This week seemed to go by in a flash. It’s Friday again, and I’m sipping a beer within the bright pink walls of Launch Academy headquarters, otherwise known as Mission Control. On one wall, in white letters, is the phrase “Keep Calm and Code.” I’ve learned a lot in the past couple of weeks, but the most important lesson is precisely that: To stay calm and treat each problem, each challenge, each error message in my terminal, like an opportunity, not an obstacle.
Every day, we learn something new. From morning to night, we code. Yesterday, a friend and I realized that we’d coded together for 13 hours straight! Sometimes, when my mind is reeling from all the information I’ve taken in, I’ll take a quick trip with fellow Launchers to Beard Papa‘s (known for its cream puffs) in Chinatown or go on a solitary walk around the block. Another lesson I’ve learned? Taking a break can work wonders when you’re stuck.
And, apart from that:
- I’ve begun building basic apps using Sinatra, a lightweight framework that’s given us a taste of what Rails will be like (which we’ll start working with in a few weeks).
- I’ve passed another System Check (big weekly test) on the HTTP Request and Response Cycle. In other words? I have a handle on what it means to communicate with the server. Here’s a basic diagram to show you what it’s all about:
- I now know how to structure HTML forms to take in user input (including names, emails, strings, URLs, and the like).
- I understand how to save and read user input from CSV.files and txt.files, and I’m learning how to use the PostgreSQL open-source database, which makes me feel super awesome and powerful.
And, I’m continuing to update my Github, so check it out!
lilydbarrett.com 