My Flatiron Coding Bootcamp Experience

I can’t believe I’ve made it this far in my Flatiron journey. I just finished my last partner project using React. Every Mod, I thought that it was so hard and wondered how I would ever learn the content in a week and a half, but with hard work and my amazing fellow cohort students, I made it through successfully. Now, that I am entering my last Mod and taking on a solo project, I would like to share some advice for those considering or about to start at Flatiron or any other coding bootcamp.

First, I can’t stress this enough but please take the prework very seriously! The prework that Flatiron assigns is the foundation that you need to build upon while attending the bootcamp. If that foundation is not strong, then you will struggle. If you are starting off with another bootcamp that doesn’t require prework, then I encourage you to practice with other coding platforms, such as, Codecademy or FreeCodeCamp.

Second, make friends! I can say without any doubt that becoming friends with my fellow cohort students, I learned so much and have solidified my existing knowledge. Working on partner projects and pairing labs has helped me immensely in incorporating the knowledge I’ve gained from lectures. Additionally, bonding with my cohort and learning about their journey into coding has been so special and relatable. I highly encourage that you connect with other students as it will encourage you to keep going, you will learn a lot, and might even make lifelong friends.

Third, I highly encourage you to talk with your instructors when you are struggling. At Flatiron, I always felt like I could talk to my instructors when I was struggling to understand something and they always took the time to meet with me one on one. The instructors are there to help you so ask questions, ask for help when you are feeling overwhelmed.

Finally, take a day off! Coding is hard, and in a bootcamp you are learning this material in a very short amount of time. So give yourself a break! Take one weekend day off and spend time doing something you love that doesn't involve a computer. I would also encourage you to give yourself a stopping time. If you are working on a project and something is just not working, give yourself a stopping time whether you’ve worked it out or not. Take a breather, or go to sleep if it’s late, and then come back to it refreshed. Work will always be there and it will always get done but you won’t, so please give yourself the time to recuperate!