Use your imagination to write the opening of a short story or poem inspired by this illustration — or tell us about a memory from your own life that this image makes you think of.
Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
It turns out that other popular features at Yellowstone — hydrothermal springs, pools and geysers that steam and bubble — are also a unique habitat for living things. Instead of charismatic mammals and birds, they are home to chaos-loving microbes.
Scientists have long studied the hydrologic features of Yellowstone’s springs and pools, “but nobody has ever studied the microbiology of a geyser,” said Eric Boyd, a professor of microbiology at Montana State University.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word hydrologic in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
If you want a better idea of how hydrologic can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.
Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.
With only two contests under his belt, Donald J. Trump has already knocked out all of his major primary challengers except one, Nikki Haley. And her chances for changing the trajectory of the race look slim given the former president’s dominance over the Republican Party.
On the Democratic side, President Biden wasn’t even on the ballot in New Hampshire, after the state refused to comply with a new Democratic nominating calendar that made South Carolina the party’s first primary contest. Yet a scrappy write-in campaign run by the president’s allies delivered a victory for him nonetheless.
How much have you been paying attention to the presidential campaign? Do you discuss it with your friends and family or in school? What’s your reaction to the race so far?
The much-fabled power of New Hampshire’s fiercely independent voters wasn’t enough to break the spell Donald J. Trump has cast over the Republican Party.
Brushing aside Nikki Haley a little over a week after he steamrolled her and Ron DeSantis in Iowa, Mr. Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate who was not a White House incumbent to carry the nation’s first two contests. His winning margin of 11 percentage points in moderate New Hampshire demonstrated his ironclad control of the party’s hard-right base and set him on what could very well be a short march to the nomination.
For Ms. Haley, the former South Carolina governor, it was a disappointing finish in a state she had poured considerable resources into carrying. Her efforts to cobble together a coalition of independents and anti-Trump Republicans, with support from the state’s popular governor, were no match for Mr. Trump’s legions of loyalists.
Even though Ms. Haley is vowing to fight on, the difficult terrain ahead in South Carolina means that this first-in-the-nation primary could turn out to be the last.
The reporters cite five takeaways, which they explain in more detail in the article:
Mr. Trump demonstrated his command of the Republican Party in a purple state.
Ms. Haley has an incredibly rocky road ahead.
The old guard of the G.O.P. is a dwindling faction.
Mr. Biden, Democratic grumbling aside, is cruising to renomination.
Mr. Trump’s strength may not translate to the general election.
Have you been paying attention to the contests in Iowa and New Hampshire? Did you watch any of the Republican debates? What is your reaction to the primaries so far?
Do you have a favorite candidate? Is there an issue or issues you feel particularly strongly about this election? Explain.
Do you have any predictions about what is likely to happen in the presidential race in the coming months?
How do you feel about a possible rematch between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump for the 2024 presidential election in November?
Do you think the 2024 presidential race is an important one? Do you think it will have a big impact on you, your family and your community? Why?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Are you glued to your device as you walk through the world?
Did you know that hunching over your device can mess with your gait, slow you down and poison your mood? And that’s before you trip and fall!
Should we put our phones away as we walk and move through the world? Are we missing out on the beauty around us?
Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more about the downsides of walking and using your phone.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
The word wistfully has appeared in 44 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Aug. 16 in the Magazine article “Sean Paul Is Still Busy” by Iva Dixit:
Whether it’s at a grimy nightclub or in an auditorium full of emotionally stunted teenagers avoiding eye contact in Dehradun, India, there are a few things likely to occur whenever a D.J. puts on “Get Busy” for a crowd of the right age. There will be squeals of recognition as Paul booms “SHAKE … THAT … THING,” each word with its vertiginous pause. Then the delirious, almost incantatory hand claps will start to register: “It’s the ignition of those butterflies,” he told me. As Paul’s exuberant melodies combine with the boisterous throb of the Diwali riddim, listeners’ hips and waists acquire a sentience of their own, moving as if threatening to secede from the rest of the body.
This was true in 2003 — some 40-year-olds I asked wistfully confirmed this for me — and it remains true two decades later.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word wistfully in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
If you want a better idea of how wistfully can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.
Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.
When it comes to a new year, I usually like to start with a winter-themed palette. However, I still had a breathtaking photo of forget-me-not flowers that I just couldn’t resist using. Those serene shades of blue inspired this year’s limited edition planners! Combining blue and mustard yellow makes for a universal, soft, and fresh color palette. I hope this color scheme will give you plenty of inspiration to create many amazing designs this year!
Unforgettable Blue & Yellow Color Palette
This month’s color palette palette is incredibly versatile and can be used for a variety of purposes. Whether you’re designing a professional business website or a fun and flirty summer dress, this palette is perfect for you! Its mix of bold and pastel shades will make your designs stand out and catch the eye of anyone who sees them. So go ahead and let your creativity flow!
As always, I have put together a mood board with some inspiration. It is in perfect Pinterest format, so feel free to pin it for later.
See our collection of other gorgeous color palettes by visiting our color palette section.
What do you think about this Unforgettable Blue & Yellow color palette? I’d love to see how you incorporate these colors into your designs! Don’t hesitate to share your creations in the comments or on social media. Let’s inspire each other!
Make sure you take a look at our blog post about the importance of using color in blog design. It’s a really interesting read and will show you just how big of a role colors can play in your projects.
Looking for more inspiration?
Browse other color palettes. There are so many beautiful combinations out there to choose from!
Do you like sky blue?
I have something perfect for you! Our classic version of 2024 for our famous planners.
If you create something using today’s color palette, don’t forget to share it with me!
Learning to code so that you can land a job in tech can feel daunting. That’s why we’re sharing inspiring stories from Codecademy’s community — to show how people like you (yes, you!) can embark on a learning journey and end up with a totally new career. We hope these stories serve as a reminder that there’s no single path to a more fulfilling work life.
Today’s story is from Stina Nieman, a 31-year-old Software Business Analyst at Wayside Publishing, living in South Central Pennsylvania. Read more stories from Codecademy learners here — and be sure to share your story here.
Why I chose to learn to code
“I started out my career in higher education and then fell in love with tech and coding during the pandemic because I wanted to learn something new and useful.
I started with the basic skill path Code Foundations, and really just had fun. I found exactly what I was looking for. I then also dabbled into Python, SQL, and HTML. I learned command line, GitHub, and basic HTML, and those skills helped me stand out in the job interview for an entry-level tech operations role about a year after I started learning how to code.”
Learn something new for free
How I made time to learn
“During the pandemic, I found myself with some free time on my hands, and since I love to learn, I thought about what I could explore. Instead of, you know, solving a difficult puzzle or mind game, I considered what I could learn that might also result in career opportunities or potentially lead to making more money in the future.
I looked at a couple of websites, but Codecademy stood out as the most fun, playful, and colorful platform. I really enjoyed the goofy and playful approach to learning. I developed a habit of dedicating 30 minutes to an hour every morning before work to learning — this became my morning routine.”
How I saved thousands of dollars
“With not that much money, especially when compared to bootcamps, I was able to learn so much. Codecademy is a steal compared to a bootcamp! Codecademy offered a discounted version for 130 bucks a year, and I am very grateful that I could learn from home at my own pace with such fun and engaging material.”
How long it took me to land a job
“I started learning in December 2020 and I started my first ed tech job in September 2021. It was an entry-level operations role where I learned new technical skills every week.”
How I got in the door
“After experiencing a round of layoffs at the ed tech company, I found myself with some extra time on my hands. Wanting to make the most of that time, I invested in a Codecademy Pro subscription. I completed both the Computer Science career path and the Business Intelligence Data Analyst career path. I learned a lot about computers in general, as well as Python, data analysis, and SQL.
SQL, in fact, turned out to be one of the requirements for the business analyst position. I came across the job posting on LinkedIn. By the time I applied, I had built a robust portfolio of projects through the Codecademy career paths, and I had a tech resume. I think I came across as a rather technical person with an education background.”
It’s not about reaching a certain point where you become a qualified programmer; there’s no such final step. It’s an ongoing learning journey.
Stina Nieman
Software Business Analyst at Wayside Publishing
How I nailed the interview
“Without any prior networking connections, I was invited for a phone interview with HR and then a live interview with a team of five people. This job required five years of experience, and I’ve had five years of job experience, but certainly not business analyst experience. So, I think that not just my job experience but also what I’ve learned on my own time has helped.
I really think that this is the biggest piece of advice that I would have for other coders: You don’t have to learn a ton or an entire language or become fluent in anything. Just a couple of little nuggets that help you stand out in an interview can sometimes make the difference. Even if you only learn some basics of how the tech world works. I could speak to basic HTML. I know how to do a Git commit on the command line. I know what a GitHub repository is, and I understand the difference between the main branch and a feature branch. Those small basics, I think, really helped me stand out.”
How I evaluated the offer
“During the [interview] process, I expressed my passion for coding in Python and my love for data analysis. I mentioned my wide range of interests and asked whether these could be pursued in the long term. They responded by saying, ‘We’re a rapidly growing company with diverse needs in the future, and you can take your career with us wherever you would like.’ This became a significant deciding factor for me to choose them. While I enjoy my current role as a business analyst, I appreciate the idea of keeping my options open for something more technical down the road, and it seemed like they were supportive of that.
The salary offered was better than my previous job, so that was a big factor. Also, I was able to do good with tech and make the learning experience for middle and high schoolers more effective, fun, and accessible. That was a driving force for me.”
How day one and beyond went
“The first couple of days were, of course, very exciting because I finally got to work in JIRA with all the development tickets, QA tickets, and grooming tasks. It was a lot to get used to initially, but now I’m knee-deep in grooming requirements, the backlog, and epics for both the front end and the back end. I’m actively collaborating with QA engineers, so I feel like I’m truly immersed in the software engineering and development side of the company I’m working for.”
What are “grooming tasks”?
This is a term used in Agile development. While the exact definition may vary from team to team, backlog grooming is the process of regularly updating the backlog and preparing for future sprints.
What I wish I knew before I started learning
“It’s less about knowing a specific library or certain details. Of course, it’s good to grasp object-oriented programming and some basics, but what truly matters is having a learner’s mindset. Maintaining a mindset of curiosity, a constant desire to learn, and an eagerness to improve is the basis for success.
I used to think there would be a point where I’d become a coder or a tech-y person, but the point of programming is that you’re always learning; you’re always asking questions and trying to find the answer. Things are always changing so you have to be comfortable with being a learner forever. It’s not about reaching a certain point where you become a qualified programmer; there’s no such final step. It’s an ongoing learning journey.”
Not sure where to start? Check out our personality quiz! We’ll help you find the best programming language to learn based on your strengths and interests.
Want to share your Codecademy learner story? Drop us a line here. And don’t forget to join the discussions in our community.
If you’ve got “new year, new me” energy this January and want to invest in your career development in 2024, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re looking for a new role, gunning for a promotion, or have more holistic learning goals in mind, now’s a great time to start putting some tangible to-dos on your calendar while you’re feeling motivated. This way, you can plan to work consistently towards your goals throughout the year (even after your new-year resolve wears off). Ahead, we’ve gathered some realistic career growth milestones for you to work towards.
Learn about your company’s career development framework
If a promotion is top of your goals list, the first step is to find out if your company has a career development framework or matrix of requirements for the next level, according to Jeff Warner, Senior Engineering Manager of the Collaboration team at Upwork, who has been managing teams for nearly three decades. “One of the most important things about helping people to grow is to make sure that you are on the same page and helping them to address the areas where they need to grow,” Jeff says. Your company’s employee handbook should point you in the right direction, but if you don’t have one you can ask your HR or people ops team for the career development framework for your role.
“As an engineering manager, I will usually walk through the framework with a junior engineer to make sure they understand each requirement, and then I give them a chance to score themselves,” Jeff says. Of course, your company might not have a formal framework for your career development, or your team leader might not initiate that conversation. In this case you’ll have to take matters into your own hands.
What’s a career development framework?
A career development framework clearly outlines and roadmaps the responsibilities and expectations of specific roles. That way, you can assess your strengths and weaknesses and plan to advance to the next level. Dropbox actually has its engineering career development framework publicly available. Check it out and get a sense of what’s expected of engineers.
Start a career conversation with your team leader
In your next one-on-one, ask your manager what it would take for you to get to the next level and what success looks like to them. “Software engineering isn’t just about cranking out code and going on to your next task. It can be close to a 50/50 ratio of communication and technical work,” Jeff says. “Understanding what’s important in your department and building alignment on it with your manager is the starting point.”
Once you and your team leader are on the same page, you’ll want to capture your career growth plan in writing. “I’m a huge fan of having a shared document between the manager and the engineer that lays out the requirements and expectations for the role transparently,” Jeff says. “Once you start writing things down, they become a lot clearer. It’s also a place to go back to in a few weeks or months to review together.”
Learn something new for free
Set up regular career check-ins
Jeff also advises agreeing on an explicit cadence specifically for career check-in convos. “Sometimes you can cover the career conversation in your regular one-on-one, but I really recommend having a monthly check-in where you can discuss how you’re progressing on your goals,” he says.
If you rely on having time to discuss the bigger picture with your manager in your regular meetings, you might find that discussion gets pushed back, week after week, in favor of more urgent topics. “Career discussions can be stressful for both you and your manager. It’s human nature to put them off, so you can end up having a brief, five-minute conversation instead of giving the subject the attention it deserves,” Jeff says. “Having dedicated time for those career conversations is really helpful.” If you wait until your annual performance review to have this type of conversation, you won’t have an opportunity to work on any areas of improvement ahead of time.
Career growth isn’t only about promotions though. There are many other ways to develop your skills and domain knowledge on your own. While these individual pursuits take a bit more initiative from you, unlike with promotions you are in full control over how and when you meet them. (If you’re looking to build out your technical skillset for work or a personal project, consider upgrading to a Codecademy Plus membership. You’ll get access to all our self-guided courses and paths as well as extra features.)
Build your network
Showing a bit of interest in what other teams are working on can help you to understand more about the bigger picture of your company. “Get to know people in marketing, get to know people in sales and customer service, get to know people in other teams,” Jeff says. Connecting your work to higher-level business goals is definitely something that managers care about when it comes to promotions. Another bonus? On a more personal level, it can help you to feel more motivated and connected to the people you work with.
A diverse network is also an asset if you find yourself job hunting in the future. “Getting to know other people in the company and finding ways to expand your network goes a long way. You never know how that might lead to your next job,” Jeff says. To make this goal tangible, you could set yourself targets to arrange informal get-to-know-you calls with people in other departments or attend some meetings hosted by other teams.
Software engineering isn’t just about cranking out code and going on to your next task. It can be close to a 50/50 ratio of communication and technical work.
Jeff Warner
Senior Engineering Manager of the Collaboration team at Upwork
Get to know your customers
In a similar vein, “understanding and having empathy for your customer is important,” Jeff says. Taking some time to learn about your company’s customers and the problems they’re trying to solve can be a huge boost to your growth. “As a manager, finding people who are excited about the problems you’re trying to solve makes for a great team,” he says.
Some companies even require all team members to do a stint in customer support, but even if yours doesn’t, you can take some time to read through support tickets or ask your customer support team members about their experiences. You can also find insights by seeing what people are saying about your product or industry on social media or in communities on Hacker News or Discord. A lot of tech companies now record their sales calls, which can also offer insight into what people are looking for when they try out your product. Or reach out to the UX research team to see if they can share findings from recent customer surveys. You might just get inspired to apply something in your own role.
Actively work on your soft skills
Setting aside time to upskill is a worthy goal, but we don’t always prioritize developing soft skills in the way we do hard skills. We have a lot of ideas for working on your soft skills, so consider setting goals to tackle a few areas throughout the year. For example, getting better at sharing your work with others is a great way to improve your communication skills and confidence. You could find out if your company blog accepts submissions and challenge yourself to write about something you’re working on. Or volunteer to talk about a recent project you completed at your next company all hands meeting — not only will you get to practice public speaking, but you’ll also raise your profile and create opportunities to discuss your work with other teams.
Make a habit of applying and interviewing for jobs
We know that applying and interviewing for jobs can be scary — that’s why it’s helpful to practice it when the stakes are low. Even if you’re happy in your role or have your heart set on a promotion at your current company, Jeff says it’s important to be aware of what the job market looks like and the types of skills that are in demand for similar roles. For example, if you get a message from a recruiter on LinkedIn about an open role, consider taking the phone call just to learn more. “Seeing what’s listed on job descriptions and requirements can help you bring your skills back in line,” he says.
Going through the process of interviewing when you’re already employed can also affirm whether you are where you want to be. “Exercising that decision cycle — thinking about why you’re staying where you are versus why you might go work somewhere else — is a really healthy experience,” Jeff says.
If you still find the idea intimidating, consider framing a goal around how many rejections you receive rather than targeting a number of interviews or job offers. You can’t fully control how many successes you have, but you can pat yourself on the back for putting yourself out there.
Most new developers have more agency over their career than they realize. Having a mix of ambitious and achievable goals will help you stay motivated throughout the year.
Many colleges have stopped requiring standardized tests like the SAT and ACT for admissions. Are you planning on going to college? If so, are you planning to take the SAT and ACT? Or do the schools you want to attend no longer require them?
What is your opinion on standardized tests when it comes to college admissions? Do you believe they are a useful measure of a student’s academic capabilities? Do you think they make college admissions more or less equitable and fair? Why?
In “The Misguided War on the SAT,” David Leonhardt writes that, while colleges have fled standardized tests on the theory that they hurt diversity, that’s not what the research shows:
After the Covid pandemic made it difficult for high school students to take the SAT and ACT, dozens of selective colleges dropped their requirement that applicants do so. Colleges described the move as temporary, but nearly all have since stuck to a test-optional policy. It reflects a backlash against standardized tests that began long before the pandemic, and many people have hailed the change as a victory for equity in higher education.
Now, though, a growing number of experts and university administrators wonder whether the switch has been a mistake. Research has increasingly shown that standardized test scores contain real information, helping to predict college grades, chances of graduation and post-college success. Test scores are more reliable than high school grades, partly because of grade inflation in recent years.
Without test scores, admissions officers sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between applicants who are likely to do well at elite colleges and those who are likely to struggle. Researchers who have studied the issue say that test scores can be particularly helpful in identifying lower-income students and underrepresented minorities who will thrive. These students do not score as high on average as students from affluent communities or white and Asian students. But a solid score for a student from a less privileged background is often a sign of enormous potential.
He writes further about the debate around standardized testing:
Given the data, why haven’t colleges reinstated their test requirements?
For one thing, standardized tests are easy to dislike. They create stress for millions of teenagers. The tests seem to reduce the talent and potential of a human being to a single number. The SAT’s original name, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, implied a rigor that even its current defenders would not claim. Covid, in short, created an opportunity for American society to cast off a tradition that few people enjoyed.
But another part of the explanation involves politics. Standardized tests have become especially unpopular among political progressives, and university campuses are dominated by progressives.
Many consider the tests to be unfair because there are score gaps by race and class. Average scores for modest-income, Black and Hispanic students are lower than those for white, Asian and upper-income students. The tests’ critics worry that reinstating test requirements will reduce diversity. The Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision has heightened these concerns.
If selective colleges made admissions decisions based solely on test scores, racial and economic diversity would indeed plummet. Yet almost nobody in higher education favors using tests as the main factor for admissions. The question instead is whether the scores should be one of the criteria used to identify qualified students from every demographic group.
The SAT’s history offers some complex perspective. As the test’s critics sometimes point out, one designer of the original standardized tests in the early 20th century, Carl Brigham, also wrote a book promoting racist theories of intelligence (which he later disavowed). But a larger rationale for tests was connected to an expansion of opportunity. Administrators at Harvard, who pushed for the creation of the tests, saw them as a way to identify talented students from any background. The administrators believed that these students would go on to strengthen the country’s elite institutions, which were dominated by a narrow group of white Protestants, as Nicholas Lemann explained in “The Big Test,” his history of the SAT.
Today, perhaps the strongest argument in favor of the tests is that other parts of the admissions process have even larger racial and economic biases. Affluent students can participate in expensive activities, like music lessons and travel sports teams, that strengthen their applications. These same students often receive extensive editing on their essays from their well-educated parents. Many affluent students attend private schools where counselors polish each student’s application.
The tests are not entirely objective, of course. Well-off students can pay for test prep classes and can pay to take the tests multiple times. Yet the evidence suggests that these advantages cause a very small part of the gaps.
What is your reaction to the article? What information challenges or confirms your view of standardized tests? Which parts of the article do you find the most compelling or surprising? Which parts do you take issue with — or have additional questions about?
Do you think colleges should again require tests like the SAT and ACT in admissions decisions? If so, how much of a role should they play? If not, why not?
Mr. Leonhardt writes that, with the current test-optional policies, “many teenagers say they are confused. They are uncertain about whether to take the tests and what scores are high enough to submit.” If you’re planning on applying to college, how are these policies affecting your application preparation, if at all?
To what extent do you believe standardized tests can help colleges achieve fairness and equity in the admissions process? What other factors — whether in college admissions, K-12 education or society at large — could help make admissions fairer and more equitable?
Mr. Leonhardt writes that the debate over standardized testing really comes down to dozens of elite universities, such as Harvard, M.I.T. and U.C.L.A., and raises questions about the ultimate purpose of these schools. He argues that they have a goal of excellence and should be striving to “identify and educate the students most likely to excel,” who will then go on to to make critical contributions to society. Others say that “instead, these colleges should use their resources to educate a diverse mix of good students and, in the process, lift social mobility.” What do you think? How essential of a role do elite institutions play in our society? What purpose do you think they should serve?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
