So... I'm using code academy to teach myself Python. I really wanna learn a lot of Coding languages, but for now I'm working on Python. At some point I wanna go to College for coding and get a job in that field. Mostly because I want to make 75k a year and I wanna learn how to hack. So it goes hand in hand.
However I'm on code academy, I'm 37% in. I'm currently teaching myself "LISTS & DICTIONARIES" and "FUNCTIONS". Now ever since yesterday I've been looking at the Q&A forum a lot in regards to functions, Lists an dictionaries. A lot of the time I would be stuck and I would just go there for the answer and try to understand it once I get the answer. If I really really don't understand how to solve the problem, that's what I should do.. right?
However I really don't like doing that. It makes me feel like I won't be able to learn properly. It makes me feel like once I start trying to code my own stuff (after I complete code academy) I feel like I will be stuck. An it makes me question weather I will be good at this or not. Will I be good enough to make a career out of this? Will I be good enough to learn how to hack? Will I ever be able to call myself a "Beast" at hacking? Will I ever master a language?
I'm 22..
Not only that, but I also intend to teach myself C++. If I'm having trouble understanding things and how they work in Python, can you imagine C++? The way people talk about that.. makes it sounds like it's gonna kick your ass 30 mins into learning it.
I would also like to ask, did any of you feel this way when learning a language?
I was thinking maybe I'm trying to learn to much Python, too fast. I mean I even put down Batman Arkham Night and spent the past 3 or 4 days trying to learn Python. I think to myself "Maybe I'm moving to fast? But then again if I take the time to relax and go back to playing games, I might forget some of the stuff I learned. Then I'll have to learn it over again. So maybe I should just keep doing what I'm doing."
It's just that about 10 times in the past 24hrs I had to seek the answers to a course on code academy and I feel like that's not a good thing to do. I feel like I shouldn't be doing that at all. I feel like I'm cheating and therefor not really learning what they are saying. It started out fun and easy, but now it's getting aggravating, complicated, frustrating and difficult.. but still aggravatingly fun.. if that makes sense..
The meaning of life is... 42.
If you don't understand something, just go back and relearn. If you still don't understand it, look at how someone else has done it and make sure you understand it thorougly. Don't just copy the answer and say you are done. If you are doing this 10 times within a 24 hour period, then you are either trying to learn too much at once, or you just don't understand someting. The only solution to these problems is to slow down and relearn everything you don't understand and have a hard time working with.
I reccomend to buy a book and forget about codecademy. You can even read some excellent free books online; "Learn Python the Hard Way" and "A Byte of Python". They tend to do a better job at explaining things than codecademy.
Everyone starts out in the same place you are in. You just gotta keep pushing through and trying to overcome your limits. That is how you learn. Try to do everything yourself, and if someone does it for you ask yourself "How does this work?" and study the code.
If you are learning coding just so you can "hack" and "make 75k a year", stop. Rethink your goals. You learn to code so you know it. There are few people that actually learn to code becaue they love it, but those are the people that will succeed. Maybe coding isn't for you? If it is, then get up and learn. You say you find it fun, so you must like coding. If that is the case just keep learning and never give up. Learning a new thing can be intimidating at first, and that is especially true with programming, so just keep going until you are happy with your knowledge.
I wish you the best of luck!
(Jul 19, 2015 08:54 AM)Spider Venom Wrote: Mostly because I want to make 75k a year and I wanna learn how to hack.
This is your problem and that explains everything. Basically, don't do anything in your life for money and for the sake of being cool, don't.
Programming requires you to think about it, and not think about the paycheck/what you'll become.
Most programming languages have a lot in common such as functions as a prime example.
Once you learn it once you'll be able to pick up other languages easily.
DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS MEMBER
If you don't understand code academy's exercises then you're probably not getting basic stuff.
Stop at the first thing that looks odd and search what it is on the internet, find the best explanation you need and move on from there.
Jul 19, 2015 10:22 AM
(This post was last modified: Jul 19, 2015 10:23 AM by zmetra.)
Learn to be patient. Practice everyday and don't get ahead of yourself, take it one step at a time. When I first started programming eons ago, I was like you. I couldn't understand the concepts, and things just seemed way over my head. But eventually it all clicked after reading book after book. And suddenly what seemed complex became simple. Everybody goes through this phase, no exceptions.
Like anything in life, programming is a skill and must be developed. It takes a lot of time and effort, but it's worth the venture. I'll give you a programmers tip that practically every coder does no matter how good you are, and that's spend 40% of their time coding, and the other 60% searching the web for answers on sites like StackOverflow.
So don't be discouraged and keep learning, and remember there will always be something you won't know.
Just my personal opinion CA sucks.
I tried it a long time ago before when I wanted to learn to program; quite frankly it is not a good resource. (again IMO)
The way its structured is not good, and you are better off learning yourself
(Jul 19, 2015 10:26 AM)_Wozniak_ Wrote: Just my personal opinion CA sucks.
I tried it a long time ago before when I wanted to learn to program; quite frankly it is not a good resource. (again IMO)
The way its structured is not good, and you are better off learning yourself
Well if you didn't learn via CA, then how else did you learn? What else did you use to teach yourself. Any books or websites you recommend will be greatly appreciated.
The meaning of life is... 42.
DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS MEMBER
I used to be like you, you just need to find what you like, it can be reading books exercising and practicing, watching videos. For me watching videos was a great opportunity to start learning and understanding. Then I got an assignement from a friend after getting through the basics and it's amazing you can find all your answers by just doing research and being able to do it all yourself by just doing some research. Good luck OP.
(Jul 19, 2015 10:40 AM)Spider Venom Wrote: Well if you didn't learn via CA, then how else did you learn? What else did you use to teach yourself. Any books or websites you recommend will be greatly appreciated.
Read the books Introvert suggested, they're good books for a beginner. If you need any other help, feel free to PM me.
Quite certain that Codecademy uses Python 2.x, so you shouldn't really be relying on it. What I suggest is trying an online course for Python. This one taught me the basics and it's up-to-date:
https://www.coursera.org/course/programming1
Give it a shot.
Like Introvert said, books may be the best option for you you. As for having to ask so many questions:
The userbase of Python is huge. There's a really good chance that someone else has had the same question as you, and asked it before. Try Googling things before creating a new forum thread about it.
REMEMBER: STACK OVERFLOW IS YOUR FRIEND!
DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS MEMBER
I actually ran into the same problem and after buying a few books I found Udemy (warez disallowed) courses to be the most usefull, look for the %75 off coupons or $10 any course and snag one of the beginner python courses, trust me you'll be glad you did. If you want suggestions on what courses to choose or your having a hard time finding coupons message me.
Practice makes you better. Study programs that were made in Python after you finish the cources.
Any help appreciated BTC ~
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A lot of people say to don't do it for the money or to hack.
But someone else I know that is in this field (this person is way more Advance then me and yet they are much younger then me.) This person said that having any goal and attempting to achieve that goal is the important part. Don't you people agree with that? I mean my goal is to live in a house one day. A house cost money (I'm 22.) I wanna live in a house by the time I'm 30. Now I'll say that I'm going to get my GED, once I get that I have every intention of going to college to further my education. I don't want a job, I want a career. Having a career is what will get me that house. So isn't it better to try to achieve these goals even though I wanna learn because I wanna hack? Then one day get a career in Computer science.
I mean when you think about it a lot of jobs are boring. I'm not trying to be Blue collar, doing physical labor. Correct me if I'm wrong, but getting a job in the computer science field would be white-collar, correct? So that would probably best fit me. In the end, I learn a new skill, learn how to hack, have a well paying job and I get the house I want.
The meaning of life is... 42.
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