We are finishing the fourth week of the Second Edition of “Learn IT, Girl!” Wow, that is some progress and a dream for us on the organizers team. Seeing the enthusiasm to teach and learn, we are glad to be able to provide a platform that acts as a bridge for both these desires.
Now that we are already here, in our process of learning and teaching, let’s make the most of this opportunity. Let us make the most out of this and not be held back by anything. Believe it or not but something as small as hesitation might be holding us back from a wonderful experience and we won’t even be aware. So let us talk about that. This is especially for the mentees who are making their first attempt at undertaking a technical project. We applaud your efforts already! The first project we do always gets more bugs than are fair for one project but don’t you worry, we are here and these are our two cents on the approach to be taken:
No question is stupid!
We have been told this since elementary school and it still holds good. So it doesn’t matter where you are stuck, the error could be as small as a typo (that happens more often than you think). Whatever problem you have, search for it, Stack Overflow will surely come to your rescue and you won’t feel alone in having that problem. And if you still don’t find it, ask your dear mentors. They are happy to help but be patient in your queries. And most of all, don’t hesitate!
Don’t Quit.
Everything at once is overwhelming and we are aware of that. But perseverance will get you there. Stuck on a problem for hours? Don’t worry, sleep on it, things will be clearer in the morning. And if they are not, start over from the beginning. It might happen that things suddenly start working and you will never know what the bug was (insider secret 😉 ).
Don’t Pressurize Yourself.
The 12 week time-line of this program is not an ultimatum to produce a marvel. The whole purpose was to introduce and initialize enthusiasts into a topic they wanted to study. And if you walk away with a feeling of having learned something, our job is done. Build a small functioning application in the given time (so we have something to evaluate) and you are free to build that project further after the program.
A small tip for the mentor: You are there to help, but make sure your mentee doesn’t feel reservations in contacting you. The regular inquiries for updates have your good intentions at heart but your mentee might feel embarrassed when the progress is not significant. Make them feel comfortable, make yourself warm and welcoming. We know our mentees are in good hands!
Wishing all our members happy coding hours and hope to see what has been brewing in the kitchens during the mid-term evaluations!
Learn IT, Girl! 