The End…but also, The Beginning

I’ve made it! It’s the end of a chapter in my life, called Surviving Bootcamp! In January of 2020, I decided that I needed a new career and started on my bootcamp journey. I was only part-time at Flatiron, but was instantly overwhelmed. I was still teaching and juggling being a mommy to two under two. Needless to say, I had to take a break. I felt relieved and even more eager to continue my learning. When the school year ended in May, I started again, but this time, as a full-time student. I was totally immersed in the program. I had a schedule that worked for myself and my children.

Fast forward to July…I found out that our family would be expanding and this caused a setback in my plans. I asked to switch to another cohort once again. I finally got the switch approved in September and continued on and here I am, finishing the program.

It got extremely discouraging, but there is a lot that I’ve learned about attending a bootcamp.

1. Set a schedule and stick to it. Find what works best for you and your family situation.
2. Read through the docs of the language you are learning.
3. Attend live sessions AND one-on-one’s. These are so helpful. I didn’t speak up much, but it helped to hear others’ questions and perspectives.
4. Utilize your cohort mates. They want you to succeed just as bad as they want to succeed. Find a reliable accountability partner to keep you focused and on task.
5. Most importantly, set a cut off time. I cannot stress this enough. As a mom of two and one on the way, I had to make sure that I balanced my time for their sake.

This is just the beginning of my journey. I hope that you follow me along the way.

I am a black woman.

I am a mother.

I am (finally!) a software engineer.