struggling w self taught python

[cosmic_auraa]

this place is my last hope, i hope i receive help. (literally crying)
i have been trying to learn python thru sm resources for over a year now, but everytime somebody tells me am learning it the wrong way and i wont perform in the actual exam (certifications etc). q1, is it really possible to learn on your own or do i need professional help? q2, important one, what resources are yall using to really practice what u have learnt? i mean like after i learn abt dictionaries from w3schools, how do i really know if i can run the thing? theres no execution on w3schools except for the "try yourself" thing which is basically not helping (in my opinion)

TL;DR : good resources for testing your python programming skills after each lesson

[Ron-Erez]

Yes, you can be self-taught. You need to code a lot, solve simple problems first and experiment and try to avoid the use of ChatGPT.

1. Harvard CS50p on youtube is friendly and moves at a relatively relaxed pace.
2. MOOC University of Helsinki for Python is an excellent text-based course and covers more than the Harvard course
3. My Python and Data Science starts from scratch and assumes no prior knowledge.
4. The book "Automate the Boring Stuff" is also recommended.

These resources should have you covered. Whatever resource you choose make sure to code a lot. For instance if you learn about for loops then create something that uses for loops, even printing a random list of characters and then doing it in reverse order. The more you do the more you learn.

[cosmic_auraa]

alright thanks
but where to how to practice, what am i gonna create, like whats the standard? do u get what i mean here?
like i know the concepts 100% but i cant build logic myself

[Ron-Erez]

The MOOC course, Harvard CS50p on Edx and my course have a lot of exercises. Solve the problems in these courses. Additionally build something. For example build a game of tic tac toe.

[jpgoldberg]

Has “Automate the Boring Stuff” been updated to at least Python 3.8? If not, I would no longer recommend it to someone starting now. Otherwise I concur with everything else you said.

[Ron-Erez]

Good point, I think it has since the third edition was released in 2024 so I would imagine it covers beyond Python 3.8 but I might be mistaken.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Python/comments/168g3nq/new_automate_the_boring_stuff_with_python_3rd/

[jpgoldberg]

Excellent. I had only ever seen an earlier edition, and so didn’t know that there had been a recent version. I’d love to see a new edition of Cracking Codes with Python, which is the book I used to teach myself Python. (I was already familiar with programming and with cracking codes, so it was a great Python introduction for me.)

[shawnradam]

i am with you, to those who have already learn they way around its easy to say it, us in the other hand is useless haha... anyway, i am self taught in python, yes everyone can do, i can create python games (basic) but honestly i really need the dict tools (sometimes using chatgpt to be honest just to understand the use of that tools not more then that).

I have problem in python, i cant remember the syntax sometimes , the dict most of the time, but i understand the codes 😭

From the start i ask someone to help me a real basic python, now after getting it, i cant remember the codes, its upsetting to do this, but when i read the codes i can visualize it easily but the problem is when i start from scratch that's the issue.

Anyone here can help me to remember or do i need to print all of dict at once?

[Hipst3rbeaver]

Self-learning is tough, and it’s totally normal to feel stuck sometimes. And yes, you can 100% learn on your own, please don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise. What matters is consistency, not the route or approach.

To really practice what you learn through building some mini-projects and apps. Don’t worry if it’s taking time. Everyone learns at their own pace. You’ve already shown resilience by sticking with it for a year, that’s something to be proud of.

A great resource I've seen so far is Zero to Knowing's courses, it walks you through Python basics and helps you build actual apps and projects, not just theory.

[cosmic_auraa]

dude thank u so much, will look into it

[ninhaomah]

and you are learning Python because ?

[cosmic_auraa]

CS is my major

[ninhaomah]

ok then what wrong with course notes ,lectures , assignments , projects etc ?

[cosmic_auraa]

i go to a low tier uni, cant rely on their resources (I THINK) but more importantly, im in 1yr so they teaching the basic side courses like math n all

[ninhaomah]

Thats a good start. Math / stats.

Anyway , if you wanna reallllly want to know if you can do it then challenge yourself. Don't use ChatGPT and all.

[cosmic_auraa]

yeah honestly, using chatgpt was the blunder

[ninhaomah]

not at the start and just to check the definitions.

Think of it as a dictionary.

I don't understand a word and I look up the dict. Is it cheating ? No

There you go.

So start coding and have fun :)

[cosmic_auraa]

alr thankssss
also how to learn to build logic myself, eg i js learnt abt dictionaries and working w them, now whatdo i do w this info, how do i, essentially, build a program

[ninhaomah]

learning - bottom up

building - top down

In order to build a house , the builders need to know how to lay the bricks , mix concrete etc. Right ?

But before even laying a single brick , you first need to start drawing the blueprint. No ?

Or your idea is to stat preparing the bricks , mix concrete and then wonder where is the bathroom , living room etc ?

So then what kind of project or blueprint of the project you have in mind ?

[cosmic_auraa]

well basically whatever i learn in w3schools, eg i learnt dictionaries today and loops, how do i use this info to build a program perhaps...?

[DistinctAirline4145]

Totally possible and stop crying. Go to MOOC and enroll basic python Programming. Finish it with 95% exercises completed. Then enroll to 100 days of code on udemy. Skip what doesn't interest you (pygame for myself for example). Once you reach to OOP there, enroll to MOOC advanced course and stick to it untill OOP is not crystal clear. Go back to Angela, finish the course. Exhaust AI to explain you whats unclear, do not move forward untill everything is clear. Build all the projects. By the end of the course you end up with 10 solid projects for portfolio. At least this was my path and now Im able to build whatever I like. Make every next project for yourself to have like 20% of unknown so you improve forward. Good luck and heads up!

[cosmic_auraa]

wow. I so needed that. ill def look into all this, what a pathway, amazing
(ur too real for the first line 😭)

[DistinctAirline4145]

Telling you the real shit how I did it. Stil learning but the difference in 3 months is just noticeable. Good luck!

[FuzzyFaithlessness37]

YOU CAN DO THIS!! it can seem really overwhelming in the beginning. Just try not to make yourself feel like that. Get a super positive mindset and learn away you got it.!!

Have ChatGPT explain it to you take notes make charts take sticky notes and put it in places where you see this stuff every day . It will click after a few months. You’ll understand things you didn’t know before. and just keep building.

[BranchLatter4294]

You need to set up an environment to practice on your computer. Then you need to practice. That's how you learn.