I know several programming languages, but I still can’t build projects on my own

Be careful with terminology, since Java and JavaScript are different languages. More importantly, confusing them—or forgetting details—isn’t proof that you can’t become a programmer. It just shows which fundamentals need review. Focus on practicing consistently instead of trying to relearn every technology at once.

For learning, try working without AI for a while, especially when solving exercises or building small projects. Start with manageable goals, use documentation and tutorials when needed, and only look at solutions after you’ve made a serious attempt. Once you’re comfortable solving problems yourself, AI can be useful for explanations, debugging, and reviewing your work rather than doing the work for you.

Knowing a language’s syntax is different from knowing how to program. Coding knowledge includes things like statements, types, libraries, and APIs. Programming is the broader skill of breaking a problem into steps, choosing an approach, implementing it, testing it, and improving it. Build small projects from a blank file—such as a command-line tool, a simple game, or a basic web app—to practice that process.

Don’t measure yourself against classmates or internships. Spend the break creating a few projects without generated code, keep them small, and gradually increase the difficulty. When you get stuck, use a textbook, official documentation, or a targeted tutorial. Write down what you learned and revisit anything you had to look up; that will reveal progress more accurately than comparing yourself with other people.