Damsel in Data has made a name for herself as someone skilled at both data science and jokes. This Python-savvy influencer runs social media channels on Tiktok, Youtube, and Instagram, where she imparts sagacious advice about data-related matters to her eager followers.

She's here to help you get through the 21-Day Data Challenge without losing your cool.

damseldata

Doing anything for 21 days straight isn’t easy, but if it’s something you want to improve at, it’s totally worth it. While I’ve personally been unsuccessful with my goal of not indulging in after-dinner sweets for 21 days, I have been successful at a Lighthouse Labs 21-Day Coding Challenge.

Let me tell you, that feeling of accomplishment on day 21 is incredible - but the other 20 days can definitely come with struggles.

We all need to figure it out

Some days you may feel swamped with other things [read: repeatedly ignoring the “Are you still watching?” Netflix message], and other days you may not have the patience and willpower to overcome the frustration of code that just doesn’t work no matter how hard you try (or how hard you Google).

In moments like these, it’s easy to feel like you chose the coding life but the coding life didn't choose you back. LISTEN, I’ve been there (I’m frequently STILL there), and I’m telling you that you got this!

Even people who write code for a living feel like they don’t know what they’re doing more often than you’d think (I’m one of them and I approve this message). Nobody comes out of the womb knowing how to get up and running with Python, or how to manipulate a tricky dataset.

We all have to go through this process of playing around with it and feeling like an imposter before we get to the point of having it figured out. You’re not alone, and there’s nothing surprising about feelings of discouragement when learning a new skill.

Practice really does make perfect

But guess what? The 21-Day Data Challenge is a great opportunity to overcome these feelings of frustration. Why? Because you don’t have to go through it alone!

You’ll be playing alongside tons of others just like you who are also trying their hand at Python. If you’re feeling stuck, you can plug in to the community forum for advice, encouragement, or mutual complaining.

Plus, practice makes perfect, and 21 days is a great stretch of time to form a habit. Keep your eye on the fabulous prizes if you need an extra boost of motivation. I won one of them during my challenge, and it was just the cherry on top *chefs kiss*.

While you’re coding away these 21 days, remember to embrace the challenge rather than let it frustrate you. Use it as a wonderful opportunity to learn among a community of like-minded coding cuties, and always keep in mind that persistence is more important than perfection! Good luck!

Ready to get started with the 21-Day Data Challenge?