Code Dreams

We’re really starting to get into the swing of things now, this week marks a third of the course completed. So what did we cover this week, last week was web development and some light html and css, this week was databases, namely PostgreSQL. For anybody unfamiliar with postgresql including me at the beginning of this week. Postgresql is a lightweight database system run on a server that can be connected to ruby. All data can be stored in this database instead of inside our ruby code as arrays or hashes.

The week started off with the usual code review of our weekend challenge which I managed to finish albeit with some niggling errors such as a computer logic issue for my Rock Paper Scissors game. After talking through this issue with my pair partner and some simple debugging to find the issue, it was all up and working. A relief to say the least and an important lesson learned regarding using debugging when all else seems to be going down the pan.

This week in general was a tough week, I had been having issues with sleeping and getting enough quality rest. This essentially meant I was struggling to absorb the materials regarding databases this week and maintain focus during the day. Clearly not ideal for learning something as intensive as coding when you are required to be at the top of your game as the information thrown at you flys thick and fast every single day. After several weekends of doing weekend projects and not having enough downtime to do other things this inevitably takes it toll on your mind and you will start suffering from burnout. Others on my cohort also reported a lower motivation and enthusiasm level for this week so we’re all in it together. Taking good care of yourself seems to take a backseat for most when projects aren’t being finished and you want to learn as much of the material as possible given the high financial cost of the course. I think in this regard we are all very similar people everyone has made a conscious decision to be on the course but the drive and motivation to do well comes from within. Nobody feels good when we don’t understand concepts and we end up being very hard on ourselves. The ego takes a battering every week as the more you find out about programming the more you realise how little you really know. We are forever like hamsters running on the knowledge wheel unable to get to the end.