Up to Standard?
07 Feb 2024
In pole vaulting, we literally raise the standards. The two mechanisms on either side of the vaulting pit are actually called “standards.” After clearing each vault, we usually raise them 3 to 6 inches. Every time aiming higher and higher, pushing ourselves to our limits until the standards are raised too high and we eventually fail, falling with the bar off the standards. As a pole vaulter, I found the parallels between my sport and my academics quite amusing.
Raising my standards… my coding standards
This past week has brought many new coding experiences for me, using different tools and platforms. I had never used ESLint or IntelliJ Idea before this week, so it was good for me to broaden my coding horizons. At first, it felt like a slow and tedious process. Everything was new to me so I wasn’t sure how everything worked or where anything was. It was a slow and precarious process to set everything up for IntelliJ Idea because there were so many things that I needed to check or un-check, and so many things that needed to be uploaded and renamed. I got particularly frustrated when it came to using underscore when coding on IntelliJ because, as I have learned recently, I didn’t disable all of the extra warnings that were unnecessary. The only warnings we care about are from ESLint. However, my stance has changed after some time has passed and I have been able to practice using these platforms, I am feeling more comfortable and confident. I should’ve known that just like any other new or uncomfortable challenge, it takes time and practice to get used to it.
Here to help
Although some might find ESLint to also be tedious and annoying, I don’t mind it. It is very helpful in forcing me to practice good formatting in my code. Before, many times I would be lazy when writing, only focusing on whether it worked and produced the output I was going for. After using ESLint, I have been more conscious of the formatting of my code and how it looks more aesthetically pleasing to read and go through. This forced me to raise my standards and to strive for better with my code writing. Not just its functionality, but also its formatting. This is a useful skill when working with other programmers because it allows everyone’s code to flow together visually. It is also helpful when reading code you haven’t written yourself because the proper spacing and indents add to visual cues that we can use to understand the code.
Climbing higher
This has been another collision between my athletic mindset and my academic mindset. In every sport that I have participated in, there is conditioning and the painful learning curve when you are forced to try something new. I work hard to remind myself that even though it can feel frustrating and slow, everything being done is to help my future self be better. I can now use this way of thinking to help keep me motivated during these coding speed bumps in my career. It can be frustrating to learn new things, especially when you are comfortable where you are. However, we can only get better if we push ourselves and do things that make us uncomfortable or frustrated because, with practice, they will become more natural to us over time.