How can I build solid Python fundamentals before continuing my course?

That feeling is really common. The course may simply be moving faster than your current foundation allows. Try pausing it for a week and solving very small problems without looking at a tutorial: ask for a name and print it, add two numbers, check whether a number is even, or convert between units. The important part is getting used to turning a problem into steps on your own. Once that process feels more natural, the larger lessons should be easier to follow.

It also helps to remember that even experienced programmers sometimes open a blank file and don’t immediately know where to begin. Try breaking every exercise into smaller questions: What information do I need? What should the program produce? What steps would a person follow manually? Write those steps in plain language first, then turn them into Python one piece at a time.

Practice by building small programs and examining what happens as they run. Use a debugger or print statements to go through the code step by step. You could begin with a terminal calculator, then remake it several times while adding lists, functions, and finally file reading and writing. Rebuilding the same basic project with one new concept at a time is a good way to strengthen the fundamentals.