I have a few to-do list this Summer and I must immortalize it on my blog so that I won’t forgot about it. Usually, I have a lot of ideas on what to do this semester when the classes are not over yet but once I am back in Malaysia, I will completely forgot about my goals this summer and will end up playing games instead!
1. Learn how to cook
This is a must! I need to learn how to cook all those simple dishes so that I won’t starve myself anymore in this foreign country. When you are in a foreign country where the taste of the food does not conform to your taste buds, you are in big trouble. I usually eat at my aunt’s place during the weekends but I heard that she is moving to a city that is very far from the one that I currently live in. This means no more free food at my aunt’s place. I need to get off my lazy ass and start cooking.
2. Learn PHP/MySQL
This is butt important. I am currently learning Ruby on Rails and I getting super comfortable with it but I can’t just rely on Ruby on Rails since not all web host company supports Ruby on Rails. PHP is still widely used. Therefore, learning this is important especially when I am going to work with a real client on my senior year and I can’t really rely much on my peers even if it is a group project. I know that I am going to be the one who handles the steering wheel by coding. I can rely on them but I am too much of a perfectionist and wouldn’t be happy unless if I put my dirty paws in it too!
3. Code at least one PHP/MySQL script
What is the point of learning if you are not going to apply what you know? This is a must! Once I feel that I am comfortable with PHP/MySQL, I am going to release one simple script. I am going to familiarized myself with the security guidelines that I need to follow when it comes to coding in PHP. I am also going to try and write a WordPress plugins.
4. Take more photographs
Of course, as usual, the victim is going to be my pretty little sister or myself or my cousins or my cats. Unless if you guys live in Malaysia and want to be a victim, please, drop me a line.
5. Learn Mandarin or Japanese
I have been wanting to do this for a long time now but never got the chance to because I never have the time. I think I am going to learn Mandarin first because I have the basics in this language. I studied in a Chinese school for three years but I ended up forgetting everything because I did not practice it. Language is just like Karate. You always need a sparring partner. 
I have friends that I can force to be my sparring partner.
6. Work Out
Its a must. I’ll make sure I have tight stomach once I come back from Malaysia. My goal is to have a body like Fay Hokulani. I have no idea who she is but I stumbled upon a blog that blogged about her and damn, she has a nice tummy. I am not just doing this to look good but I also want to live a healthy life. Of course, I am going to start eating healthy too. That explains why I want to learn how to cook. Plus, exercising makes you a more positive person. I want to be more positive and surround myself with positive people.
I think 6 things is enough. Don’t want to overwork myself now. It is summer anyway. Time to relax and enjoy. What do you think about my Summer to-do list? Is it realistic or unrealistic? :p Do you have a summer to-do list?
Very good. Make sure you do these things. I think learn Japanese 1st is easier. I got some ebooks & podcasts for you to start off
I think those are pretty reasonable and doable goals. If anything some tie in with others so they don’t seem impossible at all (learning PHP/doing project, learning how to cook/exercise).
I need to learn how to cook too so I dont’ starve while I’m at college too
I’m not use to the food still and I wish they had some god damn vegetables T_T Over the summer I hope I’ll get an internship I applied to a few places already sigh
I am planning to do an internship too actually but I am not sure yet. I want to do an internship that does not involve any web development in it. I want something different but I don’t know what I should do, to be honest. Once I have an internship, I don’t know if I am able to accomplish all these goals.
That’s true. Depending on what kind of internship it is, how long it will take to commute and the responsibilities it requires, it might take up a lot of time. I’m only a college freshman so I don’t even think I have any skills to offer but I’ll see what happens. If you’re not too sure if you want to dedicate a lot to an internship, maybe do some volunteering over the summer? That way it might be more convenient to set your hours.
Btw, I revamped my site, stop by if you have time to take a look.
I encourage all those goals. PHP isn’t hard to learn, syntax wise, SQL is also fairly easy to learn. If you know Ruby then it should be easy enough. If you’re in Malaysia, then there should be lots of Mandarin speakers around…btw when you get a nice body take lots more pics ok?
Thanks to the Ruby on Rails class, I have experience when it comes to MySQL syntax. It is easy. Its PHP that I have no experience on. But if you know how to program, learning the syntax is fairly easy. I know Java before I learned Ruby and I noticed how Ruby makes things easier for us programmers.
Lol! I would take more pictures but I doubt that I would take any ‘sexy’ pictures. It is because I am pretty conservative and the fact that my mom would kill me if she knows I am posting lewd pictures of myself. :p But I get what you mean, more pictures, yay!
My mom told me that Japanese is essentially 1/3 Chinese, 1/3 English, and 1/3 Original Japanese. So if that’s true, then if you learn Mandarin, you’ll pick up Japanese pretty quickly. I think, as a native English/Chinese bilingual) that Mandarin is not that hard to learn grammatically, but it’s hard to speak and pronounce correctly.
If you’ve programmed at all before, PHP/MySQL is not hard to learn. I was able to pick it up within a couple days for a summer job.
I wish you good luck on all of your goals!
Not often I’ll comment a blog but just stumbled across yours. Impressive stuff, I’m 20 as well and trying to advance my skills in web dev, some organisation similar to yours would be useful!
Good luck with the list, especially #6 (that’s been on my list for years!)
I am actually flattered that you decided to comment on my blog since you don’t comment much on other blogs. It means I am actually doing something ‘right’ for the first time.
Just keep on learning and don’t stop when it comes to experimenting and I guarantee that you will be able to advance your skills in no time.
#6 had been on my list for a while now too. I actually worked out last summer but I did not continue it. I want to make it a habit now.
Hey Ren!
It’s nice to know there’s still a lot like us still trying to learn.
But me, I am I think the other way, I’m trying to learn design and UI stuff for web designing. I’ve been on web development for around 6years already but I am on designing for around less than 6 months. XD
Stumbled to your site trying to look for brushes.
Haha! And maybe I should create a list like this myself.
Hi Alec,
Learning is a continuous process for all of us. Especially when it comes to web development and designing. Technology keeps on changing when it comes to web development and there are lots of design trends that keeps on popping up from time to time.
I have been developing for about 2 to 3 years and I am more comfortable with Ruby on Rails than I am with PHP/MySQL. It seems really important for me to brush up on that now.
Hahaha! Well, I’ve read a few comments here and it’s true that once you learn one and learn how to program it’s easy to adapt the others, it’s just a matter of this syntax and stuff.
On your ruby, did you used rails? Or have you tried other frameworks?
Good luck on both our endeavors!
I am using the Rails framework mainly. I haven’t tried other frameworks yet and I know there are tons of frameworks available out there for Ruby. One of the most recent one is Ramaze but I’ve never tried it out. Once I am familiar with PHP/MySQL, I am planning to check out their frameworks. One of the famous ones is CakePHP if I am not mistaken. Good luck to you too.
Oh I think we’re the other way around. Haha. I had one of my site working on Ramaze and currently engaged on CakePHP cause of a client. But I haven’t played with Rails that long or even on a project.
PHP is quite easy, really. I tend to be the type of girl who learns what she needs to know for the project at hand. PHP proved so useful (for integration with MySQL as well as otherwise) that I use it for almost every website I develop.
On the other hand, I’ve never used Ruby on Rails, but I should probably learn it. What do you use it for? In your opinion, what is the most useful thing about it? Is it similar to any other language (I know Java, Javascript, Actionscript 3.0).
For me, exercise is easiest when I forget that I’m exercising because I’m having fun. Wii Fit and Xbox Kinect help with that a LOT, and my balance has improved greatly because of it. Also I play sports and volunteer doing active things to keep me off the couch and away from my computer screen.
Hey April! Started learning PHP and I agree with you, it is very easy.
I think if you have a programming background, PHP is really easy for you since it is all about the logic and the syntax is pretty easy.
Ruby on Rails is a framework that utilizes the Ruby programming language. We mainly use it in order to develop a web application. Imagine a web application that you are developing with PHP/MySQL. You can develop the exact same application with Ruby on Rails in a shorter amount of time since it is a framework and most of the basic codes are already written for you. All you need to do is just type in some commands in your command line and you will get the files and codes necessary for the application. Relationships between databases can be established easily by just typing a one line of code in your command line and your ‘models’. If you understand the MVC architecture, you will understand what I meant by models.
Of course, there are pros and cons. One of the cons of a Ruby on Rails application is that it runs slower compared to a PHP/MySQL application. Ruby on Rails utilizes the MVC architecture and if you are a fan of applications with fast performances, PHP/MySQL would be the right language for you. PHP/MySQL has their own frameworks too. Have you ever heard of CakePHP? CakePHP is similar to Ruby on Rails since it utilizes the MVC architecture. However, I have never tried CakePHP before.
One of the things that I absolutely love about Ruby on Rails: Gems. Gems are plugins written by other developers that you can use for your application. Again, with gems you do not have to write the codes from scratch. For example, in Rails, one of the gems that I often use is the ‘will paginate’ gems. With this gems, you do not have to write the codes from scratch in order to paginate your applications. You can just use the gem by writing a one line code in the controllers and it will automatically generate the pagination for you.
If you want to learn Ruby on Rails, I suggest you to learn and understand how the MVC architecture works. Syntax wise, Ruby is very easy to learn. If you know Java, then Ruby should be very easy for you. I came from a Java background as well before I learn Ruby on Rails. Good luck, April! Let me know if you need anything.
Oh wow! I am going to take your advice for working out. My aunt have Wii Fit but she never use it that much. I should steal it from her!
I am planning to take up a Yoga or Pilates class this summer. We will see how that goes.