25% of TIY is Behind Me

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Today marks the end of my third week, and it also means that I am 25% of the way through the program. I can't beleive that 3 weeks are behind me, and only nine weeks remain. It feel like I just got here, time is flying by for me.

This past week has been nothing but JavaScript, and all the projects have built upon stuff we've learned during the first 2 weeks. Every project has more or less required us to build something from scratch. No templates, or frameworks, just a blank index.html, a blank main.scss, and a blank main.js file waiting for my first keystrokes.

More than anything I have learned how much more there is for me to discover about CSS. The JavaScript has been mind-bending at times, however I have been getting better and better with it. JavaScript for me is just a matter of learning syntax and thinking in a diffrent way. Pulling the data that I need onto the page is easier, than styling it. Hands down. I have spent over an hour fiddling with CSS trying to make something look a certain way. Luckly I have been getting plenty of practice, and I'm sure there is plenty more to come over the weeks ahead.

Now I don't want you to think that I am saying that JavaScript is a peice of cake for me. Because sometimes it all most breaks my brain...

Lest that is how it feels, lol

Life outside of class

In truth for me there really isn't life outside of class, but I will share what my free time looks like. (I feel like there isn't any free time, there is all ways something related to class I could and/or should be doing. Diving deeper into something, or reading the docs about a libary we're using etc.)

In my free time I watch Netflix, I think I've watched about 2 hours worth of Nexflix in the last 3 weeks. I say that only to give you a idea of how much free time I've had. It has litterly taken me that long to get though a movie I wanted to watch, I'd just watch a bit of if a few times a week before I went to sleep. I enjoy watching movies, but have had zero time to do so, I haven't even looked for the local movie theater yet. (though it was on my to do list prior to starting the program)

I hang out with my class mates, be it in my apartment, or theirs. I go out to eat with them, cook with them, go to the grocery store with them. In other words either I'm doing something by myself or I'm doing it with a classmate or two.

I miss my family something terrible...

I was not prepared for the emotional distress that I would experience from being away from my family and friends. I don't use the word distress midly either. I just remind myself why I am here, and how this changes my future for the better. Then put a smile on my face and carry on, none the less it is very hard at times. Thank God for Video Chat and Telephones! I had a friend drive 8 hours to come and see me earlier this week that was a plesant surprise!!

Last weekend my roommate Chad and I were dinner hosts. A few classmates came over and we ended up grilling. Tommy was the grill master, all I did was pick out my steak ;) The food was amazing! I had the time of my life hanging out with my classmates, it was something that I will all ways remember. Here's a few pictures from that day:

the food

There was more food than you see in the photo above. I failed to snap a phot after everything came to table. Man, the food was so delish!!!

us about to eat the food

From left to right: Ollie, Sara, Tommy, and finally to the far right my roommate Chad.

The people in my class are top notch, I am so glad to be here. I love the informal hangouts that happen. Someone will hop on hip chat and ask if anyone wants to go to the lab to work on a project, or head to a local hangout to do the same. Before you know it 4-5 people are all hanging out together after hours working on something. I have learned a ton from my class mates. Here's a photo of one of thoese hangout that took place today:

hangout

I can feel the sand falling through the hour glass. I cherrish these moments at TIY, because I know that in a flash this chapter of my life will be over. I'm going to enjoy every part of this experience that I can, something special is taking place right now. I can feel it, and it's quite wonderful!

I have so much more that I want to share with you, but I am presed for time :( I need to read some documentation on Underscore, then bed. I'll be up bright and early for church, then to the lab to finish the last part of the 5 day project we've been working on. I am still trying to wrap my head around how templates work in Underscore, so to the docs I go!

Until Next Time...

Jay Wilson Jr.

Did you know: Jay is a Emergency Medical Technician & Front-End Developer. He enjoys spending time with his daughter and learning new stuff. He likes to make people laugh and is a all around cool guy.

Bedford, Va.