I've been learning JavaScript for just a week, and honestly, I often feel overwhelmed and like I just don't get it. I'm 26, with no college degree or previous work experience in tech. I'm currently enrolled in an online degree program, starting with Web Development and moving into Machine Learning later. I've been tackling mini projects, but I keep making basic mistakes—like wrong DOM manipulations and confusing logic. It makes me question whether coding is the right path for me, especially since I need to start earning money in September. I often wonder how others learn without feeling discouraged by these 'dumb' mistakes. Any tips on managing those feelings?
1 Answer
Feeling dumb while learning is totally normal! Everyone makes silly mistakes when they’re starting out. It's like juggling; you’ll drop a few balls before you get the hang of it. The important thing is to see those errors as opportunities to learn instead of feeling bad about them. In programming, error messages can actually guide you to understand what went wrong, so use those as your learning tools!
I really get what you mean! I was once confused about setting a timer while building a Pomodoro app and felt super stupid for not figuring it out sooner. Seeing others ace their projects only adds to the pressure!