How should I build a serious programming routine for a machine learning or quant finance internship?

Don’t aim to master programming in a few months, and don’t get too attached to a particular language. Pick Python for now and focus on building things with it. Once you understand the basics, choose a manageable project related to your interests, split it into small milestones, and finish it. Reading and courses can help, but writing, debugging, reviewing, and explaining code are what will improve your skills most.

Consistency is probably the bigger issue than finding the perfect course. Set a weekly schedule with specific, modest goals—such as five focused sessions and one project milestone—and work alongside classmates or friends when possible. Sharing code, reviewing each other’s work, and surrounding yourself with people who regularly study can make it easier to keep going. If motivation and unfinished tasks are affecting many parts of your life, consider speaking with a qualified counselor about strategies that could help.

Stop collecting resources and choose one path. Finish your current Python book, then build a small project such as analyzing a public financial dataset, implementing a simple model, or recreating a well-known application. Expect to get stuck and use documentation, source code, and other people’s explanations to move forward. A finished, understandable project is more valuable than several half-completed tutorials.