Quick check in, ups and downs

You Can Do This!
#1

I started FCC in October (I think) and recently finished my responsive design cert and now on Javacript. Slowly understanding this new language.

However I’m also doing some challenges for HTML/CSS to keep my mind fresh. I’m getting frustrated as I still don’t know how to properly use flex-box grid without making a lot of mistakes and trying 10 things before one works.

I for some reason feel like I should be able to have the understanding to competently use them. I completed the Grid/flexbox mini games online and then went back to do them with minimal help. I know how flex-box works and can create what I need if it’s simple boxes but when you start dealing with real-world elements it all goes to pot.

Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself but I wouldn’t even be able explain to someone how websites work with the servers etc, I’ve not even started learning that side yet/

I know there’s a lot to learn but it’s always good to know if you’re on the right track. I gave up on one challenge today because flex-box was annoying me and every change I was making was a guess really i.e I didn’t know why justify-content wasn’t working for one container.

My mind should be on javascript but I tell myself I have to keep doing these random challenges I find then when I can’t do them I feel like I have to do even more studying which takes me further from javascript.

Is there much HTML/CSS moving forward with the JS section?

TL;DR - Should I move forward with JS whilst focusing on HTML/CSS or focus on JS (assuming there’s enough CSS/HTML in the sections)

Thank you

#2

I’m getting frustrated

That should be the programming motto. If we ever get a flag, we’ll translate that into Latin and have it as a scroll across the bottom.

I still don’t know how to properly use flex-box grid without making a lot of mistakes and trying 10 things before one works.

It just comes with time. Take heart that no one every memorizes everything. Developers are constantly googling things and looking at docs. As time goes on, more things stick in your memory, but they’re always new stuff…

Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself but I wouldn’t even be able explain to someone how websites work with the servers etc, I’ve not even started learning that side yet/

Yeah, I can understand that. The lessons may not have gotten into that yet, but you could always do a little side research.

2 Likes
#3

Thanks Kevin,

It does seem to help knowing being frustrated is incredibly normal!

I feel every now and then I just need a little check-in. If I could graph my feeling of web-development it’d show some extreme highs and lows day to day or even minute to minute.

Your post has really helped. And I want to d o some side research but always feel I end up down a rabbit hole then see a next video on some other thing then watching “10 mistakes I made as a new coder”.

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#4

You have no idea. My musician friends (from my previous life) ask me what I do for a living. I tell them that I get paid gobs of money to solve puzzles all day. That sounds like fun (and it can be) but that also comes with a lot of frustration. At least 3 times a day I feel like banging my head against the desk because I cannot figure out why it isn’t doing what I’m telling it to do. (But it always is doing exactly what I’m telling it to do, of course.) And on a good day I only go to google/docs 10 times a day.

And I want to d o some side research but always feel I end up down a rabbit hole…

Yeah, you have to be careful. Maybe just limit your time doing that or only do it at specific times. Remember that on youtube you can save videos to watch later.

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#5

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :ok_hand:

#6

No, it just focuses on basic javascript and programming concepts.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to build small things with html and css while learning javascript.

Maybe build a small image gallery with flexbox or grid, and play around with it a little. Experiment with it.

Ask yourself, “what happens if I do this?”

It’s all part of the learning process.

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#7

Of course, you’ll get back to some HTML and CSS when you get to the projects where you have to put web pages together.

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#8

In the front end certification you will get back to html and css for the projects. The projects will be a combination of html, css and react.

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#9

Me too, and…
I'm a senior engineer

If you’re starting to get curious about this, take a couple hours and Google around. I strongly suspect that there are good freeCodeCamp articles about that. I know that there are plenty of explainers for web dev newbies out there. You won’t understand all of it the first time, but you can get the gist.

Sometimes you have to walk away for a day and that’s fine.

If you want to keep practicing HTML/CSS I suggest setting aside specific time to do so. Try to find a way to avoid getting distracted/procrastinating on what you want to be learning.

The JS section won’t bring up HTML, but in the following section you’ll begin tying JavaScript and HTML together (using frontend libraries) to create interactive pages.

Either is fine. Just choose a path and follow it. You don’t want to spin you wheels and spend time not making progress on something.

5 Likes
#10

It’s easy to underestimate just how hard CSS can be. There are plenty of coders that aren’t great at CSS or know how to do design. This is why CSS frameworks and component libraries exist.

I do feel like I often hear a lot of excuses when it comes to CSS though. I get it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but still, you won’t get good at it by just complaining about it (not referring to the thread poster here).

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#11

These have really cheered me and made laugh.

Cheers.

#12

Thank you, it’s always nice to be reassured. I feel with this industry, there’s a lot of reassuring going around. :smiley:

#13

Super helpful, thanks for that info.

Senior Engineer. I’m not sure if I should be motivated or terrified knowing that! :smiley:
But honestly even reading about how it’s normal is very helpful, rather than learning something everyone ‘just gets’.

#14

Thank you, I’ve read that quite a bit how a lot aren’t too keen on the front end stuff.

(p.s I would quote you all in one post but I don’t know how, the irony!)

#15

It just means I’m old. :wink:

1 Like