#CodingTips #BeginnerCoding #CodingJourney
Hey there, to all the beginners out there who say that they suck at coding, I have a message for you. As someone who has been learning to code for 8 months now, I understand the struggles and frustrations that come along with it. But don’t let that discourage you! Learning to code is a journey, and it’s completely normal to feel lost and frustrated at times. Here are some tips and words of encouragement for all of you who may be feeling like you’re not making progress:
##Embrace the Messiness of Learning
Learning to code is not a linear process. It’s messy, it’s confusing, and it’s okay to feel lost. Allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them. Every error you encounter is an opportunity to grow and improve. Remember, even experienced programmers face challenges and setbacks along the way.
##Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others who may seem more advanced or skilled. Remember that everyone’s coding journey is unique, and progress looks different for each individual. Focus on your own growth and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem.
##Patience is Key
Learning to code takes time, patience, and perseverance. It’s not something that happens overnight, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t grasp a concept right away. Keep practicing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep going!
##Focus on Functionality
Instead of getting bogged down by trying to write the perfect code, focus on creating programs that work. The most important thing is to gain a solid understanding of the fundamentals and to build upon that. Efficiency and optimization can come later, but first, focus on creating functional code.
##Seek Help and Resources
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help when you’re stuck. There are countless resources available online, including tutorials, forums, and coding communities where you can ask questions and get support. Remember, everyone starts as a beginner, and it’s okay to ask for guidance along the way.
##Stay Consistent and Persistent
Consistency is key when it comes to learning to code. Set aside dedicated time each day to practice and challenge yourself. Don’t get discouraged by failures or setbacks; use them as motivation to keep pushing forward.
In conclusion, learning to code is a challenging and rewarding journey. Embrace the messiness, be patient with yourself, and focus on progress rather than perfection. Remember, it’s okay to feel frustrated and stuck at times, but don’t let that deter you from reaching your goals. Keep learning, keep practicing, and most importantly, keep coding! You’ve got this. 💻🚀
For more tips and guidance on your coding journey, be sure to check out our website for valuable resources and support. Happy coding! #CodingJourney #NeverGiveUp #ProgrammingBeginner
I’m thankful I had the opportunity to learn programming with a couple college courses here in the U.S. It really opened the programming world up for me. There, depending on the instructor, I could get some help when something was not working right after I tried on my own. The pacing and structure worked out well for me.
Unfortunately, I think the textbooks didn’t teach everything, weren’t perfect, and sometimes taught out of date concepts.
so relatable. in a similar position as you
You suck at the beginning of everything.
My first time when I went snowboarding I was on the ground a lot more than I was on the board. 33 years later and I can snowboard pretty well. I own a snowboard. When I was 18 I was a snowboard instructor at a popular ski resort….
Coding isn’t entirely dissimilar. You have preconceived notions about how the code gets made. Most people think that we have these BIG building blocks that are like 90% of the way there and you code the last 10% . Most people are gobsmacked when they realize how tiny the legos are that we’re building with (even heavily leaning on libraries, there’s a TON of work to be done). That we need to build out every interaction, every piece, of every functionality, every template, every api, every piece of documentation… all the logging… and that’s just the beginning. Then you need to handle the all the other pieces of the puzzle. How do you deploy? How do you collaborate? How do you scale?
Most people have been lead to believe that “coding takes 3-6 months to learn and then you can get a job”. While that may be true for some, I find that coding takes about 3-6 years until you get on your feet fully. The sheer scale of the systems, and the amount of INCREDIBLY smart, talented people, who have built these MEGA COMPANIES defies what you can imagine before you start. When you see something like facebook, or google, or netflix, and you interact with it — the pieces are deceptively simple, but when you start talking about BILLIONS of users, trillions of interactions, petabytes of logs, hundreds of millions of lines of code — you’re not ready to ingest that when you start.
As you peel back the layers of the onion you are repeatedly slapped by your ignorance about how deep this ocean is. Over time, the sheer scope of what you don’t know becomes clear — and you fill in tiny, microscopic patches of that not-knowing until 5 or 6 years later, you are on an island of “knowledge” surrounded by a vast ocean… you’re finally on land, but there’s still much to learn.
The vast difference of expectations vs reality is more pronounced in coding than in perhaps any other profession. So yes. When you start, you suck. Even if you’re a prodigy, you still suck. Your comfort in being horrible at coding will allow you to progress, unmolested by the grandiose promises others make about the timeline for proficiency.
This isn’t to say that you can’t get a job in 3-6 months, or that bootcamps / university / self-teaching is valid or invalid, just that it’s a LOT of work no matter what your approach.
Source: I manage an engineering team and have been actively working in tech for about 15 years.
Flappy bird goals
“Sucking at something is the first step towards being sorta good at something.” -Jake the Dog, Adventure Time
Thanks dude.
I think many people vastly overestimate their ability to pick things up without structure.
Another killer is that people are looking for the optimal way to learn, and spend months looking for the optimal way to learn, instead of picking a good way to learn, and giving it a shot.
This isn’t unique to programming. “Knowing how to learn things” is a great life skill.
Bad code isn’t the problem, most of the time when I try to code my mind is just blank. Sure I’ll make simple cli to do list with some mistakes but that’s about it. I made a website with Google’s help, but I couldn’t even fill out basic index.html file on my own.
yes coding feels different for each person. studies find people with higher IQ and naturally gifted in math find programming a breeze to learn and they become the competitive ones in the tech world
Yes, but after you get your program to work and it’s tested, you should go back and refactor for readability and Efficiency