Datescope — Final Flatiron Project
March 30, 2020
Ok, so I don’t exactly know where to even start. This project has really put me through the wringer, as all of the previous projects have done, but this one was special being that it would be my farewell to Flatiron. Now that it is finally complete, it still feels like I have so much more to accomplish. It really is only the beginning for me and my programming journey.
Originally, I had planned on creating a Sudoku game application. I hate to say it, but I had worked on it for about a month before realizing that I was in over my head. That was, in itself, a vital lesson I learned to realize my limitations and really to know when to start anew on something more feasible. I believe the main reason I couldn’t grasp the concept of how to create a game was due to the fact that my understanding of React/Redux was very minimal going in.
On my second attempt, I decided to create a dating application that I named ‘Datescope’ that matches users based on their horoscope signs, other general preferences and of course, location. In retrospect, this app probably wouldn’t be too useful in the real world seeing as there aren’t too many guys that care about their sign or even know what a horoscope is so it might turn out a bit one-sided. Nonetheless, it was still a fun idea, so I pressed forward.
When I first came up with the idea for this app, I didn’t realize how complicated it was going to be and boy, did I learn fast. There were several times that I thought I’d have to give up again and start a new project, but I committed to seeing this one through to the end. It is still not technically a completed dating app since the messaging feature doesn’t allow an exchange between two users as a typical app would, but I chose to focus more on the project requirements to get this finished. If I ever want to expand on it in the future, that will always be an option as a fun side project.
Now that I have completed this final project, I feel considerably more confident in my overall knowledge of React and Redux. It took me quite some time to get here, and I’ve definitely got a ways to go before I become an expert, but it feels amazing to finally be able to move on and start a new phase of my life. I have Flatiron and its many instructors that have helped guide me to thank for getting me to this point. This post is dedicated to all of you.
