I'm about to turn 30 and just started my journey into programming, which feels like a great decision at any age! I recently got a job that allows me to spend my entire shift from 6 AM to 3 PM studying on my laptop. Right now, I'm working on my first big project using NextJS for both the front end and back end, along with tools like Prisma, Postgres, Tailwindcss, ShadCN, and NextAuth.
Given that I have this opportunity to study and code for most of the day, I'm looking for advice on how to effectively use my time. I'm thinking of splitting my hours into three main activities:
1. A certain number of hours focused on my project to apply what I'm learning.
2. Some time dedicated to exercises on various coding platforms or using language models.
3. A few hours watching educational videos on topics that could enhance my skills, like CS50, which I've heard good things about.
Any suggestions on how to structure my time or which resources to use would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
I have to say, if you've been studying for just two weeks and feel confident about your project, it's worth questioning how much you've absorbed. Relying heavily on AI tools might give a false sense of learning. Instead of leaning too much on AI, dive deeper into some hands-on coding practices, which will benefit you in the long run!
That sounds like a solid plan already! You're essentially getting paid to improve your skills, which is fantastic. I'd recommend putting about 60% of your time into working on your project, around 25% for targeted practice on sites like LeetCode or HackerRank, and the remaining 15% on theory videos. CS50 is definitely worth your time for those foundational concepts. Just be careful not to burn out; coding for long hours can really wear you out!
Hey! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's awesome that you've found a way to concentrate better! I used to struggle with focus too, but now I can study for hours on end. I'm really motivated to wrap up my project!
I totally disagree with that! I actually learned a lot by using AI for guidance. It's helped me understand things like error handling and using types in server actions. I’m actively using it as a learning aid, not just an auto-complete!