It’s hard to believe, 12 weeks ago I knew almost nothing about programming, my math skills were rusty, had a vague idea of what data science was, and I had no idea how to go about making a website. I still barely know how to make a website, but I’m confident I will find gainful employment using my new skills, and I’ll write my first blogpost on this website to let you know what I’ve learned

However, this isn’t a post listing out the actual hard skills I learned (there are many, and I will post about those later). This post is meant to be a little grain of advice on the best practices, life skills, time management that if you didn’t know before, will be beat out of someone through the struggle of the incredibly intense and satisfying learning experience of a Data Science Immersive Bootcamp.

Be kind to your future self. This phrase has been echoeing in my head lately. It’s a simple recipe for balancing success and happiness. Make sure to eat, sleep, brush your teeth and exercise.

Projects get done by starting. It’s easy to stress about the work you have in front of you. Stress can keep you from taking that first step, and then the work piles on. If you have an enourmous task, or several enourmous tasks, in front of you, take the problem head on.

If something is hanging over your head, take care of it. Get it done, or get it planned. If it takes a couple minutes, just do it. if it takes longer, schedule it. But don’t let it hang over your head.

Most things worth doing don’t get done in one sitting: If you have a big goal, it can’t get done in one day. You have to do it piece by piece. It helps to try and lay a plan out, but you can’t have a plan without playing around a little. Roll your sleaves up, get your hands dirty. Set a benchmark and take the time to write down what you’ve done, and what you’re going to do next.

Don’t try and boil the ocean: This one is a metaphor repeated from our instructor. A bootcamp does not turn you into an expert in 12 weeks. It gives you the tools you need to climb the next mountain. You have to decide what you want to really learn, and it’s up to you to really learn it.

Get to an answer first, improve the process later: Set your goals low, and you will be dissappointed less often. Iteratively set the bar higher, and you’ll have a product. If you try to make it perfect to begin with, you’ll always be dissapointed. Get to proof of concept, and then perfect later.

Graph a lot. It’s not just a product for your customer, it’s a tool for you.

Someone has probably already figured it out. And posted on github. Don’t waste time reinventing the wheel. Borrow someone elses wheel, put your own tires on it, and get going.

Being sorrounded by people with a common goal can be extremely motivating. It’s also a rare circumstance that I have cherished it. I’ve worked harder, and slept less, than I can remember since college. I’m a better person for having gone through it, and no matter what the future holds, I will be proud the gains I have made.