When I started BrowserHistory 1, I watched the professor’s screencast many times. I watched, went back, and worked on it. As I practiced coding while watching the video, I eventually learned from it. However, I thought there was no way I could finish it within 25 mins. The first time, I couldn’t finish it within 25 mins due to an error, but I kept going, and it took me 35-40 mins to complete. I went back to the video, practiced again, and tried once more. This time, it was a little over 25 mins, but I finished it with no errors.
However, I realized working on it while narrating is very challenging, especially since English isn’t my first language. I had to think while talking, and coding is difficult. I started recording, thinking I finished within 25 mins and was satisfied. When I watched my video before submitting, there were issues with the recording app—it had a time limit, only recording half of my screen. Finally, I found one that is free and able to record perfectly, recorded it, and finished within 20 mins.
I learned from WOD1 that it’s important to know the steps of coding, but also it’s crucial to practice many times until you feel comfortable with it. After WOD1, I felt my skills had improved, and I was very confident to take WOD2 and 3! I finished my WOD2 on my second try in 6 mins! It felt easier than WOD1. For WOD3, I made the same mistakes over and over during recording, forgot to close the <div>, and it didn’t work many times, taking time to figure out. I finished it after trying three times and was able to finish within 10 mins.
My advice is to watch the screencast until you understand how the code works and where the code goes. Also, make sure your recording app is working perfectly (records the entire screen, records with your voice, no time limit). If you encounter an error, you can always ask for help from the professor, TAs, friends, or ChatGPT. Don’t stress yourself; be confident and comfortable working on WODs. Keep trying until you are satisfied with your time.