Hello Fellow Campers!
I wiped my FCC & GIT profile and am starting clean today!
I’ve long wanted to learn to program to finally make the leap from massage therapist to professional programmer, but I’ve often let ‘life’ get in the way. I came to realize that if I am to be successful then I have to take my studies more seriously and not treat them like a side project. So, I spent a great deal of time over the last few months reorganizing my work and personal life to allow me to study successfully. These are the things I’ve changed this time in order to make my dream of becoming a programmer a reality:
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I made an accurate Google calendar with all of my commitments, including study times. This is SO important! All of my study times fit neatly into the pomodoro method, which goes right along with my next point.
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I had to be honest with myself that my study skills needed some improving, so I took a course on learning how to learn (still a little course work for me to finish, but I’m doing it! Barbara talks about the practical application of study methods, memory retention and a host of of other tools such as the pomodoro method.
Here is the link to the [Learning How to Learn Coursera course](https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn#). And here is one to [Barbara Oakley's TedX talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O96fE1E-rf8)
(Some of this course may seem a little boring, but I come from a similar student background as Barbara – I fell behind in math and science early in my school years. I’m inspired by her ability to overcome this…she makes me feel like I can do it too!)
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The next most important thing is having a good study environment. I frequent coffee shops so that I’m away from the distractions at home. I have two good ones nearby, and just hole up there as much as possible.
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Finding my tribe is still on my to-do list. I work 5-6 days a week and I’m a mother to 3.5 year old. I’d like to start a local meeting where there is some childcare available to parents and we can get together to code and support each other. I think the pool around me for that might be too small to be realistic?
If you have any success stories of finding people to meet up with in real life please let me know in the comments
(Yes I am aware of the local FCC groups through Facebook, but their meeting times and places just aren’t realistic for me. I’d like a smaller group that understands the challenge of parenting and learning to code)
TLDR: I’m starting FCC over, I’ve recommitted myself in a big way, I’m looking for local parents to code with in Broomfield, Colorado.
