How students can keep themselves motivated for programming?

Question

As a student, I understand that how tough is it to manage time for coding alongside with studies. As a student climb higher with age, it becomes tougher to extract time for other things. But, I think it's also important to keep motivated for coding, especially when you decided to choose programming as career.

In my case, I got full support from parents and I am a bright student too. However, I know I have to keep doing coding with my studies and I think every student should do so because it will keep all students motivated for coding. But yeah some questions rises here -

1. How much time should we give to coding?

2. What basics should we learn which can help us in future?

3. How to keep ourselves away from distractions?

4. Is it really necessary to do coding practice everyday or just memorize what you learn?

5. How to Explain parents and teachers that we are really passionate toward programming?

Your valuable opinion will help every student at this stage :)

Answer 1

Motivation is self-deception. If you really want to do something, then you will not even think about motivation, but start to act. You must really love programming to work with it. Otherwise, do not even think about it, except as a hobby.
1. All the time that you have.
2. There are no "basics" in IT. Today it is advanced tool, tomorrow it will be a routine. You need to know everything, for yourself only you can choose a vector of development. But first of all you need to think as software engineer and for that you need practice. Do a lot. Do more than yesterday. Do better than yesterday. Also I can say that you should be able to:
Work with simple algorithms, such as k nearest
Write simple select query in SQL;
Know a lot about network protocols. Not too deep, but you should know difference between udp and tcp, how works http, https, ssh bla-bla-bla.
Know your environment in detail(browsers for frontend developers, JVM for Java/Scala/etc developers, CLR for .NET developers and so on);
3. Social networks? Log out. Messengers? Log out. Online games? Delete it. Turn all notifications off. Take your phone away.
4. Learning without practice is extremely stupid and useless.
5. Why did you need to explain to someone that you like programming? Why is this necessary? Just enjoy.

Answer 2

Being a student, I can easily understand what problems you are facing while tackling with your studies and coding. But according to me, your first priority should be your studies. If u are choosing coding as a career, then most probably u will learn coding in your college. Many institutes will provide you a side course for coding. Hence U can learn coding easily with them along with your studies.
1. You can give time to coding as per you have time but try to give time everyday.
2. You can learn basics as per your career choice. For ex, for web development, u can learn html, css, js, php e.t.c. For android ap development, u can learn Java, xml e.t.c.
3. It is most probably the hardest part. Many times we get distracted and disappointed as coding is not so easy as it seems to be. And also sometimes, due to our classmates and friends. U have to focus on coding from the core of ur heart and soul. And u also have to keep ur spirits up as Rome was not built in a day.

Answer 3

I'm going to answer as someone who is doing a carrer in chemestry.

1.- If you have some spare time try to code, when you are bored too, if you enjoy it will not feel as a distraction or obstacle for you bit more like an oportunity for learning more.

2.- It depends on what would you like to do as a programmer, try to think in some projects and search info for what do you need to learn for them.

3.- If you use your cellphone a lot, put it on silence, away from you, and start yo study, when you make progress on something is more enjoyable than distracting yourself.

4.-Coding your own projects with what you have learned is a great way to practice, memorizing the teory but being unable to make something out of it doesnt work.

5.-Show them that you like it, the things that you have learned and the progress that you made, they will feel happy for you studying on your own, following your own will to do something that can make your life better :).

I hope this helps someone, good luck!
(Sorry for bad English)

Answer 4

Very nice answers, these posts are also helpful for students like me who is new to coding!
https://www.sololearn.com/discuss/96845/?ref=app
https://www.sololearn.com/discuss/137697/?ref=app

Answer 5

Christopher Aguilar Thanks for your opinion sir! Surely your tips will help me a lot :)

Answer 6

Arushi Singhania Agreed! I will get enough time after my school life :) but till then I would like to continue my streak So I will give a hour of day to coding. Thanks for your opinion :D

Answer 7

You should give self atleast 3 hours a day to program. For distractions pick a quiet place or nook. It is nessecary to do practices, memorization isn't enough. you will need to interpret what to code and how with as little error as possible. you also need to read others code. Learn syntax first and small problems. Not sure why need for explanation for teachers/parents? as it much self explainitory. Without it technology they use like cell phones or email wouldn't exist.

Answer 8

Diyor Ismatullaev Great thoughts there! Thanks for your opinion. This gonna help me for sure :)

Answer 9

Apple Blossom Thanks for you opinion :)