Hackathon Reflection, iOS Dev Learning Journey, a Job Posting List, and a Resource for ML
Hi folks! Here’s what’s on the menu this week:
Hackathon Reflection - My Take On: Should You Go If You Have Zero Coding Experience?
iOS Development Journey: My ups and (mostly) downs in a challenging course.
A Job Posting List to Help You Stay Updated
Dive into Deep Learning: a Useful Resource to Learn ML
1. Hackathon Reflection - Should You Go If You Have Zero Coding Experience? 🚀
Short answer: No.
Long answer: It depends on your goals. 🤔 Before diving into a hackathon, consider what you aim to achieve. If you're merely curious about coding, there are better starting points than a hackathon. Participating without any coding knowledge can be overwhelming and unproductive. I made this mistake as a finance major at my first hackathon and regretted it. However, if you have a specific, compelling goal that can only be met at a hackathon, then go for it, but be well-prepared.
My Hackathon Reflection:
🏆 Result: No Victory, No Valuable Experiences
Recently, I attended my second hackathon at Columbia University, and it didn't go as planned. We didn't write a single line of code; instead, it was all hypothetical. I strongly advise finding teammates before attending a hackathon, as relying on random teammates is a gamble because you don’t know if you all gonna fit well in terms of working style and knowledge.
On a brighter note, I had the chance to meet a fellow student at Columbia who I enjoyed conversing with. She actually recommended me a resource for learning Machine Learning that I will write about below.
What I'd Do Differently Next Time in a Hackathon:
1️⃣ Form a Team Beforehand: Assemble a team with varying skills and abilities to tackle different aspects of the project effectively.
2️⃣ Define Clear Judging Metrics: Establish precise criteria for evaluating project ideas to stay on track and avoid conflicts, especially when your team is formed randomly at the hackathon.
3️⃣ Know your Purpose & Stick to It: I set my goal for attending this hackathon as “making friends & gaining experience.” But I kept forgetting my original purpose and found myself being annoyed because other people didn’t stay up to my expectations. For this, I only have myself to blame. First, I should be aware of my utmost goal/purpose. Second, it’s always better to foster a collaborative mindset than an “us and them” mindset.
2. Update on My Progress in the iOS Development Course at CodePath 📚
If you want more information about this course, find it in my newsletter here.
I truly think the class is HARD. 😓 I know a friend who has dropped it, and we are just in week 4 (there are 10 weeks in total). Me and a few other students ask each other every week if we've been able to do the project or not. It is truly challenging. However, because it’s challenging, it's also intellectually stimulating. So I like it. I'm actually learning a lot.
But, because the course is far outside of our comfort zone, we get demotivated and rely on AI for help a lot of the time. I don't say you can't do it, but I feel like I have relied on it too much, so my foundation in the concept is not solid now. This weekend, I need to reread all the documentations and make a promise to myself that I will spend at least 3 hours on the project before I come to AI for help.
💡So, utilize AI to your advantage, but make sure you are truly learning too. It’s a good lesson for me and I hope you don’t have to go through the same thing.
3. Summer 2024 Tech Internships by Pitt CSC & Simplify
[Link: https://github.com/SimplifyJobs/Summer2024-Internships]
It's a popular job posting that constantly updates new internship opportunities. 🌟 And sometimes, it's really a numbers game, so we should utilize these sources as much as possible. Applying to jobs can be time-consuming, especially when each company requires you to fill out your information all over again. But stay persevering! 💪 Also, you can subscribe for email updates so that whenever it has a new job, you get updated. 📬
4. Dive into Deep Learning
[Link to the website: https://d2l.ai/index.html]
I just got recommended this page by the friend I made at the hackathon. She has 7 years of experience in coding, and she's studying data science. So I trust her recommendation.
📰 News: I'm gonna have to learn a lot about AI since I just got an AI Internship. I will also bring you with me when I learn and do this internship. 🤖
WHAT’S NEXT?
That's it for this edition of the coding newsletter! I'd love to hear from you. What topics excite you the most? Do you have any recommended resources or papers for my learning journey? Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions on anything I’ve discussed. Let's keep the conversation going and connect with each other.
Happy coding!
From Bytes of Growth 🌱
📰 WHAT DID YOU MISS IN THE LAST NEWSLETTER
Hard Fork is a podcast that explores the future of tech in a way that's both informative and engaging.
Overseas Vietnamese Mentorship Program (OVMP) connects aspiring Vietnamese professionals with experienced mentors who can provide guidance and support.
DailyBean is a simple journaling app that helps you track your thoughts, feelings, and experiences over time.
