What should I do?
Posted by LostSorcererHere@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 23 comments
Hi, LostSorcererHere
I need some advice because I really don’t know how to move forward. I was comfortable at my programming skills before. I knew Java, Python, C#, and JavaScript and even frameworks such as Django, Spring, Vue, and WPF.
I stopped programming after I dropped out of school. Let’s just say a mix of pressure, financial difficulties, and mental health problems.
Now, every time I try to go back to programming and even just building simple console apps I get scared, nervous, and overwhelmed. I don’t know why. I feel like my knowledge of all the languages and frameworks that I learned had vanished (maybe it did?).
I just stare at a blank project in VS Code, frozen, and don’t know what to do. I tried watching programming tutorials again to refresh my knowledge on a language but I find it boring and I can barely focus.
I also tried a different approach. I tried creating a project instead of watching a youtube tutorial. But it’s the same.
This has been going on for about 2 years now. I honestly don’t know what to do. Hoping some of you can give an advice as to what I do.
I want to learn programming really. I can still see the same vision on my head about creating cool and helpful projects that help people.
I’m just stuck…
stevent12x@reddit
What do you want to build?
WeatherImpossible466@reddit
Start ridiculously small - like a "hello world" that prints your name or a calculator that adds two numbers. Don't jump into frameworks or anything fancy, just get your fingers moving on the keyboard again
The knowledge is still there buried under rust, you just gotta dust it off one line at a time
LostSorcererHere@reddit (OP)
Mobile apps. I’m interested in them.
I don’t know if this is normal or not. But I’m kind of like that person that thinks about everything whenever doing something (even just normal day-to-day tasks).
Like when I said I am interested in Mobile Apps, I immediately thought of what should I use for the backend (even though I don’t have the skill/knowledge anymore to do the job).
BewilderedAnus@reddit
Sounds like ADHD
stevent12x@reddit
Cool. Any of the languages you mentioned will work fine for a backend. Do you know enough to get that started? Like can you stand up a basic project with an api endpoint that returns something when you hit it from Postman or the browser? Even if it just returns “Hello LostSorcererHere”?
LostSorcererHere@reddit (OP)
I think I still know some fundamentals, but not about api end points.
stevent12x@reddit
Got it. I’m a PHP/JS guy myself so I’ll stick to what I know. Create a basic Express app that will allow you to do exactly what I said by following along here - https://expressjs.com/en/starter/installing.html. After the second page of that guide, you’ll have a server and an api endpoint. Once you have that, you’ll just need to start asking questions and finding answers one by one.
For instance, if I was building a to-do list app, I’d probably want that endpoint to return a list of to-do’s instead. So change the return value of the endpoint and test it out. That works? Great, but probably not ideal. Maybe we should read that list from a file stored somewhere else on my computer instead of just hardcoding it. Get into the documentation and figure out how to do that. Cool I can read from a file and also write to it? Well that means I not only can modify my endpoint to now return the contents of that file, but I can create a new one that will modify it. So now I can read from it and write to it. Maybe I can mark list items as DONE or add new items. Maybe a file on my computer actually isn’t optimal for my application.. maybe I should look into setting up a database? Better get back into that documentation…
The point is, every project starts small like this. It’s all just asking yourself questions and finding answers, one by one.
LostSorcererHere@reddit (OP)
Can I send a dm?
stevent12x@reddit
Sure
PangolinWonderful338@reddit
Bam! There you go. - Create a project with REST API. Find the most common word in a GitHub profile or something goofy as such. - Start small with your creativity and slowly grow. If you are a marathon runner and take a year break, you have to start with a few mile runs to get back to the marathon status. - https://realpython.com/api-integration-in-python/
LostSorcererHere@reddit (OP)
Okay, I will try this one. Thank you 🥨
timecop1123@reddit
totally normal after a long break. nothing’s gone, you’re just frozen because you’re expecting yourself to be at your old level instantly.
stop trying to rebuild everything at once. pick one language, do one tiny thing, and let your brain warm back up. even a simple loop or print statement is enough to get moving again.
once you get a small win, the anxiety drops. you can get back into it, just don’t start big.
Jim-Jones@reddit
Confident Coding by Rob Percival is a comprehensive guide designed to help readers master the fundamentals of coding. The book covers essential topics such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, and debugging, providing a step-by-step learning approach to enhance your coding skills and career prospects.
It is suitable for both recent graduates and professionals looking to improve their technical knowledge.
The book emphasizes the importance of coding in the job market and offers practical exercises to practice coding skills.
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(It covers even more than stated here, like iPhone and Android coding. See if your library has it or can get it. Or look on auction sites).
Also:
https://exercism.org/
https://roadmap.sh/
Square-March-475@reddit
The secret I'd getting ahead is getting started!
For me, this worked so well. If Im overwhelmed, I know I just need to start doing anything ( it could be a ridiculously small effort ), and usually I will end up completing more than I had in mind starting. While in the process, I'd usually figure out a lot of other things and it helps keep moving
LostSorcererHere@reddit (OP)
Were you worried about if you are learning necessary things. Another that’s on my mind is roadmaps. I experienced before where I just dive right into topics and then later found out that those were not used quite often. So it’s kind of a waste of time for me during that time while being enjoyable and super fun just exploring.
Square-March-475@reddit
The roadmap, or some kind of plan is must have for me personally, otherwise I don't know in which direction to move. Roadmaps can change, and it is good to adjust your goals with them
So then these roadmaps are (hopefully) ensuring that these are necessary things
LostSorcererHere@reddit (OP)
For you, personally. How do you structure your learning when learning about a new language or framework.
Square-March-475@reddit
I'd try learning by doing. Like how do I solve some example or real problem using this language or framework - likely lots of gpt and google, but I try not to copy-paste, and manually type everything (and gauge by how often I look back for the source). Eventually, it builds up and I refer back to my previous code for syntax/arch/etc. Could grow to a complete project too. That's some basics, from there you would usually know what you need next
DGNT_AI@reddit
wait why did you state your own username in the beginning?
LostSorcererHere@reddit (OP)
For fun hehe
capellan2000@reddit
Find a group of programmers that you could join.
LostSorcererHere@reddit (OP)
I haven’t tried this one, but it certainly is interesting. Thank you 🥨
Square-March-475@reddit
The roadmap, or some kind of plan is must have for me personally, otherwise I don't know in which direction to move. Roadmaps can change, and it is good to adjust your goals with them
So then these roadmaps are (hopefully) ensuring that these are necessary things