Best way to utilize what I'm learning on Treehouse

Well, you know, speaking from my point of view, since the very first chapter I've been making notes like a real college student should.

Apart from that , when you say when you should start building portfolio, I would say instantly. The first set of HTML course sets you up with enough knowledge to set up your website. I think it is a good idea to just start doing something with each step so that you get it done in your brain. If you take up more knowledge without practice, you are gonna get a messy head when you try to put it all together.

You don't necessarily have to use the same projects. I am passionate about Chocolates and I am trying to keep up building the chocolates website from side by side from the projects so that you know I get hardwired about what I am learning into my brain..

Did I write a lot ? I am sorry. here is a potato.

I like what Rahul Ram said about getting started right away and taking notes like a real student. For my learning I use Google Docs for Excel and Microsoft Word. I wouldn't suggest making a website it is very time consuming even for a tenured professional.

My favorite part about that is that I can go back and use the Excel as a mental reference for a lot of things.

.. I just noticed Treehouse is offering Tech Degrees. If you're in the early stages of "building a portfolio", I would probably recommend getting the Tech Degree in whatever field you want. I personally am planning to go through the iOS course.

Also, it's really easy to break away from the norm. Just be a little creative and show a different angle on what you're doing and you won't be grouped in with those cookie cutter people copying source files. Pretty much everything with programming begins hypothetical outside of the core of the language. You can really do whatever you want..