Embracing CareStack: Week Three’s Learning Journey
The third week at CareStack was filled with learning new things. We had both engaging technical and informative product learning sessions throughout. As the week unfolded, I settled into a routine gaining an understanding of what a day at CareStack looks like. As every week is planned and scheduled beforehand, I had an idea about what this week would be about.
During the first two days of the week, we had engaging sessions that delved into Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts and SOLID design principles. Following each session, we received coding assignments, which proved to be immensely beneficial. Prior to these sessions, I had a theoretical understanding of OOP and SOLID principles, but I struggled with their practical implementation in coding. The assignments served as an eye-opener, highlighting the need for further learning on how to effectively apply these principles in my coding practices. It has motivated me to learn how to apply these concepts in practical coding scenarios. Additionally, the week included two days dedicated to product sessions, another technical session, and a roleplay based on our understanding of the product.
The best part of the week was when we received a coding assignment: building a banking software. Initially, the problem requirements seemed doable, but there was a surprise awaiting us — we were tasked to work as three separate teams, and our programs had to be integrated to achieve the final program. Everyone had different ideas on how to approach the problem, and the room was full of small groups having discussions on an architecture to tackle the program effectively. It took nearly two hours for all of us to reach a consensus on a basic approach to solve the problem. Then, we agreed to start coding and address any further issues as they arose. I had a lot of fun doing this assignment. This experience opened my eyes to the significance of people management and the true essence of teamwork. Further, our code was reviewed, and we were asked to do some refactoring of the code.
I read around 80% of the book assigned to me(“The Creative Act: A Way of Being” by Rick Rubin), but unfortunately, it didn’t capture my interest. While I hoped it might help me recognize my creative side and increase my appreciation for artistic things, it didn’t quite meet my expectations. The book’s content appeared obvious and vague, resembling typical self-help literature.
Reflecting on my past three weeks at CareStack, I have come to a valuable realization — I need to enhance my time management skills. This valuable advice was given to us during our initial days here, and now, it has truly resonated with me. Moving forward, I am determined to be more intentional with my time, maximize productivity, and achieve my goals effectively.
