Week 9 11/27/2015
Happy Thanksgiving! This week marks the end of Phase 0. Phase 1 begins on Monday. I am thankful to have had a generally positive experience during Phase 0 and I am looking forward to meeting some of the people I've collaborated with over the past few weeks.
Where I Started
Earlier this year, I started taking on-line Python from Coursera. They were a lot of fun and the professors were good. The level of the classes was elementary enough, that I didn't have to ask for help. I also started taking courses towards a Data Science certificate. While I found the subject interesting and the courses challenging, I was less happy with the instruction and frustrated with the on-line help. During the summer, a friend of mine sent me an article about coding boot camps. I was intrigued and looked at what was available in the Chicago area. I looked into a few programs and Dev Bootcamp seemed like the best fit.
Where I am now
Nine weeks later, I am at the end of Phase 0. In that time, I have learned the basics of HTML, CSS, Ruby, JavaScript, and SQL. Before starting, I knew none of those languages (except for a bit of SQL from a previous job). I cannot claim to have mastered any of them. Nine weeks of study (no matter how intense) is not enough time to master anything. My website is still primitive and riddled with design flaws. However, I feel confident that in nine more weeks I will be ready for an entry-level developer position.