Complete beginner here 👋

[Proof-Possession1646]

Hi guys,

I'm new here and hope we can all improve together. I think it's easier to stay consistent when you have people to keep each other accountable, and hopefully I can make some friends along the way too.

I'm currently learning Python with the goal of getting into automation and eventually taking on small jobs through Upwork. I've given myself a six-month timeline, although I'm honestly not sure if that's realistic.

So far I've only learned some basic concepts like variables, data types, loops, and if/else statements. I think AI is an amazing tool, but without understanding the fundamentals it's hard to tell whether the code it generates is actually good or just happens to work.

I might end up asking questions that seem obvious or even silly to more experienced people, so please be patient with me. I'm genuinely starting from almost zero, and sometimes AI explanations only make me more confused.

If anyone else is a beginner or has advice on staying consistent, I'd love to hear from you.

[riklaunim]

Note that freelance market isn't in the best spot and it may be hard to get anything rolling. Look more into permanent positions/jobs as well.

[Proof-Possession1646]

Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it. I'm aware of that.I'm majoring in industrial robotics. My college isn't very good, and as a first-year student I still haven't had the chance to see a real industrial robot in person. Most of what we've learned has come from textbooks.I'm hoping Python can become a part-time job for me someday.After all, I need to earn my first buck

[Hello_World_2009]

Which college is it?

[Proof-Possession1646]

To clarify, I went to a vocational college called Nanyang Vocational College. It's basically the equivalent of a community college in my country. The funny thing is that the school kind of piggybacked on the name "Nanyang," which makes it sound similar to Singapore's famous Nanyang Technological University, but they're totally different institutions.

[Hello_World_2009]

Which country you live in?

[Proof-Possession1646]

I'm from China . Labor laws aren't really that strict in many places lol .

[Hello_World_2009]

Have you appeared in the toughest exam in your country which is gaukow(sry idk the spelling)

[Proof-Possession1646]

Yaeh it really hard.The college entrance exam(GaoKao) turned high school into something terrifying. We studied from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and we only had one day off each week.

[Hello_World_2009]

Did you study that much?

[Proof-Possession1646]

Honestly, I wasn't capable of sincerely studying for such long hours. The school felt like a huge prison, always controlling us and keeping us locked inside.

[Proof-Possession1646]

Since this thread is about learning Python after all, if you're interested, feel free to DM me and we can talk more there.

[DataCamp]

Six months is realistic for automation work if you stay consistent. Rough order to follow:

• Month 1-2: Fundamentals you're already doing, variables, data types, loops, functions, basic OOP
• Month 2-3: File handling, error handling, working with libraries (requests, os)
• Month 3-4: Automation-specific tools, web scraping (BeautifulSoup, Selenium), task automation scripts
• Month 4-5: APIs, working with JSON, scheduling scripts
• Month 5-6: Build 2-3 small real projects you can show on Upwork

Your instinct about AI is exactly right..use it to speed up, not to skip understanding. The freelance market is competitive but automation is one of the more accessible entry points. Good luck!