A JavaScript Odyssey
17 Jan 2024
Finding Career Roots
Before I became a CS major at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, I had previously taken just one class within the intricate world of computer science back in high school. In retrospect, the memories and experiences I developed during that time were what eventually led me to pursue this career pathway. At the time, it allowed me to work on tiny projects that tested my relatively limited knowledge of programming.
Looking back on it now, I remember how we didn’t learn concepts behind creating a product, but rather how to produce an end-result. The class felt like an experimental sandbox, where we were given the tools and environment to make something - but lacked understanding behind the way things function. Though I remember making a 2D platformer using Scratch or an interactive story on Repl.it with Python, I struggled to understand why and how things worked the way they did.
A New Perspective
In the 2021 Fall semester, I became an undergraduate at UH Mānoa and started to pursue a BS degree in Computer Science. ICS 111 was the first CS course I took and where I learned Java. It was the first language I was formally introduced to and gave me further insights into the gears behind writing code.
So far in ICS 314, I’ve enjoyed using JavaScript. The module offered through freeCodeCamp’s basic exercises helped refresh ideas from Java while also learning new features that are available through JS. To compare, I think JavaScript is simpler to read and interpret compared to other languages. It feels less strict in terms of language structure as the absent need for type declarations make reading and writing code feel more fluid.
From a software engineering perspective, JavaScript is a great programming language, though its usefulness depends on where it’s applied. The simple syntax is a standout feature, but having a less strict structure may make errors harder to catch in the long-run.
An Athletic Pedagogy
Learning class content through WODs (Workout of the Day) as an athletic approach has been beneficial for assessing what I’ve learned so far in ICS 314. Though I’ve struggled with the practice WODs, I ultimately know that establishing a sense of rhythm and maintaining consistency in this area will eventually result in greater success for future assessments and projects. Additionally, the time-constrained environment for completing in-class WODs has been stressful, but also given me the experience I need in handling pressure to find solutions quickly and more efficiently.