I'm a 5th semester computer science student, and I think I've gotten myself into a rough spot that I'm calling "vibe coding hell." While the classes I've taken required me to complete projects, I just sort of coasted through, barely understanding what I was doing. Now, I find myself struggling to code from scratch and feeling guilty about my lack of knowledge. I'm trying to relearn the basics of data structures and algorithms using LeetCode, but even the "easy" problems are challenging for me. I'm also lost when it comes to building projects without AI assistance. I know following tutorials might lead me into another trap—"tutorial hell"—but I'm wondering if I should just dive into that for now and figure things out later. I'm really looking for tips on how to get started over without relying on AI for everything.
1 Answer
It sounds like you've relied too much on shortcuts to complete assignments. The good news is that you can definitely fix this! Start coding without any assistance, and use documentation to help you learn. Break up bigger problems into smaller pieces and tackle them one at a time. While I do use AI tools for guidance, I make sure I understand the concepts and write the code myself. It's important to struggle a bit; that’s how you learn!
But how do I even start tackling larger projects without getting stuck?