Upon entering this class, I always thought of programming as this special thing that is meant for people such as myself to learn how to create things, make things simpler for other people. That’s still the case, but like learning a language, it’s not easy. Javascript is very similar to that of the programming language that I’m used to using, Java. It’s fun, it’s straightforward, yet it has better functionality. Just because Javascript and Java a similar, however, does not mean that they are exactly the same. For example, I still find myself typing out something like “int val” as opposed to “let val”, or “var val”. Other times, I end up forgetting that syntaxes in Javascript are more or less the same as the syntaxes in Java, causing me to overthink a few problems.
Just from the paragraph above, it is pretty obvious that I have never worked with Javascript, so naturally the syntax would be a little bit foreign to me. Thankfully, it wasn’t so foreign that I had to purchase a “Javascript for Dummies” book (though that is still a thought!). Having prior knowledge of Java and even C++ helped me get used to working with Javascript. Though like with Java and C++, I am still learning the language. It isn’t exactly cookies and ice cream when it comes to writing a program using Javascript as there are still some things that I do not know. The same also applies to C++ and even Java. Examples include different approaches to syntaxes and different approaches to receiving objects from an array.
Like with every language, foreign or programming, practice… well, it doesn’t make perfect but it gets you very close to perfect with enough time. That is where the WODs come in; every week, we do one practice WOD and then an actual WOD. Both of these are meant to be practice for programming, and both help you get a better idea on how you will be hired for programming-related jobs. It’s not just being asked “What is your skillset?”; it is “Can you show me what you can do?”. That being said, some of these problems aren’t exactly easy. Give me as much time as I can get and maybe I’ll be able to solve the WOD no problem. However, just like in real job interviews, these WODs are timed. You want to get the most efficient code in as little time as possible or at least before the timer runs out.
The meat of this class comes from the time you invest into practicing, and really that’s how it is for every language class. It is a fun experience; you make mistakes and you learn from them, you better understand a programming language or programming software. Most importantly, with this class, you have been given what’s essentially building blocks to newer ventures, and the key to the door of software engineering opportunities.