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9 Songs to Listen to While Coding

 

 

You see it all the time, people running outside and working out at the gym with headphones on. They don’t only want to look cool, they just know that music makes working out significantly better!

So, why wouldn’t you take the same approach when working out your mind?

Coding is the ultimate mind exercise, it involves extreme attention to detail and a whole lot of critical thinking. Listening to music can greatly help, with its ability to motivate and relax the mind, it’s the perfect companion for coding.

Next time you’re working on a coding project here are 9 songs to get you “in the zone.”

Halo Theme – Martin O’ Donnell

There are many variations of this song, but the Halo 2 menu screen is iconic. The chants in this song are especially helpful during those intense coding situations.

Techno Syndrome (Mortal Kombat) – The Immortals

The Immortals became, well, immortal, with their 1999 techno hit. Try listening to this song the next time you’re working on your video game.

Go Robot – The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Sometimes coding requires you to be one with the computer in order to find your flow.

Funkentelechy – Parliament

Bernie Worrell’s galactic synth combined with Bootsy Collins’ space blaster-like bass make this song a powerful weapon against the coding blues.

Spaceship Earth Theme

The score to this iconic EPCOT attraction evokes images of evolving technology and makes us realize our place as coders, in the history of communication.

Halcyon On and On – Orbital

This song starts off slow and eventually comes to an uplifting beat perfect for putting together long sequences. The vocal tracks have an almost soothing effect, which can help during stressful times behind the keyboard.

Derezzed from Tron Legacy Soundtrack – Daft Punk

If you’ve ever stared at the screen so long you felt like you were going to fall in, you’re probably a coder. If you’ve ever actually fallen into the computer, then you’re a member of the Flynn family.

Love Game – Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga knows how to make a catchy song, and once this beat enters your brain, you’ll be inspired to take your coding to crazy new levels of creativity.

Master of Puppets – Metallica

Whether you’re changing the layout of a website, programming a robot, or animating a sprite for a video game, one fact remains; you are the master! Master!

Music tastes vary, so of course what works with some people won’t with others. But that’s one of the great things about coding, we’re all inspired by different aspects of life to begin learning. Try listening to a wide variety of music, that way you’re guaranteed to have a full arsenal of songs for tackling any coding problems you have in the future.

 

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Is Coding Fun?

If you hear a statistic like “58% of parents feel that coding and programming is the most beneficial skill to their child’s future,” you’d assume coding is boring. Let’s be honest, anytime we’re told something is “beneficial” to our future we think of work or something we must do.

Coding is one of the few exceptions to this line of thought, because not only is it a beneficial skill to have but also fun to use!

Coding provides the building blocks for so much of the exciting technology in our world, and when you learn how to use those building blocks you too get to take part in the excitement. Solving problems within a line of code is like putting together a difficult puzzle, and once you find all the pieces you get a sense of happiness because you know you’re the one who fixed it.

If you’re a creative individual, you will soon begin to see just how much your new knowledge of coding is helping you create things right out of your imagination. This could mean programming your very own robot, designing a new video game, or creating an awesome website that attracts thousands of subscribers.

That doesn’t mean the fun only begins once you’ve learned how to code.

In fact, you’ll find that learning to code is no longer achieved solely through textbooks and lectures but also games, activities, and experiments! You can learn to code in a variety of ways, and there’s basically something for every learning style.

Coding camps and schools like theCoderSchool use techniques that approach coding in ways that are both fun and informative, many children look forward to these lessons and classes. You also have the added advantage of learning with other students and helping one another get better at coding.

As you get better, you’ll not only have more fun but also be exposed to opportunities many other students won’t have.

When you think of your dream career, do you think of something fun? Ideally, you will find some sort of excitement or satisfaction in the roles you decide to take throughout life. Coding is an essential skill for some very exciting jobs out there,

Coding allows you to stand out in a crowd of job applicants all fighting for the same job, you could get picked out of the group to do the job of your dreams.

In a way, coding gives you the chance to have more fun in the future. When you get to have a job that pays well and makes you happy, you’ll understand that the future doesn’t get any more fun than that.

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Can Coding Make You Smarter?

 

 

Popular media has given audiences the perception that coders are mega geniuses, sitting in a basement, locked away from the rest of the world as they type away furiously in a stained t-shirt.

For the most case, this isn’t true… In all reality, computer programmers and the other people who use coding on a daily basis are just like you and me. They got to where they are by taking the initial steps necessary to develop coding skills, and in the process become a smarter person.

So how does coding make you smarter?

You Get Better at Math

For students in school, math is either one of two things; the best friend your report card could ever have, or the most vile, evil force on the planet. For those who love math, they discover just how much power lies in its tech applications. Those that hate math learn that, well, he’s not such a bad guy. Over the course of your coding education, you will be exposed to many situations that require basic arithmetic. The more you practice coding, the better you’ll get at math; that’s what we call a “win-win” situation.

You Improve Your Analytical Skills

Since much of coding requires handling language that really doesn’t make sense to the average person, it will require a fair amount of attention to detail. Your ability to read a line of code and determine where there’s an error, or how to manipulate the code in your favor, says volumes about your analytical skills. Once you have practice with analyzing often confusing and nonsensical code, you’ll do better in classes like English that involve heavy reading comprehension.

You Get More Creative

You will do a lot of problem solving when you learn and work with code. In fact, many of the jobs that are performed by coding professionals involve solving problems in some way or fashion. But, as the technology we use evolves, so do the problems. Therefore, the solutions for problems that arise will not always work, and new solutions will continuously have to be developed for us to move forward. Learning new ways to solve problems makes you a more creative person, and it’s that creativity that allows coders to continue changing the world we live in.

You don’t have to be a straight-A student to learn coding, you just need to take an active interest in the material. As we’ve demonstrated, coding can have life changing benefits for those who learn to wield its power. Don’t be surprised when your new coding skills begin to have a positive effect on your grades, and you become that straight-A student after all.

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8 Snacks to Give You Energy While Coding

Coding can be tiring.

There are moments of unmeasurable joy mixed in between moments of confusion, and as a result, feelings of fatigue. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to what you’re eating while you code — what you put in your body could mean the difference between perfect source code or a choppy line full of errors.

Give these snacks a try next time you find yourself yawning at your computer.

Jerky

Jerky contains large amounts of protein, which is mostly beneficial for physical activity but can be useful if you’re up all night on an exceptionally difficult coding project. If you want a healthy option, choose turkey jerky instead of beef.

Blueberries

Blueberries are considered a major brain food because the antioxidants they contain help keep your memory working. If you have a hard time remembering things, maybe you should eat more blueberries.

Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

It’s best to save the coffee for when you start hitting your late teens, but it doesn’t mean you can’t munch on little boosts of caffeine. Espresso beans will keep you awake, while the dark chocolate will do wonders for your memory and your mood.

Trail Mix

Trail mix is one of those snacks you don’t have to think about while you’re eating, you just keep scooping more into your hand as you stare at the screen. You can buy trail mix pre-made but you can also just customize a mix yourself by using your favorite nuts, dried fruits, and chocolate.

Peanuts

Peanuts are another snack that you can go to town on and not even realize it; but have no worries. Peanuts contain natural oils, fats, and protein your body needs so you don’t have to feel bad about overindulging.

Banana Chips

Bananas are full of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy brain function, and chips are delicious. Combine the two and what do you get? A snack that will keep you coding and full.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds contain B vitamins that affect your mood and your brain’s cognitive functions. If you want to avoid the messy shells, you can also just purchase sunflower kernels.

Granola

Along with protein and vitamins, your body also needs a certain amount of carbs a day. Granola is an excellent source of both carbohydrates and fiber necessary for storing energy and keeping away sugar crashes, plus it usually comes in a variety of flavors.

Oh, and one more thing…

Be sure to always hydrate before, during, and after you’re working on a coding project. Remember, even though you’re not outside, you need to stay hydrated. When a dehydrated person meets a bright screen with small letters scrolling up and down, the results are never good. You’ll also want to make sure you get 8 hours of sleep each night so that you can tackle the coding challenges that await you at the keyboard!

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Can Coding Be a Hobby?

 

 

You’ve probably heard about how important coding will be in the future, how industries are implementing more technology into their operations to save money and create better products or services. Parents know the importance of learning coding, with 58% of them feeling that coding and programming is the most beneficial skill to their child’s future. When it comes to careers, few can argue that learning coding puts you in position for a great one.

But what if you just want to code for fun?

Hobbies Are Fun

Having a hobby gives us a sense of excitement and happiness when we’re pursuing them. Your grandpa had fishing, your dad had woodworking, and now you have coding. Once you get a hold of the basics you can, you can apply what you can continue to dig deeper into coding or you can just start applying it to another hobby.

That’s right, you can take your knowledge of coding and programming and apply it to activities you really love. For instance, let’s say you love writing and you have a blog that you update weekly. With coding, you can now make your blog pop even more now that you know how to manipulate the code.

You Learn Hobbies at Your Own Pace

Hobbies like playing the guitar or learning to skateboard take time to master the skills necessary. Hobbies differ from school work in that no one forces you to learn a hobby; there’s no mandatory homework or tests at the end of the year. Unless you’re taking coding classes in school, coding can be tackled on your own time. Let’s say you dive into the basics, and after a couple of weeks decide that you’re bored.

Take a break. We guarantee you that some time after you’ll want to revisit the hobby.

Many places like theCoderSchool understand that too much information at once takes the fun out of coding, so curriculum is often tailored to children based on age, skill level, and general coding goals.

It Could Come in Handy

With technology having more of an influence on our lives every day, it’s hard to imagine an industry that won’t use coding in some way or fashion. Your coding hobby could play an important role in your future and you might not even know it. Your dream could be to be a graphic designer, and when an employer has a pile of resumes to pick from, your coding hobby might make you stand out from the crowd.

While we do predict that you’ll fall in love with coding, we know that everyone has different dreams and goals. Coding may not be the most important thing in your life but having a general knowledge of it could make your dreams come true. It’s all about being well-rounded, people who are get the most attention from colleges and employers.

So can coding be a hobby?

Yes, not only can it be, but it should! After all, you want to do something you love, whether that be for work or in your free time is up to you.

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3 Things You Should Know About Coding

Coding is growing more popular in schools, with classes offering small glimpses into the world of computer languages to teach more kids about technology. Maybe you’ve heard about coding, but still don’t know too much about what it does or takes to be good at.

If you’ve thought about learning to code but want to know more, here are three things you should take into consideration when it comes to coding.

1. It’s Not Rocket Science

Okay, learning to code could very well lead to a future working with rockets so it technically can be “rocket science.”

What we mean is that coding isn’t only meant for mega geniuses and child prodigies. In fact, anyone can learn to code! People from all walks of life have learned coding, whether it’s for their current job, a job they want in the future, or just to have a new skill under their belt. The best part is that there are tons of ways you can learn to code, whether it’s through videos online or taking classes at a coding school, you’re bound to find a way that works for you.

2. It Takes Practice

Even though coding isn’t impossible and can be learned by anyone, it doesn’t mean that it will always be easy. When you first start to learn how to code you could run into moments where you want to pull your hair out in frustration. Just remember to relax, and don’t be too hard on yourself. There are topics which you’ll have to go over time and time again just to understand, and it might be weeks before you learn how to create something you can show off to the world.

Like any skill, coding takes practice to perfect, and even when you think you’ve perfected it there’s something new just over the horizon that you’ll have to learn.

Coding is Fun

The most important thing you need to know about coding is that it’s fun to do! You may think it’s only fun for people who love computers, but coding can be applied to so many hobbies, projects, and careers.

Here are some of the things you can do once you learn how to code

  • Create fun web sites
  • Program robots and other machines
  • Develop mobile apps
  • Make video games
  • Design virtual reality systems
  • Work for hospitals and healthcare companies

These are just a few of the areas you can apply your coding knowledge to, and as technology becomes more important there will be more uses for coding in the future. This is good news for kids who can already code by the time they start deciding on their future.

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Patience: A Coder’s Best Friend

There was a time when if you wanted to watch a movie, you had to go to the video store and rent it; if they were all out of tapes, you didn’t get to watch it. You’d have to wait, days, sometimes weeks just to see that movie – which begs the question…

Could you survive?

Luckily, we live in an age where if we want to see a movie, we just download it or stream it off any number of streaming services. The move toward convenience and speed has reached all areas and industries, and the same progress has been demonstrated in the world of coding. Simple processes used to take copious amounts of code to carry out, but now many things are carried out through automation and can be accessed with a variety of resources online.

Despite advancements that have simplified coding, there is one thing that hasn’t changed, you still need lots of patience.

Patience is needed when you start learning to code, and when the only languages you’ve learned up to that point are human languages, the lines of seemingly unrelated characters can take time to understand. This is no different than any other hobby or skill, like playing the guitar, you have to learn the chords before you can play a song. With coding, you must understand the importance of each character in order to build upon them to create something big like a website or a video game.

Once you start learning more advanced techniques, you’ll be required to start solving problems or going deeper into the lines of code you write. Not only will you need to pay attention to detail, but you may find yourself going over the same line multiple times before you find what you need.

Patience can help you later in life, not just while you’re learning to code. The sooner you learn patience, the better off you’ll be in the future whenever you encounter a problem or situation that takes time to resolve. When you finally get a job applying your coding knowledge, whether that be in a DevOps, Video Game Design, or Systems role, you’ll find that patience is going to be required every day on the job. That’s because you’ll also need to have patience with other members of your team, and since many coding jobs involve working in a team, those with a short fuse are not going to have an easy time.

The good news is patience is contagious, and that cool, calm demeanor you demonstrate will soon rub off on other members of your team. Who knows, that attitude may even get you a promotion, in which you’ll need even more patience for dealing with employees that you manage.

As you can see, patience will always be your best friend if you befriend it early. The start of your coding journey will be challenging at first, but you can develop habits now that will help you the rest of your life, both personally and professionally.

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Coding: An Art or a Science?

Traditionally, people have been defined as leaning toward one of two mindsets, either logical or creative. In a world where every aspect of life is changing with technology, it’s no wonder that the lines between science and art are blurred – especially when it comes to coding.

On the surface, coding looks like a science. Complex arrangements of seemingly unrelated characters form lines of code that carry out a specific process. These processes help machines function, make websites operational, help design video games, and even assist in the study of the human body.

The skills required to create the code for these systems and machines are also the same that make a good scientist, including the ability to carry out research, conduct trial-and-error experiments, and interpret data. A good deal of coding also involves math, and students who are good at math can usually begin coding with relative ease.

The intersection of art and science is marked by the relevant skills needed for both fields, this is where the two share similar characteristics.

Artists research techniques, conduct trial-and-error experiments with their work, and even use a bit of math when mixing mediums, designing strategically or calculating the amount of supplies needed.

Attention to detail is a skill that’s required in coding and art. Searching for problem areas in a painting is like scanning lines of code for a misplaced character.

This example in particular tell us a lot about the similarity between art and science. All the little parts that make up the scientific or artistic process come together to form something bigger in the end. Little pieces of tile form a mosaic, several drops of chemicals cause a reaction, and lines of code form what we see on the screen.

Imagine that you’ve been painting your whole life with access to only two types of brushes. Then, one day, a package arrives at your home filled with brushes, sponges, solvents, and other supplies. Now you can apply your talent to even more projects than before. Coding languages are like that new set of supplies, giving you the ability to manufacture, design, and present almost anything you want.  Basically, coding can unlock your creative potential in ways you never thought possible.

So, in a way, coding is the art of science.

That’s what makes learning to code such a valuable experience, since it gives you a new outlet to utilize your strengths. Whether you love science, or are passionate about art, coding is a skill that can take your life to new heights.

 

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4 Soft Skills That Are Honed By Coding

Coding is more than an incredible hobby – it’s a skill that you can feel proud to learn. When mastered, coding can lead to career development opportunities in an array of fields. However, in addition to improving future job qualifications, coding also improves your personal development by helping you acquire necessary soft skills. Read on to learn 4 soft skills that are honed by coding.

 

Teamwork

You start developing many skills the moment you begin learning to code in a classroom environment. Working with instructors, asking questions, and taking feedback with a good attitude all require teamwork. Once you go into the workplace, you will no doubt be assigned projects that call for collaboration between other coders, outside departments, and even hired contractors.

One aspect of learning to code that’s attractive for many people is the potential to work from home, but even then, you will have to maintain contact with co-workers to ensure you’re all on the same page.

 

Creativity

The perception of programmers portrayed by the media is often a distorted one, usually a math wiz in a basement placed in front several monitors typing away robotically. Don’t get us wrong, there’s lots of math involved and double monitors rule but the creativity it takes to code really does go unnoticed. The reason your creativity expands when you learn to code is because you begin to possess the tools to build almost anything you want, whether you learn to build video games, virtual reality programs, robots or websites, the possibilities are endless.

 

Critical Thinking

Coding can involve an onslaught of information at once, especially if you’re just beginning your education. Over time, your ability to not only understand the information on the screen, but also develop solutions based off that data will improve. There are tons of resources out there for solving coding problems, but in the professional world, problems may arise that have no existing solutions. Analyzing lines of code to locate the exact location of an error, or piece that can be modified for a specific action takes critical thinking skills that can be honed over time.

You will get to a point where you can solve problems quickly, but this will take time and something else…

 

Patience

Learning to code is like learning to play an instrument, except where you’d drive yourself crazy trying to extend your pinky to the 7th fret, you’ll instead be tempted to smash your keyboard while attempting to change a color or font size on the screen. Coding can be frustrating at first and takes practice to understand fully – and with technology and programming languages constantly evolving, you’ll truly never fully perfect it. But, you can have the patience to learn new things, no matter how challenging they are.

The road to coding mastery is one filled with ups and downs, but the rewards that come with it will soon show on your screen and within yourself.

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How Coding Makes You Smarter

While learning to code, you’ve probably realized how complex and intricate coding can be. Coding takes patience and a lot of brain power to successfully write code. With all the work your brain is doing while coding, have you ever wondered how coding is benefiting your brain? A technical skill like coding is bound to improve your cognitive abilities. Here are some ways coding can make you smarter.

Improve your memory – When you first begin learning to code, it’ll seem like a lot of information coming at you all at once. This is normal, and with practice you’ll begin to remember each step of the coding process. Memorizing these steps will give your brain a great workout, and like with any workout, the brain will grow stronger. It’s widely known that as we age our ability to remember things declines, but luckily engaging in cognitive intensive skills such as coding can help fight back against memory loss.

Coding encourages creative thinking – Coding doesn’t just require a proficiency in math and logic, it also takes a creative mindset. Some of the most brilliant minds in technology innovation were very creative. Steve Jobs believed that creativity played a large role in developing some of the most innovative technology the world has ever seen. Jobs understood the importance of coding and programming, once stating “Everyone should know how to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think.” Intelligence isn’t defined simply as being able to retain information. Creativity is a trait of highly intelligent people, and the ability to think outside of the box when it comes to problem solving is a much-needed skill when it comes to coding. Fortunately, the more you code the more your imagination and creativity will grow.

Learn to manage multiple tasks and improve your organizational skills – Intelligent people are usually great maintaining organization. If you’ve ever looked at computer coding, you can understand how confusing and jumbled all the symbols tend to look. It’s no secret that coding can look very intimidating at first glance, and you’ll have to get comfortable interpreting what all those symbols mean. Just like a computer performs multiple tasks at once, you’ll be doing the same while coding. Making sure all the code is organized correctly while inputting new code takes great multitasking and organizational skills, and you’ll eventually become a pro at managing multiple tasks. Outside of coding, being more organized will help you think more clearly and feel less overwhelmed by the many responsibilities in your life.

At first glance coding can be difficult to comprehend. Fortunately, along with being fun to learn, coding can do a lot of good for your brain function and development. Why not learn a new skill that will not only help your career advancement, but that will benefit your brain?!

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