There is a moment when labs start to subtly suggest manually openning and submitting labs instead of relying on the very easy to use “OPEN IDE” button. I know I wanted to push myself throughout the curriculum so I took this suggestion as a time to learn what actually was happening when I pushed the “OPEN IDE” button, and what also happens when you type in “learn submit” at the end of a lab.
I quickly took advantage of “Ask a Question” and asked how to open a lab without using the magic button. Two different links were shared with me explaining how to both open, and submit a lab manually.
After following the directions on the link through the next few labs, I started to feel very confident and comfortable forking a lab, and then cloning it onto my own work station. I think the part that scared me the most was when labs talked about “forking”. I had no clue what that meant, and felt like I was already in too deep to ask. Forking is really just taking what is on someone else’s github and copying it onto your own.
Obviously opening the lab is only half the battle, so I then had to learn how to submit the lab manually as well, instead of typing in “learn submit” after I finished each lab.
Once again, the link walked me through each step of the process making it easy to submit. The terminal has become less and less scary as I work with it more. Additionally, being able to manually open and submit my labs was definitely a big step in overcoming some of my fears of the terminal and just another goal I can check out that I completed!
Even though I’m still in the “intro” parts of the curriculum, I am already learning the importance of pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. Take the time to learn how things are actually working, don’t depend on the training wheels provided for you for too long.
Now after having opened and submitted many labs manually, I look back and almost laugh at how I was scared of trying to do it.