My New Series - Lambda School Revisited

As I mentioned in a previous post, I will soon be re-visiting the Software Engineering track which I’ve studied in Lambda School last year. That means going through the entire Full-Stack Web curriculum again from start to finish. In order for me to really master what I will re-learn, I’ve decided to teach it to other people through a series of vlogs, blog posts, and podcast episodes. This series will be called, quite simply, “Lambda School Revisited”.

I’m happy to say that I’ve already launched the inaugural episode of the vlog version of the series here (Note: It was initially called Coding: The Absolute Basics):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0FoZ2PdOPw&t=215s 

So this article is the blog version. Tomorrow, I will be launching the first episode of the podcast.

Here’s an overview of what I will be talking about today:

1. A Couple of Disclaimers
2. Why I Want To Do It Again
3. Why Learn How to Code
4. A Tiny Peek Into the Next Blog Article

First and foremost, some disclaimers:

Again, this is simply a personal blog dedicated to (i) documenting my journey as I re-visit the things I’ve studied in the Full-Stack Web track, and (ii) teaching others the fundamentals of coding, as a way for me to master the material.

I have a lot of quote from Richard Feynman that I like, but I especially love this:

So simple yet so true. That’s my overarching goal.

Here are my reasons for wanting to go through Lambda School’s Full-Stack Web track again:

First, because I want to review the track, keep myself technically sharp, and eventually master it. I didn’t get to code in my spare time as a Student Success Coordinator. I want to change that. I want to keep on coding on the side while working full-time.

Second, because I want to learn topics that I didn’t get to study previously, such as React Hooks, SQL, Java, and others. Lambda School iterates often and quickly. New content, methods, and approaches are added into, or updated in, the curriculum a lot of times.

Third, because I want to participate in Build Sprints and Labs and build full-stack products with a team. Build Weeks, a program welded into and throughout the curriculum’s structure, gives students the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned during their sprints. It enables them to work on relatively minor projects with a team of students from other sections and tracks. Labs is a much bigger version of Build Sprints and gives the students the opportunity to ship portfolio-worthy full-stack software products with other developers and designers.

Fourth, because I want to gain new insights into the student experience. The success of our students is of paramount importance to us as Student Success Coordinators (the name of the position gives it away!), and by becoming somewhat of a student again, I’ll be able to “put myself in the students’ shoes” and understand their needs and concerns in a more intimate way.

Fifth, because I want a become a great Software Engineer. This should be self-explanatory.

And lastly, because Full-Stack Web Development and Computer Science are fascinating and intellectually rewarding. There’s an aspect to coding that really makes it fulfilling to understand and master.

Here are a few reasons why you or anyone (or at least, anyone who has the inclination or volition for it) should learn how to program:

First, because you want to become a Software Engineer. This should be a given. Software Development is a very financially rewarding profession, especially in the West. Here in the Philippines, not so much. I mean, compared with our Asian neighbors, our developers' salaries here are really low. But compared with other occupations or professions in the country, such as that of being a lawyer or doctor, our developer salaries are quite high. Western countries, though, have consistently and significantly higher salaries for their engineers compared to the rest of the world.

Second, because you want to create software products and eventually start a startup. If you’re an entrepreneur and you have an idea for a startup, knowing how to code will give you a lot of edge over entrepreneurs who don’t know how to code.

Third, because most of the world’s biggest companies are software companies. Stripe, Amazon, Airbnb, Coinbase, DoorDash, Slack, Twitter, Spotify, and many, many others, are software companies. They may have different business models, but they’re essentially tech companies that employ hundreds and thousands of Software Engineers to scale their products and services.

Fourth, because businesses in the future are going to be powered by software. Companies, including traditional or brick-and-mortar ones, are eventually going to embrace technology, otherwise, they won’t be able to compete.

Fifth, because coding is a powerful tool, just as technological tools of previous generations were. Throughout history, technology has revolutionized societies and how people lived their lives. For example, during pre-historic and ancient times, people with bronze weapons, utensils, and the wheel were able to adapt better and thrive over those who did not use those tools. During the Medieval period, people who had agricultural know-how and skills in printing and reading thrived over those who were ignorant about those tools. And during Modern times, people who knew how to make and use cars, computers, and eventually applications or software, have clear advantages, most notably and obviously in terms of business and financial wealth, over those people who are ignorant of those tools.

So coding is like a superpower, a knowledge-base, and a skill that you can leverage to create wealth or help people with problems that can be solved using technology.

So all of the reasons above have been my motivation for starting this personal project. I’m so happy and excited that I’m finally doing this. This has been brewing in my mind for a long time now.

In the next article, I will be giving you an overview of the entire series. I will also be introducing you to the absolute fundamentals of web development by talking about HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.