Overview
This has been my first real weekend of study and practice. My head hurts! But now I'm getting familiar with the command-line, git, git branching, and github.
I've pushed my first few commits up to github, and made my github.io website repository and published a very basic home page and this blog post.
What's your take on the DBC/EDA experience?
Afer watching the Fireside chat with Shereef: Kitchen vs Table I was surprised to see how similar the conversation and expectations were between the DBC and the EDA programme, and that this fireside chat was 4 years ago. I felt at ease after listening to the chat and the Q&A session where many of my own questions were addressed.
What are your impressions?
My impressions are that the foundations and philosophy of EDA are well founded and based on much experience by the likes of DBC and the EDA over the last few years. I feel inspired that so much thought and care has been put into putting this programme on, and appreciate the honesty about the expectations to keep up, put in the mahi, be kind, and be honest with each other and ourselves.
How do you see yourself engaging with this type of culture?
I'll be throwing myself in boots and all and "trusting the process" and myself to make this an awesome, life-changing, experience.
The focus on soft skills, time management, self-awareness, team work and interpersonal relationships will be a good challenge for me, as I certainly know I tend to lean into the technical sides of any work.
Have your expectations of EDA changed? If so, how?
I always expected it would be about culture and self-learning, and this has been shown to be the case with the balance of tech vs human-skills
I'm realising now the level of work and commitment that will be required is even more than I had expected, but after working through a few challenges already this weekend, I'm feeling confident I'll succeed.
When I attended the "Day in the life of Dev Academy" last year, I did not see the depth of structure and support around the students that I have seen since prepping for Orientation and now working through the first Sprint. I'm impressed and feel both the challenge on me and the support from the EDA crew, and know that I'll be drawing on the cohort for support and strength, as well as being part of that support for those around me.
Are you excited to participate in this kind of learning environment? Does it make you nervous?
Yes, excited and nervous. But after this weekend, knowing that I took the time to learn, to go back to basics, and that I know things today that I didn’t know on Friday, has given me a boost in enthusiasm and confidence in myself.
Nervous that this is way more work than I'm used to in my current job, but excited to become a better person by working through it all, with those around me.
It is only these challenges that make us renew ourselves and realise what we are capable of.