Monday 13 September 2010

Back to school.

This Saturday I started my courses in learning Java. It’s been some time since I attended a course, if you exclude things like the ‘Time Management’ training we had at work (talking about a complete waste of time). It’s taking place in a London School located in the City for 6 Saturdays, 6 hours each time. We are 8 people overall, 3 guys (including me) and 5 girls of all ages and background! It’s quite unexpected since I thought that geeky stuff, like software development, was more appealing to the male population and there would be more guys!



Anyway, the place was decent, the professor was not that boring and the course interesting. I like how development seem (to me at least) like a mathematical quiz to be solved. I also like the feeling of creating something of my own. It might not be as glamorous as a painting or a sculpture, but while writing your own code, you do create something out of nothing and you can see the outcome!

This Saturday, in 6 hours, we managed pretty much to go through all that I had been studying on my own for 3 months. I had bought a couple of books and I was devoting an hour or two each week trying to study but I wasn’t making much progress since I had other stuff to divert me (diving, running, gym, cinema, ‘JJ’, going out etc). I now have a more clarified idea of how to start, compile and run my own software. By the end of the day, I was feeling quite tired but content that I had a very productive day. I now have 5 more days to go till the exams. For my own shake, I hope to finish the course successfully (I’m paying a lot for it) and start applying for a better job position soon.

Of course, I now have more things to study at home until next Saturday and do some exercises. Unfortunately, there is some theory I have to learn and memorise as well (I’m not that good at memorising stuff). It’s a bit tricky because I know for example what RAM or encapsulation in development is, but I can only give a definition of my own which is not totally correct. I now have to learn to use the proper terminology wanted. I know I’ll be just fine. I just need to devote time for the next 1 and a half months.

5 comments:

  1. its great that you are keeping up with the studies. I on the other hand am seriously back logged with my studies at the moment.

    GOOD LUCK!

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  2. I'd love to go back to school. But 6 hours each day is quite a lot.

    I'd like to learn to Photoshop/Lightroom properly.

    There are so many things that I'd like to learn. I have the time, but not the patience.

    Will the Java mean you can write stuff for your blog?

    ahoj

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  3. @wozzel Thanks. I might need some luck to get through this...

    @MadeInScotland It's just for 6 days. I hope they will pass without issues. I just don't like having my weekends booked and not being able to go places.
    I haven't thought of using Java with blogger... Hmm, that would be interesting. Although, I first have to learn how to work with Java before messing with my blog.

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  4. Interesting. On a sidenote, we're using Java for one of my new projects at work -- I'm looking forward to it simply because i'll have to learn some new things. :-)

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  5. @Nik_TheGreek thanks. I'm not exactly sure how I'll start to gain more experience in Java after the end of the course. I'm hoping to find a GIS-Java Developer position somewhere...

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