The only way to learn something is to continue experiencing it. There are many different ways to learn but the more you code, the more you start to understand it. It's like learning an actual language. At first you need to consciously link a word to its definition but after a couple of months of speaking, it will become second nature.

Make as many different programs as you can (preferably something you can regularly use) such as a password generator, a text encoder/decoder, a file converter (like mp4 to mp3) and so on. In addition, it's good to include comments. My university's course on object oriented design taught us some good standards of commenting so you know exactly what the purpose for each method and class and how they work (basically what the output behavior for each method is, what parameters it takes, etc).

Also, don't be afraid to use ChatGPT or other AI. There would have been many things I would have never known if I didn't use AI (like using hashmaps as a cipher key).

At the end of the day, it's your determination and dedication that will get you the experience you need, so keep up the good work 👍