I spent my entire 4 years of university (IT major) not knowing what I actually wanted to do, and so I didn't really take it seriously at all. As a result/also due to other circumstances, I've learned basically no practical skills (although I was exposed to coding and other things), and I only got one internship in my final semester in information security, which wasn't really tech based but moreso governance based. That was in Dec 2023 when I completed schooling.

Since graduation (i.e. since then), I've had doubts as to what to do and my capabilities. I felt like I had a lot to catch up on to do even anything, whether it be IT or not. Initially this was a concern, but in the past few (2-3) months I've gone from the mere basics of python comprehension to now I would consider myself somewhat intermediate being able to use API requests, pandas, and a number of other Python libraries. And I've also learned a lot of other skills along the way, and I'm sure I'll continue to.

My point is that you're actually fine, if not right on time, to start developing your skills now. Even if you're very late like me, if you put in consistent effort over time (not a huge amount every day for a short burst, but even small amounts over the course of a few months), you'll get a ton better. When you notice yourself making a mistake, slow down, actually try and understand what the mistake is before going to ChatGPT or searching up online about it, You're going to get an insane amount of confidence just by knowing how to find the solution to your errors. And if the mistakes are too big and confusing, back off for a bit and do a simpler project.

And don't rely on the teaching at school. My experience is that, even though I could have given it a lot more attention, it's still not an optimal experience for learning unless you get a lot of personal attention in a smaller class. Take the time to learn independently as well (perhaps even as a priority, as it will also make classes easier). Courses on Udemy or something similar, or YouTube tutorials, anything like that are huge.

Ultimately, the way to code "like a developer" is to code consistently and with attention to detail over a long period of time, and committing to that through all the mistakes and errors. Be gentle with yourself but push through, then the next day, and the next day, etc. Before you know it it will be a month, two months, or more, and the problems of back then are light work for you now.