Top 5 DS14 Expectations (Number 2 Will Blow Your Mind*)

by Jenny Martin

*Number 2 will not actually blow your mind, just experimenting with clickbait after we joked about it today

Anyway…

  1. First off, my main expectation/fear was that I would show up on day one and there would be a nice big banner saying: “APRIL FOOLS!” and my dreams would be shattered – but thankfully this was not the case!
Relief!
(Photo by Radu Florin on Unsplash)

2. After being introduced to Preppin’ Data on Day 2, and completing the 8 weeks that were available by Day 4, I’m hoping that I will continue to be part of the 100% club as I go through the Data School. I’m really enjoying building my Tableau Prep skills, as I was completely unfamiliar with this software before I started!

3. Coming into DS14, I had 7 vizzes in my Tableau Public Library. I’m hoping that it’s a fairly reasonable goal to do at least 1 extra viz a week (which would take the total to 23), but I’d rather have a nice round number, so let’s aim for 30. That means every other week I would have to do an extra dashboard, which sounds feasible right?

4. I’ve always said that I wouldn’t make a very good teacher (despite that brief spell where I nearly went into teaching, because no one would give me a job… but we’ll forget about that!) Once I understand something one way, I find it difficult to be patient enough to explain it to someone else, especially if their brain works differently to mine. However, this is something that I’m hoping to rectify! I’ll start with blogging to help reinforce what we’re learning and then eventually we’ll get the opportunity to teach the public. Fingers crossed I can help at least one person.

Hopefully my teaching won’t involve any chalk boards…
(Photo by Tra Nguyen on Unsplash )

5. Networking. It’s a word I kind of hate, but if there’s one thing that stood out from Tom, Andy and Carl’s introductory talks last week, it’s the power of people. So I want to become part of “the community”, where I can meet cool people, learn from them and (linking in with point four) one day be able to help other people within them. This means going to events and “putting myself out there” – can you tell from all the air quotes how this is probably one of my weaker areas?