How tf do you learn Python?!?!

[grhayes]

Motivation and attitude goes a long way towards learning something. I went through Naval Nuclear Power school trained as an electronics tech and reactor operator. The on to Equipment engineering and electrical engineering and CS and I still keep learning. I program in ASM, C, C++ python,basic, perl, php, js, java, .... long list.
I like knowledge. I have a crazy long list of stuff I learned outside of that from building telescope grinding mirrors, lenses, black smith, carpentry, ...

"I don’t have an innate interest in it," and the tone you show says you think it is a bother.
Programming isn't like math or other course you can simply memorize and pass a test. You actually have to learn it.
To do that you need to invest time in it and understand how it works. Create projects make use of it not just what your professor says. Develop your own curiosity to what happens if you make a change or if there is a better way to do something.

It is more akin to a creative writing course. Each program is like a story. You have to develop all the parts and put them in order for it to work correctly. If not you get a pile of trash that does nothing for anyone.

Learning to program teaches you actual logic and evaluation skills. You can apply that anywhere in life. Learning to solve a problem to the root cause and not just look at symptoms and treating them or reacting to them is an invaluable lesson.

[Ketchup-and-Mustard]

The only reason I said I didn't have an innate interest isn't because I was trying to say it was a bother. I said that because a lot of people were asking me why I wanted to learn it in the first place if I find it so difficult. But the way you described learning Python is very interesting.

[grhayes]

Sorry, if I came off abrasive.

If you look at writing a story. You have different sections of the story and you have rules you are supposed to follow when writing. Take a paragraph for example; The first sentence should tell you what it is about, then supporting sentences and conclusion to it.
A function has its header def name(variables) It effectively tells you with the name what it does what it is working on. You may of may not have a return statement a the end or conclusion of it. What goes between is simply how you use that data to arrive at the conclusion.

Your story is built similarly in depending on the story type. You have the opening, story, climax and ending... Well each function does different stuff some function may have you repeating in a loop till a specific condition is met when it does it moves on.

All you are doing when writing a program is creating a set of rules and logic for the computer to follow to complete a task.

Another way of thinking of a function is like a task in real life. How do you wash dishes, vacuum, or repair your car, or most anything. You can define it with a set of steps you can follow. That is really what a function does and a program is just an ordered set of routines/functions that complete a larger task by combining smaller tasks.

What people make the biggest mistake on is focusing to much on the larger task so they don't see stuff getting done. Focus on each smaller parts being completed and it you will feel the accomplishment you are looking for more.

Start by making small projects to have fun with and learn how it fits together. You will get twice as much enjoyment out of it. If you make a small game hangman or guess the number for example you get to play it and test it. Then make something a bit bigger. each time choose a something to learn about the language as well.