4 weeks into programming, am i just bad at this?

Question

Hey guys,
im 4 weeks into programming in a class that i have to take for my second bachelors. (Im taking this second bachelors online). My first degree is in exercise science and i hate the low pay, and uninteresting material that i thought id love. Since i have a passion for computers, i decided to get into IT with a focus in networking/telecommunications. However im learning programming hear because i have a class that I have an A in currently but is still super hard for me. A scripting python class. I wouldnt say what ive learned is hard in itself, but working in codio and how the professor has everything set up confused the heck out of me. I look at it for hours and end up having to google for help sometimes. Im good with memory, but when we are taught something and then in our coding challenges, they throw us things we very seldom (or havnt) used, it screws up my learning process. Am i just bad at programming? I mean i used to always put computer together and work with switches and routers in my free time. I love that stuff. I will keep pushing on programming, but is this just not my thing? Or is it maybe because im learning this in a time span of 8 weeks to pass the course just online with no real teacher interaction besides emails?

Sorry for the long winded post, i just need help.

Answer 1

There's bound to be someone to point out that they know people who are 4 years into programming, and still struggle with common issues in the field. So there you have it. The feeling that you aren't cut out for programming is merely an illusion common to those who have just began their journey in programming. Programming is essentially problem solving, and problem solving is intrinsic to human beings.

You sound like you've gotten the grasp of it though. Sitting down and just making your own stuff, exploring the endless possibilities of what you can do with what you have learned. Isn't that fun? That's also how you begin to get good.

Anyway, these two threads may be of help to your query.

https://www.sololearn.com/Discuss/588107/?ref=app
https://www.sololearn.com/Discuss/437973/?ref=app

Answer 2

Forget about index cards! The nice thing about programming is that you can get those reps in by just writing code.

Check out `turtle`, its built into python and you can draw lines on a canvas with it. It's an educational tool and you can practice simple concepts like loops by drawing spirals, or hard concepts like recursion by drawing koch curves or fractal trees (looks cool too). You can try and put anything the teacher throws at you into image form.

Answer 3

Can’t say I totally understand your problem but in a span of 8 weeks learning programming(If I am not wrong by your statement) is nothing to sneeze at and neither I can give professional advice but all I can say that what you have done up to now is impressive!

I won’t go as far to say that programming is not your thing but If you want to work in networking/telecommunications than yeah, pursue that dream and want to keep programming as a hobby or side skill for your resume and job opportunities. Keep it up but if you can’t handle the load then change your plans...

Answer 4

First off, I apologize for the grammar I used. This is on my phone so I do forget at times that this is an educational application. I appreciate the words of encouragement. I think my real problem is just the rate at which things are being thrown at me. I can keep up for the most part, but when the teacher asks to do something I do get confused. Coming here makes it simpilistic and i can try it myself right after seeing it. I will keep using this application for this purpose. I do feel I am learning more from this app than I am from the class itself.

Do you know of anyway I can help myself become more familiar with the language? whether that be actually writing it down on index cards or repetition?

I just dont like using my instructors
N= sys.avrg type codes that i cant see the value of and then following some vaque direction as to what to do with said value.

However, I can sit here and make my own dictionary, create a list, and create input for a program. thats about the most difficult things I can do for right now.

Answer 5

That is plenty, I am struggling with Python on Metacharacters and Regular expressions.
There are plenty of challenges and task on Sololearn! You can start on the lessons on Python then solve challenges that Sololearn uploads every day (I think) and if you don’t get something or if you hit a wall when programming then asking questions!

well... that’s how I learned so far.
sorry if this didn’t help.

Answer 6

If you don't understand anything the prof says, but as soon as you google and try yourself you get it... problem *might* be the prof as well. ;-)