Once you have decided to enroll in a bootcamp, the next step is to make sure you’re ready. Preparing for a coding bootcamp includes researching your program and curriculum, but it is also helpful to create a checklist. This list should include essential items to have in the classroom and throughout instruction. For students attending a virtual coding bootcamp, there is a greater need for stable technological devices. In-person students require provisions that will support a multi-hour lesson. Whether you are taking a coding bootcamp in-person or live online, there are a few basics that every student needs on their coding bootcamp packing list.
Creating Your Coding Bootcamp Packing List
Getting into a coding bootcamp is an extensive process. Still, participants can prepare themselves by creating a coding bootcamp packing list. Like returning to any school or classroom environment, creating a packing list for coding bootcamp is similar to preparing any back-to-school list for a student or educator. When constructing your list of items to pack, one place to begin is looking at the suggested equipment for new coders or programming students. However, because there are different categories of bootcamps, these lists may differ depending on the type of bootcamp.
Most coding bootcamps fall into two distinct categories: in-person coding bootcamps and virtual coding bootcamps. While in-person bootcamps require students to meet at a training school or university, virtual bootcamps are completed using a telecommunication platform. In addition, bootcamps range in duration, with the most crucial difference reflected in the length of time spent in the classroom. The following section offers a coding bootcamp checklist with the essentials for any class category. Students may want to add items to their list depending on bootcamp category, duration, and location.
Basic Coding Bootcamp Checklist
1. Computer and Accessories
The most important item on the coding bootcamp checklist is your computer. Both in-person and virtual coding bootcamps require students to work through exercises and lessons using an up-to-date desktop computer or laptop. Before taking a coding bootcamp, you should also ensure that your computer has any necessary software updates and is running efficiently. The week or day before a coding bootcamp begins, running tests on the efficacy of your computer processing speed, wifi connectivity, and security settings will make it easier to download and use the programs you need. Many virtual bootcamp instructors can provide remote support to ensure your computer is properly set up.
In addition, students should secure any additional computer accessories that make taking a bootcamp more accessible. For example, students taking an in-person coding bootcamp should pack a computer bag with their charger and any required plug-ins, like a mouse or keyboard. Virtual participants will also benefit from headphones with a microphone to hear the instruction and ask questions during the lesson. Finally, students taking a virtual bootcamp might want two computers or devices. With a two-computer set-up, students can use one computer to work on bootcamp exercises and another to communicate with the instructor and listen to the lesson.
2. Software and Technology
Having an updated computer goes hand in hand with having the required software and technology for the coding bootcamp. Each bootcamp requires software unique to the curriculum that students need to have on their computer to access the course. For virtual students, this includes the telecommunication technology used to see and hear the instructor and other students, like Zoom or a learning management system. Coding bootcamp students can also benefit from downloading any software or purchasing technology that benefits their learning styles. Some examples of this are note-taking tools or software that ease the process of following along with a lesson. By creating a checklist of tools and technology to download or update, you will be fully prepared for the instruction to begin!
3. Course Materials and Resources
Every coding bootcamp offers course materials and resources for prospective students. These resources typically include a bootcamp schedule, syllabus or course curriculum, and downloadable materials with exercises and hand-outs. When creating a coding bootcamp checklist, it is essential to consult these course materials for any items you need to pack or bring to class. And although most coding bootcamps do not require students to complete homework, many bootcamps offer additional practice materials for students. So, it is beneficial to have those resources ready to practice when you have free time during or outside of class. Course materials are also essential to organizing yourself and preparing a packing list for the coding bootcamp.
4. Organizational and Note-Taking Tools
Entering the coding bootcamp classroom means that you will also need organizational tools to record and arrange what you have learned. Organizational tools can be physical items, such as pens, pencils, highlighters, and notebooks. These note-taking tools can also be technological. Some students benefit from digital or mobile applications for note-taking, like a notes app on your cellphone or a document platform on your computer. These organizational tools are also essential to course scheduling. Coding bootcamp students often fit a bootcamp into their already busy schedule, so using a planner or calendar application will assist in planning your day around the coding bootcamp. Scheduling applications and organizers are also helpful in outlining the course curriculum in conjunction with in-class notes and additional materials.
5. Water and Provisions
The final essential item on your coding bootcamp packing list will be water and provisions. Provisions are any essential items you need throughout the day and include food, snacks, medicines, and money. Similar to the experience of being in school, coding bootcamps are hours in length, with a few breaks during instruction. These provisional items are essential because a lack of food and water during a seven or eight-hour bootcamp will negatively impact your ability to pay attention and retain information. Depending on the time of your course, it is also helpful to prepare meals and snacks in advance that are easy to transport and access during the coding bootcamp.
Interested in Coding Bootcamps?
There are many ways to prepare for a coding bootcamp, and creating a packing list is one! Anyone interested in coding bootcamps should also research their bootcamp of choice before taking it. By researching Noble Desktop’s coding bootcamps, students will find many courses and opportunities to learn more about coding. From in-person coding bootcamps, which offer hands-on training in a traditional classroom setting, to live online coding bootcamps that benefit students that prefer remote learning, there is a coding bootcamp for students of all backgrounds, experience levels, and locations.