Dear future student,
I am writing you this letter to inform you about your next adventure. And a big adventure it will be!
You made a great choice by choosing this special path: The App Academy bootcamp. You will learn like you have never learned before, and at the same time never felt any more stupid. Is learning code really that hard?
I wish I could tell you it’s easy. But then everyone would know how to do it, and your job opportunities might not look that bright anymore. No, learning code is hard. But why?
You will spend several hours per day in front of the computer. It will be your next best friend. Good practice before starting the course is to know how to handle it. And do an online typing course. If you are slow with typing, it will lower your learning experience.
Compared to learning a (vocal) language, learning a computer language can be frustrating. If you are learning Spanish for example, and try to order a sandwich at the bakery, you don’t need all the words perfectly. The baker will do his best to understand you, and maybe ask you a question or point at his sandwiches. With a computer, that is different. It is stupid, and doesn’t help you like the baker does. But the computer is way more powerful, quick and doesn’t need motivation. You only have to tell it exactly what to do. This can be really frustrating in the beginning, but just deal with it. It’s a fact, and you have to adjust to it. But the reward for accomplishing things that were hard to do, is much greater.
It will require discipline to successfully finish the bootcamp. Eat enough, because learning consumes a lot of energy and brainpower. Sleep enough, you will remember more and make less mistakes. And do your homework; it’s a nice moment for you to get to the stuff that was touched that day. Writing an article about a topic will force you to understand the topic. Don’t see it as something you need to do because you are behind on stuff, but because you want to understand it thoroughly.
Thankfully, you don’t have to do it all by yourself. You will have enough projects that requires working in teams. This will also help you for your future job. Make sure that you have good communication. You don’t need to have the same taste or skills, but make sure you agree on how you will approach things. Communicate regularly and help each other.
One more piece of advice: keep yourself motivated. Picture the end goal, show your friends and family what you learned, and treat yourself after a rough study week. You might want to put your social agenda on a lower level, you will need all the energy and time for the bootcamp. Cheer when you succeed in a task, or take a break if things are not going the way you want.
I wish you all the best and great success at The App Academy’s bootcamp!