Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance (Dave Barry)
The thing is also, if you never get up, you'll never learn.
Things I Should Have Known at 20
31–40 of 163 posts
Re: Things I Should Have Known at 20
#32This is a fantastic list, though I have to nitpick on this one: >2. Do not have faith in institutions to educate you Except if you learn the fundamentals, instead of the specifics. Learn paradigms and methodologies, instead of individual systems and practices. This way as time goes on you've always got something to fall back on.
I think he was referring to the general idea of fully trusting something to educate you. People make mistakes, including those who are teaching you. I think what he meant is that we also need to do our homework and do our own research from time to time.
Re: Things I Should Have Known at 20
#33This article is obviously written by someone (at least mentally) under the age of 35. Always try to be cooler and more accepting than others? WTF. I gave that up years ago. There too much to deal with in life without worrying about what is cool.
Re: Things I Should Have Known at 20
#34It is a pretty solid list. I am 25 and these are things that would have helped me at 20. I am trying to accomplish some of these now. 3. I used to read a book per week. I stopped and now I need to get back. 9. I never thought I would be a conservative person. I see the difference between my younger cousins and I. 10. I am jobless. I definitely am trying to eliminate costs. 13. I started taking Udacity classes. I have…
I think when he mentions conservatism, it's more in the context of reducing the presence of risk in your activities as you age.
Re: Things I Should Have Known at 20
#35#21: Floating navbars are an abomination and make your site incredibly frustrating to read on a mobile device -- especially in landscape mode. At least put an X button on that thing.
#22 Write a responsive design website
#22 B: Use skeleton (getskeleton.com). It will save you time. This will give you more time for 1-20.
Re: Things I Should Have Known at 20
#36I'm not a fan of speed reading.
In my experience, "gulping down" a book instead of "savouring" it leads to a rough comprehension of what the book is trying to tell you, so if someone asks you'll be able to give a brief summary.
But if you take your time (with a pencil) you'll be able to actually follow the person's trail of thought that went into writing what you're reading, ultimately helping you in making similar conclusions in differing areas, which is at least why I read: To broaden my own horizon, not to parrot-like mimic what other people think.
Also: >Don’t try to “fix” anyone. Instead, look for someone who isn’t broken.
Not sure about this one either - having had a few relationships from that department I know that I learned a lot about people in general and had amazing experiences, something which I couldn't have learned from a relationship with a person who's "normal". Of course ultimately, it's not worth it in the long run.
Re: Things I Should Have Known at 20
#37The list is all phrased as commands. I can't stand that. There is no one way through life, and I wish people didn't act like just because it worked for them it will work for everyone. Find people that are cooler than you and try to be even cooler than them seems like a particularly terrible command to give in general. So many of the people I admire the most just don't care so much about image. And I've met too many p…
You'd be surprised how alike people's life can be...
Re: Things I Should Have Known at 20
#38It's great that you took the opportunity to reflect on your life. I would have enjoyed seeing more context to some of the points though. Given the HN community, "Learn to program" might be a consensus, but I would love to get more of your thoughts on it. Why? Any stories? I pick this point as just an example, but I felt there were more than a few places where some anecdotes would have worked very well.
Re: Things I Should Have Known at 20
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
Far from silly. The characteristics he mentioned on this one: (by doing cooler things, being more laid back, accepting, ambitious, etc.) Those are mostly about developing the characteristics of a leader -- someone others admire and want to follow.
How many adults talk about Alice being cooler than Bob? Furthermore ambitious and laid back? am·bi·tious (adjective) 1. Having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed. 2. Intended to satisfy high aspirations and therefore difficult to achieve. laid back (adjective) 1. Relaxed or unhurried. 2. Free from stress; easygoing; carefree.
That apparent contradiction is really what makes cool so hard. It's not just about being amped up at 10 or being a bump on the log at 0. It's about being a 10 at where you're going while you make it look like you're at 0. You kick ass, but you make it look like it's easy and you're not trying.
One of the best entrepreneurs I've ever worked with had that quality. The guy was focused like a laser on where he was going, but I never saw him get upset or look like he wasn't in control of himself and the given situation. He exuded "cool" and he attracted people like a magnet.
Re: Things I Should Have Known at 20
#40It is a pretty solid list. I am 25 and these are things that would have helped me at 20. I am trying to accomplish some of these now. 3. I used to read a book per week. I stopped and now I need to get back. 9. I never thought I would be a conservative person. I see the difference between my younger cousins and I. 10. I am jobless. I definitely am trying to eliminate costs. 13. I started taking Udacity classes. I have…
13) A word of advice based on what I perceive your experience level to be: focus more on really learning Python than amassing a list of languages with whose syntax you are familiar. Once you master Python, then Java, Ruby, etc. will be easy to learn. Employers understand this. The ones you want to work for, at least.
Agreed.
Too many people who are new to programming assume they need to learn all the languages. What you really need to learn is the theory behind each lesson. When learning loops don't think "so this is how you do a loop", rather think about why you are looping, when, and what types of loops there are.
All the languages (listed above) have looping mechanisms, and you will use them for the same reasons you did in python. You will know when to use loops, and then you can just look up the syntax for the language you are currently in.