a meta-reflection of the core material covered over the foundations section of DevAcademy
control and perfectionism
I’ve become more aware of my need to control everything by attempting perfection, trying to be the best, or by making sure I’ve ticked all the boxes; I keep my expectations of myself very high. This stems from a fear of external criticism - instead my own negative internal voice ensures that I am ‘good enough’ by telling me that I won’t be good enough if I don’t try so hard. I cling to an ego constructed from ‘success’ at the things that I do.
creating habits
Since starting Dev Academy I have started morning habits of yoga, running, muay thai and mindfulness… I have been flossing my teeth everyday (that’s new haha). I really connected with Fogg’s Behavior Model - build habits incrementally, connect them to existing routines, and reward yourself. I have used this to help me start building multiple habits already. For me, the greatest thing about this model is that it really breaks down huge abstract goals into bite-sized pieces, which allows me to be less overwhelmed and instead to take action.
human connection
While I might struggle a little working with people, I love working around people. I work much better at home when my parents are around - and I love working alongside my peers on campus. I know that I value a positive culture highly, and will place emphasis on this during my job search.
I think that our values, our ability to connect to others, and a good dose of self-awareness are important skills to possess throughout all facets of life. In learning and programming I feel that this knowledge is vital when understanding how to work with others, how to overcome our own barriers, and how to navigate our potential biases both within social interactions and when writing code.
The biggest surprise to me in core is just how ready I am to engage with my own inner work and just be really open to learning about myself - having been on a rollercoaster of a mental health journey over the past few years and really struggling to see progress. I have been inspired by concepts that I have learned, from growth mindset and neuroplasticity, to EQ, to learning to 'think like a developer'. Taking on a mindset of growth and breaking down goals into practicable tasks has been a huge shift for me, one that I am very excited about!
I’ve been a little bored or frustrated at times with some of the reflections and core learning in general - I’m really excited about coding and I just want to get to the tech aspects of the curriculum. It also takes a lot of energy to introspect and really dig into the foundations of ones inner self.
I think Dev Academy focuses so much on core because it is an essential skill to have in the workplace - and makes both programming and learning more enjoyable and rewarding. I think Dev Academy would be on the same page as me if I were to say: You get more out of the tech (and life) if you put time into the core!
I think core contains important skills and concepts to learn about and practice. While tech skills can continue to be developed, I believe that this will be aided significantly by learning core skills early on. Additionally, core skills can improve employability, make learning more enjoyable and reduce stress and overwhelm when facing challenges.