I've been working through 'Automate the Boring Stuff with Python' by Al, and I've hit a bit of a wall with the Collatz sequence project in chapter 3. As someone who's only been learning programming for about a month, I'm feeling like I should have the skills to write a simple program from memory, but I'm really struggling with what goes where and why. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
Enjoy the process! Play around with the code and explore your own ideas. Completing those chapter projects on your own is where you'll learn the most, even if you have to look at the solution eventually. The 'aha!' moments when you figure out why something didn't work after trying on your own are invaluable. Don’t aim for perfection right away!
Before diving into the Collatz sequence, make sure you’ve tackled the earlier exercises in the book. Did you find them manageable? They should help build up the skills you need for this project.
Trust me, nobody programs just from memory! There's so much information out there that it’s impossible to keep everything in your head. I just tackled a weather app project from the same book, and you learn a ton by referencing material. So don't sweat it; focus on finding the right resources and keep at it!
It's important to focus on understanding concepts rather than memorizing code. Every program is built from a set of core ideas that you can mix and match. It takes time for these concepts to sink in, so don't rush it! Keep experimenting and breaking things — when things go wrong, check the stack trace to learn what happened. Use print statements to explore different stages of your program. Stay curious and patient; it pays off!
Thank you!
That's encouraging!