What's it like to code with another person?

Believe it or not, most mobile and web applications you use today were created by a team of individuals. Seldom is there an individual that conceptualizes, designs, and builds a successful app all by his or herself. It's just really tough and intensely time consuming. As such, us "boots" at Dev Bootcamp have been getting in some quality experience coding with other people, usually via a Google+ hangout.

My sessions collaborating on challenges with my peers have been largely rewarding though there have been a couple times when I have just wanted to hit the reset button and pair with someone else. In those experiences, I learned that I need to be as patient and as tolerant as possible while still communicating my needs. I noticed that when I don't ask my partner to slow down or I don't vocalize my need to have something clarified, I become a passenger on a runaway train with little ability to slow or stop it.

I've also learned that, like in every other aspect of life, I just need to be myself. I can't worry about how my voice sound or if I'm coming across as too gregarious or playful or pensive or forward... I just have to be the same person I am 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and understand that not everyone will like pairing with me and that is totally fine. As long as I treat my pairing partners how I think they would like to be treated, I feel good about the sessions.

So how did I do?

In addition to staying true to my personality and making sure that I am myself while pairing, it is also my responsibility to provide both positive and negative feedback after the sessions. While it's so much easier to write glowing reviews when things have gone well, it's much more rewarding writing specific, actionable, and kind feedback when things didn't go so well because that feedback tends to be more impactful. That's the kind of feedback I always remember. It can be difficult to hear that you go too fast or tend to jump ahead but those are exactly the kinds of things I need to hear in order to be an even better teammate now and when I'm coding professionally.

Overall, I've found that solving challenges with others can be an extrememly awarding experience. I know that as long I am open-minded, respectful of others, and don't try to be anyone but myself, I will continue to have positive time pairing with others.