A Journey Through Code

Learning Tools

2022-01-20T00:00:00+00:00

Learning doesn’t just happen. No matter how long I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, aliens are not going to abduct me and transplant the knowledge directly into my mind (although I can still daydream about it). Instead, learning is an active practice.

In the first class of 100Devs, Leon assigned a couple of learning-focused videos and courses:

YouTube: How to Study for Exams by Ali Abdaal
YouTube: How to Study for Exams - Spaced Repetition by Ali Abdaal
Coursera: Learning how to Learn

The third link is a course, and despite being listed as 4-weeks, it is doable in a week or so.

I took away a few key items:

Set up your tools and environment to support you
Engage with the material via questions and spaced repetition
Focus on small pieces and the process over the end product

The first step is to set up my tools and environment to anchor my learning. For flashcards, I am using Anki in a question-answer format. For my second brain, I am using Notion, although I’m still vetting this out . For simply getting myself to sit down and focus, I’m using a basic Pomodoro app. There is still room for modification and improvement, and figuring out what works best for my workflow is key.

Curious about the second brain concept?

Watch: Playlist: The Second Brain
Read: Summary of Building a Second Brain

Working in VS Code

2022-01-19T00:00:00+00:00

Point of struggle: C# tutorials are nearly all written for Windows OS + Visual Studios as the editor.

On reflection: Learning how to use the CLI to create new projects, to fetch NuGet packages, and even to add scaffolding means gaining insight into what is going on behind the scenes. The challenge of figuring out each step has kept me engaged, as I enjoy problem-solving immensely.

Here are some of the articles I am frequently referencing:

Goal	Solution	Source
Run Debug in VS Code when User Input is required	update launch.json for console: integratedTerminal	Microsoft Docs
Create Console app	dotnet new console ‐‐framework net5.0 ‐‐name NAME	Microsoft Docs
Create MVC project	dotnet new sln dotnet new mvc -n mvc-web-app	CollaborationNotCompetition.com
Create MVC project, alt. Initialize	dotnet new mvc -o NAME	Microsoft Docs
Launch folder in VS Code via Terminal	code .	ShannonCrabill.com

The Day After

2022-01-18T00:00:00+00:00

First thing’s first: I recognize that I am at a lucky and privileged point in my life where I can quit my job and be financially okay for a little bit (thank you, compulsive saving + living situation).

Outside of work, Today I:

Started iamtimcorey.com: C# fundamentals and MVC concepts
Began week #2 of 100Devs bootcamp: a 30-week program for full-stack web development

I want to focus on VS Code as my primary code editor since I am on Mac, so I spent some time going through Intro to VSCode for C# Developers by Tim Corey. Additionally, Microsoft Docs has an MVC Tutorial which can be toggled to use VS Code as well as general documentation on .NET CLI.

I’m making sure to take long walks with audiobooks (I’m a big fan of Agatha Christie), breaks for piano (another new skill I’m learning), and video games and/or movies.

Overall, I feel calmer. I have a tangible goal and I will soon have the time to make greater progress towards it.

Today, I Quit

2022-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

I’ve frequently heard that “you should never quit your job until your next one is lined up”. What if your ideal career move requires additional skills, but you do not have the time? What if your dream position or company is waiting for you, but it requires new skills and you find yourself without the mental energy at the end of the day?

This is where I found myself. For weeks, I debated… and I really tried to make it work.

Today, I closed my eyes and leaped.

2 weeks until I’m fully resigned
6 weeks until check-in

Also, this blog post is what I’m following to build this site.