##Professional Development
What is the value of a checklist?
I don't think I would be able to get anything done without one, honestly. They do so much from start to finish. The making of a checklist helps you organize your thoughts, and might even bring to light a task or item that should be on the checklist even if you didn't consider it before. From grocery lists to daily tasks, I find them to be essential to my productivity. I also used them a lot when I was struggling with my depression. I found it intensely difficult and overwhelming to do simple chores and tasks, even feed myself. I saw somewhere that checklists can help break down the big, scary tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. The checking off of a completed task, no matter how small, helped me feel accomplished, and slowly I was able to work up to pulling myself out of my downward spiral.
What do you plan to improve while at Turing?
On a whole? Myself. But I mean, I suppose that is the whole point of a higher education. I've spent the last three or so years feeling down on myself. Especially with my last job, I came out of it with my self confidence shot, any faith I had in my abilities and intelligence completely dashed. I applied to Turing at the recommendation of a client of mine, and leading up to the interview, I was so anxious. So nervous, and not believing that I had the ability to learn anything new. All I was good for was being mediocre at sales or waiting tables, never able to earn a stable or proper living. When I was accepted, I burst into tears right on the call haha horribly embarrassing, but that started the upward momentum that I hope to continue. Through mod0 and the Technical Capstone, I've gained confidence back. 'Oh right,' I began thinking to myself, 'I am smart. I'm not a brain dead luddite. I didn't have to listen to the past year of talk from my former managers. Wild.'
So I would like to continue that. I want to remember what it feels like to be confident and capable again. I want to improve my organization, I want to crank my work ethic up to high gear, I want to become a better version of myself. I'm really excited to start.
#Top 4 Pairin Results
#Step 3 Responses
1. What is your greatest strength and how do you know?
Whatever I happen to be doing at any given moment, I am fully invested in. A project, a conversation, any kind of activity really. It makes me very personable, and able to relate to almost anyone or anything. I just get invested in things really quickly, and get emotionally attached to them. Sometimes thaty doesn't work out the best, but I feel like I've gotten better and reigning in on that.
2. How do you work best?
With no distractions. I like to be in my own little bubble, whether it's created by shutting a door or putting on headphones. I do my best work when I can focus solely on it. Also coffee. I really need coffee to focus. It sounds silly, but I honestly do get in the zone better when I'm caffeinated haha. Maybe I won't be housing Blueberry Red Bull like in my serving days, but I think a pot of two of coffee really does the trick.
3. What is your greatest area of improvement?
Followup. I was always terrible at keeping to assignments, going back and checking them, getting things done by a due date. I feel like mod0 has really helped me improve already, and I'm pretty pumped for the growth I'll experience in the future at Turing. Already my parents couldn't believe that I was actually doing homework, if that tells you anything haha.
4. How do you hope to maximize you strengths for your new career in software development?
Honestly, just focusing on my dedication. I can accomplish anything I really put my mind tp if I am dedicated. If I am dedicated and sincere in everything that I do, that will translate directly to my work, and to the people I work with. People respond to sincerity, and you can only become a better person all around if you dedicate yourself to that.
5. How might knowing your strengths and working preferences benefit you as a software developer?
Well, you can't really succeed at much if you don't know yourself, right? Knowing yourself is most of the battle with learning new things, and with being accomplished both personally and professionally. It allows you to plan for things, to set yourself up for success. If I know myself, I know my strengths, and more importantly my weaknesses. Can't ask for help if you don't realize you need it.
#Step 5 Responses
1. What efforts do you make to manage your learning process? Are these efforts successful? What challenges have inhibited your ability to manage your learning process effectively?
Bullet journaling is the big one! It makes me go back over notes taken and lessons and readings without being mindnumbingly bored by it because it isn't new material. Tricking myself into finding studying enjoyable haha. Also getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and starting my day with work. I roll out of bed, shower, and at least open my laptop and take a look at what I'll be doing that day so I have it at the forefront of my mind while I'm making coffee and getting ready for the day.
YES. When I skip a step or don't follow through with my prep, my ability to study and do work well absolutely tanks.
Honestly, keeping up with life. There are a lot of moving parts to life right now. Prepping for a move to Denver that might not be happening, managing the household, keeping things clean, dealing with the stress of the pandemic and how most of the important people in my life are either forty, or have health concerns that makes them high risk. It's really been a lot to manage, and if I think about any of that for more than a few seconds I just shut down.
2. How do Sierra's and Coates' material relate to your current process for learning?
Well, with Coates, it really struck me how much a journal entry that article was. It was very self reflective, I really enjoyed it. I really relate to his views of needing to suck at learning something. The need to not come by things effortlessly. You stagnate without that kind of challenge. Progress can be slow, but it's important to get used to that feeling of stumbling, otherwise you'll never try anything new.
With Sierra's keynote, rad lady btw, she touched on a lot of things I think I understood instinctually? Like with your brain getting tired. How even a little bit more thinking can make you just that much more exhausted. With my previous job, that was very evident. My entire work day was filled with cognitive leakage. I was unfamiliar with the job, with the processes, and never really trained in a consistent way. I really had a hard time moving things from A to B. I'm actually not even sure if anything about that job moved to C at all. But now, with this, I find myself moving little bits and pieces from one box to the next. I didn't even realize I was doing that kind of thing before I watched the video. Really cool to see that visualized.
3. What role does your emotional state of mind play in your learning? How do your successes and failures at learning affect your emotional state?
My emotional state more or less has 100% dominance over my ability to do anything. Not the best, but in my 27 years of life, I've learned to manage it. My anxiety makes me freeze up and stare off into space for hours on end, doing and thinking nothing. So, I start my day with a forced relaxed mindset. Sounds a bit impossible, but I've learned to make it work.
My successes in learning gives me a jolt of pure adreneline and happiness! It's great! No better feeling than when something really clicks! My failures can be frustrating, but never enough to call it quits. Failures only make me press harder into getting it right.
4. How will you prepare yourseld to be at your best with your learning proces while at Turing?
I've already started! I have a dedicated space for ONLY Turing related work in my bedroom. It's a clean, neat space with plants and string lights haha Being in a setting that I aesthetically enjoy does a lot. I also have established habits in reviewing, I have a set music playlist to listen to, and I have some serious headphones to block out the noise that just happens when living with someone in a small apartment. I also have incorporated more exercise and such into my life, I find that it really helps me maintain focus. I also got a coffee grinder that I am really excited about because coffee is the only reason I am able to do anything. Well. Main reason.