how i learnt (and keep learning)
my husband first recommended codecademy.com
he suggested me to start learning JavaScript if i want to apply to a coding boot camp, which was Fullstack Academy in my mind at that time.
i registered to codecademy.com, and did a few sessions.
but i had no idea what i was doing.
i was able to follow the instruction and write the codes.
but i did not understand them at all.
to me, it was copying others’ code allover again.
i had to find something else. i had to learn from somewhere else.
and one day, i got a deal-news email (yes, i subscribe to those, i love shopping and stuff going on sale is even better.)
courses on udemy.com are on sale!
all the courses are on sale for only $15. i had no idea that’s expensive or cheap.
so i watched a few free videos from a few courses.
then i decided, i would spend $15 on this one.
“JavaScript: Understanding the Weird Parts” by Anthony Alicea
i used Brackets (http://brackets.io/) for Mac and Chrome, as Alicea suggested in his videos.
i practice coding while watching the videos, that was helpful.
my opinion, $15 was well spent.
at least i finally understand a little about the “grammar” of JavaScript.
what is syntax, why there’s an error, put ; at where...etc.
maybe you can learn all that somewhere else for free.
but i like watching videos a lot...much much more than reading. (unfortunately)
so that was a good beginning to me.
then i went back to codecademy.com
and everything made much more sense.
i finished codecademy.com JavaScript course.
as Fullstack Academy admission page suggested, i should do some coding challenges from coderbyte.com
and i had no idea how to solve them.
that was very discouraging, believe me.
i thought i learnt all those fundamental “tools” of JavaScript and i was ready to use them to solve some challenges. i was apparently not ready.
thankfully, my husband jumped in and helped.
slowly, i learnt how to use those tools and solve simple challenges.
but one important thing to point out.
i should not always ask him when i have a challenge that i cannot solve.
i should always try to solve it (try really hard), then Google it, then ask him.
if i started to depend on letting him teach me how to solve something, i will never learn to find out answers on my own.
and that is a very important thing. i need to learn to find answers.
sometimes i found the answers, but i still didn’t understand, then i would ask him.
having someone who is a software engineer in you life, but learn not to depend on him every time you have a problem about coding... that’s also not an easy thing to do. but i’m glad that i follow through.
i read Eloquent JavaScript chapter 1-4 (also was suggested by Fullstack Academy), and a book called JavaScript: The Good Parts (my husband gave me the book one day, didn’t say much, just left it on my desk, he knew i would know what to do.)
Eloquent JavaScript is a bit hard to read, but be patient and you’ll learn a lot from it. JavaScript: The Good Parts is much easier to read, but not as detailed i would say. you get the general ideas. both are essential to me.
remember that i said i don’t really like to read?
i still don’t, but reading these books really help a lot.
so i read them, still, reading them.
I am close to finish reading Eloquent JavaScript chapter 5, hopefully i can finish it on my way home today, while i’m on the train.
chapter 5 was recommended by Karen, the person interviewed me.
she was right, chapter 5 is good.
oh, right, i applied to Grace Hopper Academy, and i just got the acceptance email yesterday. but let’s talk about that later.
right now, everyday i do codewars.com and freecodecamp.com, keep on practicing JavaScript (on code wars), and learn a little HTML and CSS (on free code camp).
one less important thing is...
i started to do all these in mid November 2015.
i have a full time job and i teach on Saturdays.
plus i cook, clean, play with my cat every night.
and i am a woman, just by the way.