Selection Sprint: Start Right

27.12.2024

It’s day one of the Selection Sprint. Your screen shows the first coding task, instructions look like bunch of gibberish, and your brain is trying to process what exactly you’re supposed to do with these {curly brackets}. Meanwhile, the rapid-fire typing sound from the next desk makes you wonder if you got the address right..

What Even Is This?

The selection sprint is your first step into becoming a software developer. It’s an intense three-week program where you’ll dive into coding fundamentals through increasingly challenging tasks. Each day brings new topics and problems to solve. Your solutions are validated by automated tests – when they turn green, you’re on the right track. The first two weeks wrap up with exams, and weekends involve collaboration on group projects.

Sounds intense? It is. But that’s not the whole story.

You Can Drive Without Being a Mechanic

After running these sprints for years, one pattern keeps emerging: most sprinters don’t struggle with the code as much as they struggle with their expectations of learning to code.

Think of it like learning to drive. Nobody expects you to understand how an engine works before you can get a car moving. You start with the basics – clutch, gas, breaks, steering – and somehow manage not to stall too many times. The deeper understanding of what’s happening under the hood? That comes way later. Even then, most experienced drivers couldn’t tell you exactly how their transmission works – and they’re doing just fine.

Making Progress, Not Perfection

This brings us to an important point: how much should you actually try to understand versus just getting things done? The key is balance. You need to understand enough to complete each task – blindly copying solutions won’t help you progress. But you also shouldn’t get caught up trying to master every technical detail you encounter – that comes later in the curriculum. Focus on understanding why your code passes or fails tests, and save the deeper dives for later.

When you’re working on tasks, keep moving forward. When the tests turn green, celebrate that win and move on. When you’re stuck, reach out for help (there’ll always be someone equally confused in the room). Those moments of collaborative problem-solving? That’s real software development right there.

One crucial thing to remember: the sprint isn’t a race against other participants. Your only competition is yourself from yesterday. Someone finishing a task before you doesn’t make their solution better or your understanding worse. Every developer has their own pace of connecting the dots – what matters is that you keep connecting them.

Tricks of the Trade

A few practical tips for when you’re in the thick of it:

When you’re stuck, set a timer for 20 minutes. If you haven’t made progress by then, find someone to help. Staring at the screen for hours won’t magically make the solution appear.
Google is your friend, but learn to use it right. Add “example” or “syntax” to your search terms. Copy error messages directly. Look for official documentation and Stack Overflow threads.
Your fellow sprinters are your best resource. Not just for help, but for staying motivated. You’ll be surprised how often explaining your problem to someone else leads to finding the solution yourself.
Take breaks. Seriously. A 10-minute walk can do more for your problem than an hour of frustrated typing.
Make your code work first, make it pretty later. Green tests beat elegant solutions every time during the sprint.

Not registered for Sprint yet? Do it now: study.kood.tech