Hey everyone! I'm currently in my first year as a Computer Science student, but I'm feeling a bit lost. I don't have any prior experience with programming, and unfortunately, our instructor isn't very helpful—he mostly just reads from slides and doesn't provide much explanation beyond that. Since this is a critical subject for my degree and I'd prefer not to switch majors, I'm hoping to get some advice on how to start learning programming. I'm really eager to learn, but I just don't know where to begin!
5 Answers
Check out Harvard's free CS50 lecture series online! It's super important to have a solid foundation when starting computer science, especially if your instructor isn't great. This series will really help you understand the basics without getting lost in mediocre teaching.
There are so many online courses out there! Choose a programming language based on what you want to achieve. Python is a fantastic first choice due to its clean and simple syntax. Once you grasp the concepts, learning another language will be a piece of cake since most of them share similar fundamentals.
You should definitely check out the Python crash course on YouTube along with the CS50 series. They are both really helpful resources for starting out in programming!
As a beginner, I’d recommend starting with Python. It's super friendly for newbies, and there are tons of free resources available. If your course uses a different programming language, though, look for materials that match that language so you can keep up in class while not overwhelming yourself.
You might want to try learning through YouTube tutorials and just jump into making projects. Start with something simple and keep building up from there. The more you practice, the easier it gets! Plus, figuring out problems will really help you grow your skills over time.
Totally agree with this! CS50 is like a rite of passage for anyone getting into programming.