[Launch School] Community Update - January 10th, 2024

Hello everyone, Clare here, and welcome to our first Community Update for 2024. Happy New Year! In the quiet moments over the holidays, I stumbled upon a fascinating [snack story](. Given that it's on the internet, it must be true, although I'm still amazed I haven't heard about this before. Firstly, let me introduce you to the "chocolate teacake." It's marshmallow on a biscuit, enveloped in chocolate, and perfect for a single, ravenous bite. For those of you who have been paying attention and can remember back to [jaffacake-gate](, chocolate teacakes were, for a long time, wrongly classed as biscuits. After 21 years, they were rightfully re-categorised as cakes and now avoid being taxed in the UK ([see here for more info](). So, now we all know to what I am referring, as well as their tax-status, here comes a strange tale involving the Royal Air Force (RAF) and exploding marshmallows. [chocolate_teacakes] In the 1950s, chocolate teacakes took the RAF by storm and often found a spot in ration packs. However, they were more than just a snack; they became the focus of in-flight experiments. Pilots noticed a transformation at higher altitudes, where teacakes, unwrapped and strategically placed around the cabin, would expand due to the changing pressure's effect on the aerated marshmallow. The climax occurred at around 15,000 feet when the chocolate shells cracked. Despite being too large for a single bite, the taste remained uncompromised, marking the experiments as a success. As with all good things, this flavourful experiment came to an end, fortunately without any injuries. In the summer of 1965, after a marshmallow craze among V-Bombers departing from Gaydon Air Base, a captain and student pilot faced an unpleasant surprise. Forgotten unwrapped teacakes above their instrument panels erupted when an emergency depressurizing switch was triggered during a training mission. The RAF swiftly added chocolate teacakes to their no-fly list - they had proved to be too hazardous in aircraft designed to carry bombs. If you feel tempted to try these snacks on your next flight, there is a brand that is far superior to the others, and that is the authentic Scottish delicacy: the Tunnock's teacake. Which reminds me, I must tell you about the deep-fried Mars bar... With your hunger for snacks sated, let's move on. --------------------------------------------------------------- Important Updates New Podcasts Dropped Not one, but two new podcasts have been released since the last update, and they are both great. In [episode 4](, Chris interviews Capstone graduate, Jon Kulton. Before Launch School, Jon was a UX designer, and now he works alongside ex-FAANG engineers at Datadog. His story is fascinating and inspiring. [Episode 5]( has Brandi interviewing Trisha about her experience of the core curriculum so far. Wherever you are in the curriculum, there is a lot to learn from Trisha's reflections. Games in Gather It's official, Gather is now for gaming. We have a new area for hanging out with peers that is all about fun and this is exactly what we need to develop our skills for when we apply to work for Google so we don't feel out of place working from our beanbags. Check out [this post]( for more info. [games_in_gather] New Community Page Karis has created a brand [new community page]( that brings together all things community at Launch School. If you are new to Launch School, and even if you're not, this is the place to go to de-isolate your learning. --------------------------------------------------------------- Routine Updates Student articles Christian has written a fantastic [article](christian.velez1/out-of-time-bea2e7c1a5cd) reflecting on his experience of running out of time during assessments. Christian has taken an evidence-based approach to examining this issue (which is one that lots of students experience) and come up with some great insights and concrete steps to avoid exceeding time limits in the future. Crafting articles not only hones your communication skills but also deepens your mastery of a chosen subject. Channel your inner Jane Austen or Charles Dickens, grab your pens, embark on a writing journey, and don't forget to share with the Launch School community on our [Sharing Page](. [books] Meetups It's been a quiet month for meet-ups, so no photos this time. [#portland]( is planning a meetup, which is likely to be on January 20th, but the time and place are not yet confirmed. Make sure to take a look through the (numerous) Slack channels to see if there's one for a region near you and organise a meetup, with snacks. If there isn't feel free to try and start one up! Women's Group We have our regular Launch School Women's Group Virtual meeting coming up. We've already had a meeting this year, where we discussed our intentions for 2024. It was great to have time to reflect on what this year will mean (will I finally finish the core curriculum?), and share ideas for keeping focused and healthy. The next meeting is on Sunday, January 28th at 2pm EASTERN. This will include a Q&A with Chelsea Saunders, Capstone graduate and software engineer at Futr, Inc. as well as the usual socialising and opportunity to ask questions. For more information, including how to sign up, check out [this forum post](. --------------------------------------------------------------- On the Grapevine Although our Slack community has been a little quieter over the holidays, there's still been lots going on. British Love for Tea Riz discovered a fun [video]( that explores the role of the person whose job it is to ensure the UK's power grid can deal with the surge in demand when our nation's kettles are switched on in sync (often at the end of an episode of a popular TV series). We love tea. It's a panacea. It's great in the morning, it's great for elevenses, afternoon tea (with finger sandwiches and little cakes) is wonderful, and the icing on the cake is in the evening after watching our favourite soap. It also goes great with chocolate teacakes. [tea] Learning Strategies William created a [thread]( that began with reflecting on how mastery affects one's ability to light a fire, and wondered how fellow students improve their learning and preparation for assessments. The community replied and there are some golden nuggets of ideas in there (including writing articles, hint, hint). --------------------------------------------------------------- Last But Not Least Congratulations to Mai for completing [Advent of Code]( again this year. These problems are so tricky and completing every puzzle practically turns into a full-time job after about day 17. Amazing work Mai and thank you to everyone who took part, shared advice, tips and, occasionally, misery (there's a reason day 12 remains a black star for me). See you all again next year. [aoc] (Note the strategic cut-off point that I chose for displaying progress.) --------------------------------------------------------------- If I'm going to meet my self-imposed deadline of finishing core this year, I'd better get back to the grindstone. I'll be requiring a lot of snacks to get through this year. --------------------------------------------------------------- If you wish to stop receiving emails from us, you can use the one-click link below to unsubscribe. [Unsubscribe From All Email]( [Unsubscribe From Weekly Summaries](