More than one way
- How do you describe the feeling of imposter syndrome? When does it affect you the most? Why?
I would describe imposter syndrome for me as just a bunch of excuses. If I’m ever having trouble focusing the syndrome will sneak in and make me think, “Maybe this isn’t for me, I haven’t made any progress on this assignment in the last hour. I’m sure everyone else already turned this in with no issues.”. Whenever I lose focus or feel like I’m stuck all I do is take a break. Usually I’ve been working on an assignment for way too long with no break and I just need some time away from the screen to get the imposter out of my head.
2. What have you learned about the tech world that you are happy to know?
I’ve learned that there are more applications for coding than just for work. Tons of people use coding for personal use in their own projects, and I’m excited to get good enough to start doing the same.
3. Why is the way we talk to ourselves in our inner mind so important? What effect can it have on our well-being?
I believe that making an effort to be kind to yourself goes a long way. When it comes to learning a new skill especially, if I’m constantly being hard on myself I might not even want to continue learning in the first place. It’s better for me to be patient with myself and to try and understand that I don’t need to be perfect at everything I do. There will be times when I see someone else’s work which’ll be way better than what I did, and that’s okay because I know I’ll get there with more time and practice.
4. What about this course is challenging you the most? How do you think you are growing through it?
The most challenging thing for me is balancing work, life and school all in one. If I was able to put all my time into coding I’d stress much less over the harder assignments. I’m glad I get to experience something like this because I feel like it will help me prepare for any tough times ahead. I’m not sure if after graduating, there will be anything that can challenge me as much as this balancing act but if there is I’ll be able to take the challenge on with confidence.
5. How has podcast listening influenced the way you think?
I’ve never been a podcast listener, instead I have a ton of coding youtubers that I watch day and night or whenever I need a quick answer to something. Most of the people I watch are experts in their fields and it makes me want to be good enough to show off my skills in CSS or Javascript.
6. What has your spare time looked like in comparison to what it looked like a year ago?
A year ago my spare time was wasted on doing absolutely nothing productive. I’d work and come home and talk with some friends or go to parks with my girlfriend. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to spend time with loved ones but I always felt like I could be doing more to better myself. Now my spare time almost doesn’t exist. I’m either at work or finishing an assignment and I’m actually kind of glad to be so busy.
