React

Aloha Kahako! Hope all are having a great weekend! Mine is going a lot better than expected. Had my first React cohort this weekend and leading up to it, my nerves were a wreck!!! For most of my life, I’ve been quite the social butterfly but, this pandemic isolated me in a serious way. Now I’m just trying to find my way back into the conversation and where I now fit in society.

Roughly a year ago I took some time away from my cohorts and got involved with GameDevHQ! Which was one of the most beneficial experiences I’ve ever had on the islands. Anyways, now that I’m back, I was worried that time away would have left my mind absent of all the knowledge gained from previous cohorts. Boy Was I WRONG!!!!!!

I never liked JavaScript but, honestly, it’s been growing on me. The more that I work with it, the more it’s winning me over. This week I ran through most of the JavaScript basics. I took it upon myself to take my studies a little further than what was expected of us. I needed the extra time spent coding so developing a simple game was where it was at!

It was Great!!!! Spent hours of trial and error working on a game where a “fish” swims around popping bubbles to collect points. Thought it was easy enough to finish but, hard enough to push myself in the areas that I needed work. Like all those high school math equations that I was too busy for back in the day!!🤣🤣

It was really perfect too because our weekly assignment was focused on constructors and methods. I spent the time trying to break down exactly what I was doing. I tend to have trouble feeling content with the end result of my code. Writing code is an art form & like every art form, there are multiple ways to do something. There lies my daily dilemma. The indecisiveness that is constantly plaguing my thought process is maddening! I just need to decide the “right” way to execute my code and follow through. I’m finding that typing it out is not enough! I’m having to delve into all the forums and really use the resources out there or else nothing sticks.

It’s taking me longer than I had ever imagined. To be honest, it’s been the most beneficial task I’ve ever taken on mentally. I’ve always pushed myself in other areas of my life. I never really believed I ever had a chance in this industry. The last few years brought on a serious paradigm shift for me and I’m not looking back. I’m finally in a space where I have the freedom to push myself as far as my imagination takes me. I may not have a thick portfolio yet but, this is just the beginning. Keep your eyes and ears open. The next app or website you visit just might be made by me! Let’s see what this week brings. Much love and aloha