FEBRUARY 7, 2023
The Odin Project is one of the most popular free platforms to learn web development. But, it can be a challenge for non-CS students.
We recently interviewed Aditya Menon - former Ernst and Young lawyer - who described his coding journey. As a non-CS student, he struggled with understanding the syntax and "the vernacular" of programming. However, after weeks of deep work, he can now code and develop websites.
You can watch the entire interview video on YouTube. In addition, I'll share some valuable points from the interview in this post
- Right from the beginning, Aditya realized the importance of having a structured path. Today, when you browse the internet, it's very to get bombarded with information. You might enroll in one course, then another, and the cycle keeps going on. Aditya found a structure to learn Web Dev in one place with the Odin Project.
- "For someone coming from a non-tech background, even the first steps are so difficult to understand". If you have never done any coding, it's quite normal to feel intimidated or lost early on. You need to understand that Programming isn't just about syntax. It's a way of thinking. Coming from a Law background, Aditya recognized that he had to develop a new way of thinking to learn how to code.
- Aditya is switching from Law to Tech. As he was looking considering a path on how to make the switch, he found that he can start with Web Dev. Web Dev is a great way, not just to get your first experience with programming, but to also find freelancing gigs/internships, and build projects.
- "It's a very well-laid-out learning path", Aditya commented about the Platform. For someone completely new to coding, The Odin Project is a good fit for you. You learn the basics of HTML, CSS, and JS. In addition, they also teach you foundational career skills like using Git, Github, and using a Virtual Machine.
- The Odin Project introduced Aditya to "Reading as a source of learning coding". The Odin Project is primarily text-based. Students don't watch any videos (they do provide supplementary video links, but it's optional). Instead, you learn everything pretty much by reading.
- "In the beginning, you will find lots of resources on the internet..." in the form of videos, articles, and tutorials. "..but they aren't many resources for intermediate learners". The Odin Project makes you study and understand official documentation throughout its curriculum. This way, you are familiar with studying documentation, and can study new frameworks and libraries easily. "By studying through documentation, The Odin Project really helps you think like a developer".
- For Aditya, everything was new for him. HTML was a new topic. Even, reading and understanding code was new for him. Since he did not have any prior experience, Aditya did find learning The Odin Project a little difficult.
- The biggest thing that helped him learn was just spending a great deal of Time. Time spent on learning the topics, the supplementary materials, and time spent on building projects. That's it, there's no shortcut.
- In addition, Aditya immersed himself in Tech YouTube. He watched videos not only on coding tutorials, but also on "How to Code" or "How to Think Like a Programmer". These videos helped him develop a CS Philosophy, as well as motivated him to keep studying.
- Watching all these videos also made Aditya "familiar with the vernacular" of coding. I really liked this description, cause it made me realize that, yes, coding is kinda like learning a new language. You need to develop a foundational vocabulary, so that you can learn intermediate words.
- Aditya mentioned the importance of self-knowledge. You need to understand which type of learner you are. What are your strengths, and what are your weaknesses. You need to figure out how long is your attention span, what are your triggers. If you make a note of it, you can prepare a study schedule accordingly.
- Consistency is Key. If you just show up everyday, and do what's required, you will see progress.
- Keep yourself consistent and committed. Keep yourself accountable. Tell yourself that, yes, I will complete this assignment by the end of this week. And, incase you miss your deadline, just give yourself 1-2 days to complete your work. You can only meet deadline, when you actually set any deadline in the first place.
- Trust the process. You might start learning one topic and then lose attention to some other (non-related) topic. Or, you might feel that you need to learn more. Stop. First, finish this course. A lot of effort has been spent on creating this course. The creators and the students have crafted the curriculum very carefully. So, trust the process.
- Get Inspired, not intimidated by someone's work. When you look at someone else's projects, don't feel embarrassed by your lack of knowledge. Use this project as an inspiration. Try to understand how the developer created this project, and maybe try to extend this to your own project.
- A solid foundation is the best thing you can do for yourself. Remember, you are doing this for the future-you. Make sure this person is happy.
