# HB Quick Tips

> Below are some quick tips for those considering something like Hackbright Academy. If you have time before or want to get some preliminary building blocks,…

- Author: Nyghtowl (Melanie Warrick)
- URL: https://nyghtowl.com/posts/2013/05/hb-quick-tips/
- Published: 2013-05-11
- Tags: hackbright, beginners
- Originally published: https://nyghtowlblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/11/hb-quick-tips/
- Site index for agents: https://nyghtowl.com/llms.txt




Below are some quick tips for those considering something like Hackbright Academy. If you have time before or want to get some preliminary building blocks, check out the links and pointers below.

1. Keyboard Shortcuts:

* Learn keyboard short cuts (before starting any programming bootcamp)
* If you are not used to it, it does suck royally to learn
* Push through it and practice, practice, practice!
* The less you use the mouse, the more credible you are as a developer

2. Ask for Help Early and Often:

* Leverage your classmates
* Leverage google, [stackoverflow](http://stackoverflow.com/), [reddit](http://www.reddit.com/), etc…
* Leverage your network and online social tools

3. Start Reviewing:

* [Command Line Crash Course](http://cli.learncodethehardway.org/book/)
* [Learn Python the Hard Way](http://learnpythonthehardway.org/)
* *(Thanks Zed Shaw)*

4. Check-out HTML, CSS & JavaScript

* [Mozilla Developer Network](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/)
* [Teaching Materials HTML](http://www.teaching-materials.org/htmlcss-1day/)
* [Superhero.js](http://superherojs.com/ "Superhero")

5. Git with Git:

* Read about [git](http://git-scm.com/book/en/Git-Branching-Basic-Branching-and-Merging "git")
* Read about [GitHub](github.com "GitHub")
* Want more?…
* Load git on your home computer
* Setup a GitHub account

6. Balance is Key:

* As Cynthia would say “take breaks!”
* Make sure to keep up a workout regime – its good for the brain
* Eat healthy to keep the energy up

7. Check out [Zach Holman’s deck](http://zachholman.com/talk/if-only-i-knew-this-shit-in-college/ "If Only I Knew this Shit in College") (it’s 5 min)

8. Additional Resources:

* [Linux](http://openclassroom.stanford.edu/MainFolder/CoursePage.php?course=PracticalUnix "Pracitcal Unix")
* [Vim](http://files.swaroopch.com/vim/byte_of_vim_v051.pdf "Vim Overview")
* [Interactive Python](http://interactivepython.org/courselib/static/thinkcspy/index.html# "Interactive Python")
* [Flask](http://flask.pocoo.org/ "Flask Overview")
* [Regex](http://regexone.com/ "RegexOne")