Dev Retro 2022 - The Wrapped Journal for 2022

The 2022

Let's start with 2021! I embarked on a journey to learn code while also working full-time. I devoted a lot of time to studying and rarely took breaks, which ultimately resulted in burnout. After taking some time off from coding, I made a decision to make a change for the following year. I committed to spending 1-2 hours daily on code learning, with breaks in between and a goal of making at least one commit each day. This more balanced approach helped me avoid burnout and continue to progress in my learning.

For 2022, I have tried the more balanced approach with the lesson I learned from 2021.

A couple of things that I did:

Codewars:

This was the starting point where I got to understand and be comfortable with JavaScript. I was solving a problem or more daily. It allows me to use more JavaScript's built-in functions like array methods, map(), reduce(), and more. Eventually, I moved on to Data Structure and Algorithms to learn about stacks, queues, linked lists, and more. Also, I solved problems on LeetCode and HackerRank.

100 Days of Code:

Participating in the 100 Days of Code challenge was a great motivation for me, as it taught me the importance of keeping things small and consistent. Later in 2022, I read the book Atomic Habits and learned that one of the keys to building and maintaining good habits, even difficult ones, is to make them as small and manageable as possible. This makes it easier to take action and stay consistent. The book's message aligns with the principles of the 100 Days of Code, which emphasizes the importance of consistency and incremental progress in achieving goals.

React Hooks:

via GIPHY

The GIF above described my feeling about useContext hook. I didn't understand them until freeCodeCamp has a video on React JavaScript Framework for Beginners - Project-Based Course and this is where I finally understand about useContext hook. useReducer hook is pretty awesome as well since it allows you to update and manage states with ease by using object to store information and then update states based on the action.

I also learned a bit about useMemo and useCallback hooks, it seems like they are here to "remember" computed value between renders and functions respectively.

Node/Express:

I used to wonder how websites were able to perform add, create, update, and delete operations on information like posts, comments, and shipping carts. It was not until I learned how to communicate with and perform CRUD operations using Node/Express and MongoDB from the 100Devs! This is where I realized, "Ah, this is how it is done!" This also makes me understand that everything we interact with is an API!

As I reflect on my journey from the beginning of 2022 until now, I am proud of the skills and knowledge that I have acquired. These have helped me to make progress and improvements in my personal and professional development. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue learning and growing, and I am excited to see what the future holds as I continue to build on the foundation that I have established.

Roadblocks

There will be obstacles or challenges that came up along the way. It is important to learn how to handle these roadblocks effectively and find ways to prevent them from happening more often in the future.

The Burnout

Burnout can be a major challenge for everyone. To combat it, I've found it helpful to take breaks and prioritize non-coding activities, like playing video games with friends, to maintain a balance between coding and non-coding activities.

The Imposter Syndrome

Another issue that I've encountered is imposter syndrome, which can be your best friend and always glue to you! I have had it for a long time, even long before I decided to change my career.

To cope with imposter syndrome, it's helpful to keep track of what you didn't know or understand before, and what you know or understand now. Every time you gain new knowledge or understanding, it's an improvement, and it's worth celebrating those small wins.

Remember that you are always improving and growing, and it's important to compare the past you to the present you to see how far you've come.

While you can't completely eliminate imposter syndrome, learning to live with it and use it as a motivation to keep learning and improving can be a valuable tool.

The Future

A couple of things that I would like to do next year:

MERN (MongoDB, Express, React, Node) apps
Next.js
three.js
Write a blog regularly

I cannot promise that I will do them all, however, I am going to try to build a system/environment that will help me to plan and learn the technologies that I am interested in.