Hey Lucy, thanks for your time! Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Lucy, I'm 29 years old, originally from Manchester in the UK. I was part of Le Wagon batch #726 in sunny
Barcelona, where I've also lived since September 2020. My interests outside of coding include music, cats, skating, cooking and debating politics with anyone who will engage!
What were you doing before learning to code?
My working life before Le Wagon was a varied mix of working in customer service, as a chef and also in travel. I started to get tired of the cycle of uninspiring jobs that did not challenge me and I wanted to do something that I could build on throughout my career.
Cool, and what made you decide to study at Le Wagon?
Traditional education has never been for me, I struggled in school (suspected ADHD) and never went to university. A hands-on, practical learning environment, however, did appeal to me and turned out to be a great decision!
Can you tell us a bit more about your bootcamp experience?
Incredible! I moved to Barcelona during covid and doing the bootcamp introduced me to more friends than I could have even imagined making. Furthermore, the immersion of being on campus all day, everyday completing the same challenges as my classmates created the perfect learning environment.
Ok, now your best moment and your biggest challenge in the course
One of my best moments came during Javascript week, where I found my niche and got to offer help to the star of the class, of course also when we demoed our final project after 2 weeks of hard work! Honestly my biggest challenge was to stop comparing my progress to my classmates and know when to ask for help - which is why I always stress the importance of both of these to my students now I'm teaching.
And finally, what happened in your life after Le Wagon?
I stayed in the Le Wagon world! Teaching runs in my family so I wanted to give it a go myself. My teachers and TAs were really valuable in helping me learn so I wanted to be able to offer that too. I started out as a TA and progressed to teaching not long after and it has been a great way to continue learning. Additionally I've challenged myself to learn all things Javascript including React, Angular and Typescript.
You've been the very first teacher at Le Wagon Porto. How was it?
This was also my first time teaching a full time batch and it couldn't have been better. Le Wagon Porto campus is a great campus with a lovely and chilled vibe. My first students were super dedicated, interested and really a pleasure to teach. I would recommend it to any other teacher!
How did you like your stay in Portugal?
Having previously lived in Portugal, I was already a fan and it was really nice to be back. It was, however, my first time in Porto and I found it a beautiful, relaxed city and I'm already looking forward to coming back again, this time with more time to try surfing!
I would recommend Le Wagon Porto to anyone who would like a
break from busy city life.
Their campus in Matosinhos is the perfect place to learn in a relaxed environment, with
friendly people and the
beach nearby to let off some steam!
Any final words for those looking for a change with a coding bootcamp?
Be committed to learning and make sure you actually like coding (if that is the tech area you want to specialise in). The bootcamp is only the first step in a learning journey that will last, likely, your entire career.
Also, don't put too much pressure on yourself during the bootcamp. Take each day as it comes and try to discover the way you learn best, as this won't always be the same as your classmates. Make sure to rest and do other things besides studying when you aren't in class. Time away from coding actually helps to give your brain a break to process what you have learned.
Thank you Lucy and good luck on your future adventures!
