The default feeling about code reviews is fear and avoidance instead of excitement.
I mean, who wouldn’t be?
It’s a moment of vulnerability where your work gets critiqued by a more experienced engineer who could tear you down or build you up depending on their emotional intelligence. And your self-esteem and sense of self could take a hit if it is tightly tied to your work.
What is a code review?
If you work in a team, you will have to work on your own copy of the codebase, and when you are through and want to merge it back into the main branch, best software development practices will mean another developer (senior) having to review your work and this is why it gets interesting.
Reasons to look forward to code reviews
Disassociate your sense of self-worth or identity from your job.
Look at code reviews as an opportunity to be trained by and learn from a more experienced engineer. It’s an opportunity for you for growth.
Code review is an opportunity for collaborating and sharing new techniques.
Code reviews ensure consistency in design and implementation.
In conclusion, run towards the “pain” instead of away. Your place of discomfort is your place of growth.