Advice on what i should do as a CS college student
Posted by diana0286@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 3 comments
For those who had been CS students in college/uni, have you done anything on the side to improve your coding skills? I just started my 2nd year right now and i'm stumped since i feel like I hardly know how to code. Is that normal?
I've learned C++ so far and I know i'll be learning Java and Python this year but I want to take the initiative to start early and make my own personal projects or really anything to quickly improve my skills. The thing is though, i'm kinda overwhelmed and not really sure where to even start... Any advice?
patternrelay@reddit
Yeah that feeling is pretty normal, most people don’t feel "comfortable" coding until way later. I’d keep it simple and pick one small project that solves a real annoyance for you, even something dumb, because finishing it teaches way more than jumping between ideas. Also try reading other people’s code a bit, it helps you see patterns you won’t get from lectures alone.
ThePubRelic@reddit
LearnOpenGL, Raytracing In A Weekend, making a super basic compiler, making a large choose your own adventure text based rpg. Something big enough that you care about how it's built.
Hot_Pomegranate_0019@reddit
Yeah this is pretty normal in 2nd year—most people feel that gap between I’ve learned syntax and I can actually build stuff.
Best thing is to start small (to-do app, calculator, simple script), stick to one language for now, and just focus on finishing things instead of perfecting them. Consistency matters more than big projects early on.
Also, tools like Runable AI can help speed things up a bit—you can use it to generate a basic structure or get unstuck when you’re confused—but you still learn by understanding and modifying the code yourself.
Keep it simple and build a few small projects end to end, things usually start to click after that.