in the industry
- **One Hobby:** Discovering new web tools and apps (I have more hobbies outside of the internet world, too!)
- **Fun Fact:** I can be interesting at times!

We also got an overview of where to find workshops, assignments, learning materials, and pre-lecture reading materials on the learning tool. It's safe to say that I'm slightly overwhelmed by the amount of preparation required before each lecture. I feel like I'm already running late!

In terms of time commitment, we were informed that we should allocate 25 hours a week for studying. I've managed to carve out 15 hours for learning, including official classes, but I'm left with the daunting task of finding an additional 10 hours. The big question now is, where can I find that extra time?

This is my plan below. Increase the hours of study each day, especially the weekends!

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/31mo6rrk39zg0q9bdnjb.png)

**The Right Mindset**

One of the educators emphasized the importance of maintaining the right mindset during this learning journey:

- **Programmers Are Problem-Solvers:** Coding is all about problem-solving, and this will be a consistent theme throughout our studies.

- **The Zigzag Path to Success:** The road to success, whether in life, studies, or coding, isn't a straight line. Expect twists and turns, and that's perfectly fine.

- **Imposter Syndrome:** It's normal to feel like an imposter at times and contemplate giving up. We were reassured that everyone goes through this, and it's okay. When the going gets tough, it's okay to take a step back and seek help.

**Tips from an Experienced Student**

A student who was attempting the course for the second time (impressive!) shared two valuable tips for success:

1. **Use Time Wisely:** Efficient time management is crucial in a demanding program like this.

2. **Don't Give Up:** Perseverance and determination will see us through even the toughest challenges.

**Learning from Failure**

The tutor also stressed the importance of learning from failure, which was described as "First Attempt In Learning." Remember, failure isn't falling down but refusing to get back up.

So, there you have it. I'm brimming with excitement and already daydreaming about coding away and creating life-changing apps (at least for me if not the world). Thanks for joining me on this first post of my coding journey, and I look forward to sharing more in the next one. Stay tuned!