5 Things No One Tells You About Going to a Coding BootCamp
Tags: beginners, webdev, career, javascript
Published: 2019-04-08 13:38:11

---
title: 5 Things No One Tells You About Going to a Coding BootCamp
published: true
description: 
tags: #beginners #webdev #career #javascript
cover_image: https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/ovtrp2ybfalexhzd6quv.jpeg
---




<center> Are you contemplating a bootcamp or in the process of starting one, this article is for you?</center>



#<center>Deer in headlights:</center>

![alt text](https://media.giphy.com/media/y3QOvy7xxMwKI/giphy.gif)

It's okay if you don't know it all. Coming into Udacity, I only had experience in HTML and CSS, but JavaScript was a beast. I had no idea what I was doing and had many JavaScript mental breakdowns lol. So as you start or if you're currently learning a language that you're unfamiliar with, get familiar with being uncomfortable. It's okay to be a beginner, the person in your class that you think is the smartest person ever, was once a beginner. Embrace new challenges and be okay with the challenge.   



#<center>Outside Resources: </center>

![alt text](https://media.giphy.com/media/3o7bu0mcp3ibhm0mvC/giphy.gif)


This goes back to my first point, yes you're going to probably be a "deer in headlights" but now that we have acknowledged a potential issue, let's learn how to address it. Everyone has a different learning style and sometimes your bootcamp classes just won't click. So from the jump, use Youtube, podcasts, blog posts and books regarding whatever language you are learning. This is something, I didn't do. Ex: Look on google "Best Python Books". The constant learning from a variety of sources will help concepts get embedded in your brain a lot more faster with much more understanding. 



#<center>Community</center>

![alt text](https://media.giphy.com/media/26n6Gx9moCgs1pUuk/giphy.gif)

Apart of my Grow with Google scholarship, the requirement was to participate in community, although weird at first it was probably the best decision i've ever made, not because it was a requirement but it helped me push through when I wanted to give up and also if had any questions that google couldn't answer, I could ask my community. 



#<center>How Many rounds?</center>

![alt text](https://media.giphy.com/media/l3vRacqRRQENTCIpy/giphy.gif)

It's probably your first time in your bootcamp and there is someone who knows all the answers and you think to yourself "How is he or she this smart?" More than likely, they have had some other form of coding knowledge from previous bootcamps or classes, so don't look at someone and automatically feel inadequate because they have been in this position before. 


#<center>Career Prep</center>

![alt text](https://media.giphy.com/media/xUA7b16cGFn6J03B8Q/giphy.gif)

If possible, I would go to a bootcamp who have partnerships with companies who will help you get your foot int the door. Junior Roles are scarce, I mean scarce. The more bootcamps out there, the harder it's to get your foot in the door. So start early, I wouldn't say start just right away but create a space in your study schedule to start looking at the tech landscape in your city, decide whether or not you want to relocate, figure out if the companies you want to work for do whiteboarding.. if so, start studying. It's doesn't have to be all at the same time, but one week you can dive into Big O notation, the next week different data structures. Spread it out over time, so you won't be overwhelm.