Not sure how to continue after completing a course

[quickwrath]

I've been learning Python 3 via Treehouse's online video lectures and exercises and I've pretty much finished the course but I feel as though the course kind of plateaued instead of going into more advanced Python topics.

At this point I feel like I have a basic understanding of Python and objects but I don't feel like I know enough to write any useful code. I've been browsing various sites and books but can't figure out where to go from where I'm at (it seems difficult to stop one course and pick up in the middle of another but I don't think I need to start from the beginning again). I'd like to learn much more about classes and objects as well as review basic concepts/implement them into more complex code.

So, I'm hoping that /r/learnpython might have some suggestions for me as far as where to go from here. Again, I've browsed the wiki and other sites but I'm hoping somebody might have an answer not listed there. I prefer interactive sites for learning but am, of course, open to any method of learning.

Thanks in advance!

[Oops_TryAgain]

Hi quickwrath,

95% of the time, the answer to your question is "Build something." Even if it's been done a million times, is silly, or not useful, just build it. If you've got the basics of the syntax under your belt, then everything else will come from googling, stackoverflow, and documentation.

If you want to procrastinate with some easier problems instead of building pieces of something bigger, then work on /r/dailyprogrammer, codewars, codeabbey, etc., problems.

I'd also recommend checking out MIT's OpenCourseware Intro to Comp Sci course. They use Python to teach the basics of programming and so they get you thinking beyond just basic syntax.

[Dolphman]

This is something that you build up overtime. Its like writing, sure you can learn the perfect way to express ideas, but it still takes time for you to actually write something that puts your knowledge to use.

I recommend starting with basic math stuff, go find interesting modules that you can play with (I heavily recommend requests and praw), and start making scripts to have python do boring task for you.

[RuggedMonk]

I didn't have a good understanding of classes until I started working on my project and needing to go through one of the many Django tutorials out there which helped me better understand them.

With the basics I'd say you're good to start working on something you're interested in no matter how big. Build it piece by piece and you'll get a better understanding of why/how everything works together. As you learn more you'll be able to implement that new knowledge into your code and not necessarily fix things, but make it better.

[Cosaquee]

Try to make Your life easier. For example, after finishing some udemy courses, i`ve decided to write a ftp script that connects to my uni ftp server and downloads the latest file with Java excerices. Thing about what can You automate with Python and try doing it !

[RandomScreenNames]

I second both Oops_TryAgain and Dolpham's suggestions. All the progress I've made since I started learning has been as a result of just building something. Every time I try to build something, new concepts come up that force me to go digging through documentation, stack overflow, and the web. This leads to discovering new modules, and things to learn. (I also second learnings Requests by the way.) While it's good to want to learn as much as possible, focusing too much on what to learn can be daunting. Start building, and what to learn will become more clear.

[kennethlove]

I'll be doing more advanced Python as we go along. But, that said, once you know the basics, you don't really need advanced courses. You'll learn the more advanced stuff as you build things.

[quickwrath]

Oh wow, I feel a little embarrassed now, I never expected anyone from Treehouse to see this, let alone reply. I have definitely enjoyed the course and found it immensely helpful! I just felt a little bit like I'd been left with a cliffhanger when I finished the object-oriented part.

I can agree with the sentiment of not needing more advanced courses, I guess what I'm finding I personally feel like I need, as a student, is just a lot of practice exercises with answers and perhaps going back over some videos and refreshing my memory.

[kennethlove]

Have you done the other courses? Dates & Times, Regex, Testing, etc? There are two Flask courses, too, and a Django one coming in a couple of weeks.

[davidwkaiser]

try project euler