Coding Bootcamp - Things I wish I knew before going
Tags: beginners, webdev, codenewbie, career
Published: 2019-10-16 21:07:58

I went to a coding bootcamp recently. These were the things I wish I knew before going, which would have helped me set MUCH more realistic expectations.

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**Check out this video for further detail:**
{% youtube zf2zAlqUaQo %}
[Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to a Coding Bootcamp](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf2zAlqUaQo)

**What it takes**
<ul>
<li>You will be coding daily, 6 to 7 days a week (a given)</li>
<li>You’ll be doing practice problems daily (and failing them daily, haha)</li>
<li>You’ll be making a ton of mistakes while building projects (but it’s normal)</li>
<li>Lot’s of BS online about ‘coding bootcamps being easy’ - it’s much harder than you think</li>
</ul>

**Your health will probably suffer (health is a huge priority in order to maximize brain function)**
<ul>
<li>You'll sit in a chair for a loooong time(get up and walk around occasionally)
</li>
<li>There’s a lot of stress involved in the program</li>
<li>There’s not much time for cooking healthy food, focus on eating well
<li>Be active, build in exercise at least a few days a week (mental clarity, feeling physically good)</li>
</ul>

**The mental game is completely brutal**
<ul>
<li>You will want to give up, you’ll fail over and over (but this is normal and should be expected!)</li>
<li>You’ll probably feel like you’re dumb, or something is wrong with you (you’re not dumb, you’re learning!)</li>
<li>You need to believe in yourself (do anything you can to stay positive)</li>
<li>Use the community, struggle together (you’ll build strong bonds with others)</li>
</ul>

**You’ll be depressed and anxious (prioritize mental health!)**
<ul>
<li>Everyone feels like they’re behind, but they won’t tell you that</li>
<li>You’ll feel like you’re consistently behind</li>
<li>Big Secret - everyone else does too, but you’ll only see their successes (people always superficially make it seem like everything is always going well, take Instagram feeds for example)</li>
<li>Ask questions! The worst thing you can do is not ask questions (if you don’t ask, you’re wasting your money)</li>
</ul>

**The hardest part will probably be the job search**
<ul>
<li>Absolutely brutal, please expect this</li>
<li>150-300 jobs is a normal baseline you should be targeting (for some it will take less, others more, but this is an average)</li>
<li>Looking for jobs IS a full time job (devote a ton of time to looking for jobs, studying, and networking)</li>
<li>You’ll encounter bias by recruiters and developers during the job search because of your background, IGNORE THIS, push forward, someone will eventually take a chance on you!</li>
<li>It’s a lonely process (try to build an accountability group with your other bootcamp grads!)</li>
</ul>

**Coding bootcamps aren’t all about the technical skills**
<ul>
<li>You learn grit, perseverance (lifelong skills for continued success)</li>
<li>Work ethic</li>
<li>Make connections, bond with people you struggle together with</li>
<li>You’ll gain confidence in yourself</li>
</ul>

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