Things I wish I knew before Coding Bootcamp

I went to a coding bootcamp recently. These were the things I wish I knew before going, which would have helped me set MUCH more realistic expectations.

Check out this video for further detail:

What it takes

You will be coding daily, 6 to 7 days a week (a given)
You’ll be doing practice problems daily (and failing them daily, haha)
You’ll be making a ton of mistakes while building projects (but it’s normal)
Lot’s of BS online about ‘coding bootcamps being easy’ — it’s much harder than you think

Your health will probably suffer (health is a huge priority in order to maximize brain function)

You’ll sit in a chair for a loooong time (get up and walk around occasionally)
There’s a lot of stress involved in the program
There’s not much time for cooking healthy food, focus on eating well
Be active, build in exercise at least a few days a week (mental clarity, feeling physically good)

The mental game is completely brutal

You will want to give up, you’ll fail over and over (but this is normal and should be expected!)
You’ll probably feel like you’re dumb, or something is wrong with you (you’re not dumb, you’re learning!)
You need to believe in yourself (do anything you can to stay positive)
Use the community, struggle together (you’ll build strong bonds with others)

You’ll be depressed and anxious (prioritize mental health!)

Everyone feels like they’re behind, but they won’t tell you that
You’ll feel like you’re consistently behind
Big Secret — everyone else does too, but you’ll only see their successes (people always superficially make it seem like everything is always going well, take Instagram feeds for example)
Ask questions! The worst thing you can do is not ask questions (if you don’t ask, you’re wasting your money)

The hardest part will probably be the job search

Absolutely brutal, please expect this150–300 jobs is a normal baseline you should be targeting (for some it will take less, others more, but this is an average)
Looking for jobs IS a full time job (devote a ton of time to looking for jobs, studying, and networking)
You’ll encounter bias by recruiters and developers during the job search because of your background, IGNORE THIS, push forward, someone will eventually take a chance on you!
It’s a lonely process (try to build an accountability group with your other bootcamp grads!)

Coding bootcamps aren’t all about the technical skills

You learn grit, perseverance (lifelong skills for continued success)
Work ethic
Make connections, bond with people you struggle together with
You’ll gain confidence in yourself

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Are you thinking about coding bootcamps? If you have any questions, shoot me a DM on Instagram @mattupham, or check out my other articles on here!

Thanks for reading!