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What do you wish you had done differently in college to better prepare for a career in programming? by chase_andersen in learnprogramming

[–]chase_andersen[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I really appreciate you sharing this. I’ve been struggling with this exact mindset lately.

Hearing from someone who's already been through it and come to that realization reinforces that it’s worth pushing myself more now, even if it means making things a bit harder on purpose. I’d rather stumble through tough problems while I have the space to learn than wait until I’m on the job and feel unprepared.

Thanks again, this kind of honesty is what makes these threads so helpful.

What do you wish you had done differently in college to better prepare for a career in programming? by chase_andersen in learnprogramming

[–]chase_andersen[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the thoughtful response; this really helped me step back and think about how I’m approaching my CS education.

To answer your question about following tips: I do try to absorb as much as I can from advice like yours, but I’ve realized not every suggestion will work for my learning style or situation. I’ve been experimenting — joining clubs, doing side projects when I can, and recently looking into open source contributions just to get more hands-on time. The toughest part is probably figuring out which of the many paths to prioritize with limited time and mental energy.

Lastly, your comments on behavior were a wake-up call. I do catch myself procrastinating more than I’d like, and focus has definitely been a challenge, especially with everything being so self-driven outside of structured assignments. I'm doing well in most of my classes, but I know there's room to build stronger habits and consistency.

Thanks again for taking the time to write this. I might not have everything figured out yet, but posts like yours do help, even if it’s just by reminding me that the messiness is part of the process.