Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

General Discussion

Posted by Richard McCormick
Richard McCormick
6,550 Points

how much should I be Retaining?

I'm going through the web design track ( with a bit of previous knowledge of html and css, but not much ) I follow along with the code most of the time, and I tend to stop every few courses and do a bit of playing around with it to let it sink in.

My problem is that I know I won't be retaining at least 15% of it. a few things like background-clips, radio button attributes etc, kind of seem to get lost on me over time.

My question is, should I review, review, and review, until Its stuck in my brain, or should I continue on my courses?

2 Answers

Wade Christensen
STAFF
Wade Christensen
Treehouse Teacher
Wade Christensen
Wade Christensen
Treehouse Teacher

Hi Richard,

I would recommend a bit of both. Keep moving forward, but then come back to review the things you feel rusty on.

If you just review until you drive yourself crazy . . . well, you'll drive yourself crazy. It's no fun to feel like you're not moving forward. Also, as you move forward you will have to go back and review things to complete a project.

Most importantly, start working on some of your own projects outside of the Treehouse content. In creating real-world applications, you'll have a lot of reasons to review and seek new information. Once you have to apply knowledge to a project that truly excites you, you'll retain it much more easily.

Also, don't get discouraged. After time away from anything, you'll have to review (everyone does). That's why reference manuals exist. Also, some things come more naturally and other things are sticking points (those are different for each individual).

I'd say just keep moving forward, create some of your own projects, and review as you feel it helps you in moving forward.

Aurelian Spodarec
Aurelian Spodarec
7,369 Points

HI, I think thats the great advice. Ill go my self over some of treehouse projects and see how i got them into my head now and try making something straight away while doing the project again ^^

Ricky Catron
Ricky Catron
13,023 Points
Ricky Catron
Ricky Catron
13,023 Points

I would reccommend learning enough so you remember what you are looking for when you encounter an error. No developer can remeber every tag and attribute or method of every language they know.

Knowing where to look when you get stuck is far more useful then memorizing every little detail.

My personal favorite site for documentation is: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/

I might not remember the code to make a specific look or feature but i know I can always look here and get back on track.

Lastly as Wade said practice your skills remake a favorite site with an extra feature or a redesign. Keep pushing yourself and improving.

Goodluck --Ricky