Juan David's Newsletter - September 12, 2021
Coding for Creatives, Talk to Strangers, and An Integral a Day Keeps the Doctor Away 🍎.
Hey guys,
This week was a tough one. Frustration combined with lots of tedious homework caused me to reflect, talk to future selves, and figure out a course of action.
There are some classes I don’t find interesting at all, and that’s ok I can’t find everything interesting. But I can make anything interesting. How? The first thing is to create a positive feedback loop by start getting things right such as homework problems, thought-process, etc.
That way, I’ll start liking those classes more, spend more time with those subjects, and… find them more interesting (and get good grades)
Let’s make it happen.
I’ve also been writing an essay about things I knew before coming to college combined with big ideas and practical suggestions. Let me know if you’d like to give me feedback before I publish it next week.
Curiosities 🍎🍏🍎
1. My Generation Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity
When the pandemic started, many of my friends and generally young people became incredibly sad and bored about being at home. Yet I was happy I didn’t have to go to school so I could work on things I care about.
What did I do? I wrote an essay to share my perspective and make my friends aware of something called leverage.
Leverage is the ability to write an essay and reach millions of people.
Leverage is the ability of a 17-year-old to create a website to avoid the spread of Covid misinformation.
Leverage is the era when we’re living in right now, and we have infinite amounts.
Read the essay here, and learn about how ordinary people are using leverage to create extraordinary projects.
2. Coding for Artists, Designers, Educators, and Beginners.
Last year, I participated in a Google program where we worked on programming projects using something called p5.js, which is a JavaScript library designed to make coding accessible to creative folks.
p5.js is so cool because you start coding (not limited to) with a canvas with a full set of drawing functionality.
I’d recommend starting by 1) checking out their website, 2) start designing/creating art on your own, 3) take this comprehensive p5.js course by The Coding Train
Check out my final project, or GitHub.
3. Life isn’t as Long as you think
Think life is long? Not so fast.
Read this essay to find out how many SuperBowls you have left to see, how many presidents, how many dumplings, and how many times you'll see your high school friends, or even parents.
When you look at that reality, you realize that despite not being at the end of your life, you may very well be nearing the end of your time with some of the most important people in your life.
Read the essay here.
4. Talk to Strangers REGULARLY
Traca, an avid reader and supporter of the newsletter, gave a TEDx Talk about why and how to talk to strangers regularly.
After all, everyone is a stranger until….they are not. Every time I need the little push to talk to the person next to me, the bus driver, the person with the cool computer case, or whoever, I remember Traca’s talk.
Watch the TEDx Talk here.
5. 🍏 An Integral a Day Keeps the Doctor Away 🍏
I don’t use Instagram. I deleted the app and never check it.
But there’s one account, I frequently visit on my browser: Integrals For You (@integralsforyou).
When I’m feeling mathy and want my brain to get a quick workout, I visit this account and solve a couple of integrals.
I love their motto: “🍏 An Integral a Day Keeps the Doctor Away 🍏” Sometimes, I go to this account just to see this catchy phrase.
Check out @integralsforyou.
See you next week,
Juan David Campolargo