Making the Most of Your Program | by Teddy Putus
It’s been an interesting experience getting back into education as a student. I finished college when I was 19 and am 30 now. I also used to be a teacher abroad, so I’ve seen in my students how success is built. Everyone has different needs and approaches but the students that had the most success had one thing in common; they made the most of the opportunities they were given.
Below, I’ve compiled a list of things that I’ve been doing as a Software Engineering apprentice at Multiverse to make the most of mine.
The Basics
These are things I think everyone knows they should do, but not everyone does. But honestly, it makes life a lot easier. This is applicable to life in general too!
- Prepare: Be there on time, with everything you need, and be ready.
- Do your homework: Doing your homework and any prep work, knowing what you’re going to be covering will put you miles ahead. Even if you get stuck, you’ll have questions to ask!
- Helping others: Answering other peoples’ questions is good for you, too! I’ve found this to be the best way of consolidating my own knowledge; it can even show you what you don’t know.
- Ask “stupid” questions: Ask any and every question you have, even if you think it’s “stupid.” I guarantee other people are thinking about it and are too afraid to ask.
- Solving problems > Coding along: For me, trying to solve the problem before the workshop added so much value to what we were learning. It’s a much more active way of doing things. Code-alongs can be brilliant, but it’s much harder for me to take in knowledge without applying it.
- Go Beyond: Everything we’re taught is just a starting point. There’s always more to learn.
Are You Bad At Something? Do It!
This is something I have to do actively, as it’s much more comfortable to stick with what you know. It’s easy to quit because you're stuck, or you’re making mistakes. But making mistakes is the foundation of learning.
Going out of my way to practise what I’m weakest at gives me the biggest improvements. I use the monthly development goals set in my 1:1 with my coach to focus on something I’m weak at, and that gives me the extra motivation of accountability to my coach.
Get Outside Your Comfort Zone
Your comfort zone can feel safe, but it can also be a cage. For me, public speaking is way outside my comfort zone. I’ve had a couple of opportunities to do some presenting, and I took them because the thought of it made me uncomfortable. And once I started doing it, it wasn’t that bad!
Compare Yourself to Yourself Yesterday, Not to Other People
This is something I’ve struggled with. Comparing yourself to others is demotivating, and the truth is, it will never be a fair comparison; everyone’s coming from a different place, with different levels of experience and knowledge. As long as you stick with it and are consistent, you will see progress in yourself, and that’s what matters.
I hope at least some of this is useful to you. As with everything in life, you need to find what works for you. Don’t treat it as a passive process. Take control, enjoy it, and don’t be a passenger!
Teddy Putus is a Software Engineering apprentice at Multiverse based in London, UK.