2.3: Find Your Coding Bootcamp Learning Style / What to Do With Your Body During Lectures

Think about the last time you were in school. How did you best retain information? 

Some people may:

• Take notes (typed or handwritten)
• Fidget
• Sit there and do nothing (listen intently)
• Practice the concepts while they're being taught

There's no right or wrong answer, but for coding bootcamp, you may need to adjust. 

For example, I like the tactile feeling of handwritten notes, however, material is covered so quickly, I frequently get behind.

If I don't take notes, I need something else to do with my hands, lest destruction ensues.  I will absentmindedly pick at my fingernails until they bleed. Sound gross? It is and I am, but I have the feeling you can relate (I'm looking at you, America, who needed literal hand washing instructions at the start of the pandemic). 

So, if handwritten notes are out for me and so is sit there and do nothing, what can I do? Well, I'm still trying to figure that out. I've currently settled on a combination of typing notes, fidgeting, and practicing concepts while they're being taught. 

I feel like that's fine enough for the lectures, but my retention isn't as good, so I will probably have to go back and copy lecture slides by hand. This is annoying, because it seems like even more work, but it is how to get the information to stick. 

You may have to play around and see what works for you, too. 

As for what to do with your body during lectures:

• If you fidget, be discreet and quiet! There's nothing wrong with fidgeting, but make sure your hands are off camera or under your desk. You don't want to distract other students.
• Don't lie down in bed on camera. It is weird. 
• Make sure your body is appropriately dressed before getting on camera
• Standing up/stretching is fine in casual settings. 

Also, because we are all human, there will be a point where you just can't pay attention. Maybe the teacher is progressing too quickly or you have sleep deprivation or personal issues; it doesn't matter. 

Make a note to yourself about the topic before you zone out so you can catch up later. Try to pay attention enough to list any other topics being covered so you don't miss out. Then, this is the most important part:  REFER TO THOSE TOPICS LATER when you are in a better state of mind. 

Lastly, if you're curious about what we covered in class today, we focused on maps, sets, and algorithm problems. Most of it was very interesting, but algorithm problems is where my brain decided to tip its hat in farewell and hop off the wagon. I will have to review those concepts later tonight. ;)

Note: From here on out, I'm going to reference the week and day in this format:
Week.Day
so 2.3 is Week 2 Day 3