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What should I do Before I give up programming?

shivajikobardan

Legendary Coder
I'm in the verge of giving up programming and wondering what could I do before I give up to make sure I did what everyone did.

I've a bachelors degree in computer science. I didn't do it as well as I'd have liked to do, but that degree has gave me familiarity with most terms used in basic programming.

I spent last 3 months working on web development(I'm learning MERN). I learnt html,css,bootstrap, javascript and react till date(In bootcamp), but I failed to learn React. Even javascript, i'm no expert at. Even css, I learnt the basics but I'm not an expert when it comes to building half decent sites. Same for bootstrap. I can carve a site using html,css,bootstrap but it won't look good. I was completely impossible to learn when it came to react. Whenever I saw usage of useEffect and useState hooks and we start making changes in 10 different files for it, it confused me and I understood nothing.

I had access to world's best resources to learn books, tutorials, blogs, youtube, udemy etc. I had access to forums like this to get help and support but still this was tough for me.

I feel unlucky, sad and hopeless atm. Friends who were weaker than me in conventional college studies and academia have done jobs and internships but I'm failing to even learn something properly. I'm not jealous of them but just feel trash about myself.

People say do projects to learn but I really don't know how that works. For eg: https://codepen.io/pelko/pen/MWBpNmL This project. I make stupid stuffs like these and can't produce a good output that is playable. It's too hard for me.
These are some of my projects.






I did all these projects without looking any tutorials.

I keep forgetting how I built something time and again. I nowadays try my best to add documentation though.

I'm 70% sure to give up programming but still I"d like to make sure I follow advices from fellow forum users about it who've spent their life around programming.

In 3 months, I am seeing no progress, except few days like:

1) When I carved a site on my own using html,css without looking tutorials.

2) When I carved a site on my own using bootstrap without looking tutorials.

My problems:

1) I've not break through'ed in programming. If I can make anything with javascript that's over 500 lines of code, I'd consider that a breakthrough. I'm aware LOC aren't a good metric but please try to understand what I'm trying to say. A big application using programming.

2) Even in css, I failed to make presentable sites. The coding bootcamp I feel is going too fast as well. Same for bootstrap, I made sites but I failed ot create beautiful sites. People recommend me frontendmentor.io but IDK what to do there? It looks sketchy to me. If there is something that can teach me css, I'd be so grateful.

3) After watching tutorials, I can't repeat what they've done in tutorial without watching the tutorial of project even though I understand each and every step they do in project.

4) I still am not fluent in ES6. I can't think in ES6. Arrow functions, map, reduce etc. I Understand them, but using them is different ballgame.

If you understand my situation, please guide me. I don't need roadmaps, any more tutorials but plain old guidance and advice on what to do by people who went through this situation
 
I'm in the verge of giving up programming and wondering what could I do before I give up to make sure I did what everyone did.

I've a bachelors degree in computer science. I didn't do it as well as I'd have liked to do, but that degree has gave me familiarity with most terms used in basic programming.

I spent last 3 months working on web development(I'm learning MERN). I learnt html,css,bootstrap, javascript and react till date(In bootcamp), but I failed to learn React. Even javascript, i'm no expert at. Even css, I learnt the basics but I'm not an expert when it comes to building half decent sites. Same for bootstrap. I can carve a site using html,css,bootstrap but it won't look good. I was completely impossible to learn when it came to react. Whenever I saw usage of useEffect and useState hooks and we start making changes in 10 different files for it, it confused me and I understood nothing.

I had access to world's best resources to learn books, tutorials, blogs, youtube, udemy etc. I had access to forums like this to get help and support but still this was tough for me.

I feel unlucky, sad and hopeless atm. Friends who were weaker than me in conventional college studies and academia have done jobs and internships but I'm failing to even learn something properly. I'm not jealous of them but just feel trash about myself.

People say do projects to learn but I really don't know how that works. For eg: https://codepen.io/pelko/pen/MWBpNmL This project. I make stupid stuffs like these and can't produce a good output that is playable. It's too hard for me.
These are some of my projects.






I did all these projects without looking any tutorials.

I keep forgetting how I built something time and again. I nowadays try my best to add documentation though.

I'm 70% sure to give up programming but still I"d like to make sure I follow advices from fellow forum users about it who've spent their life around programming.

In 3 months, I am seeing no progress, except few days like:

1) When I carved a site on my own using html,css without looking tutorials.

2) When I carved a site on my own using bootstrap without looking tutorials.

My problems:

1) I've not break through'ed in programming. If I can make anything with javascript that's over 500 lines of code, I'd consider that a breakthrough. I'm aware LOC aren't a good metric but please try to understand what I'm trying to say. A big application using programming.

2) Even in css, I failed to make presentable sites. The coding bootcamp I feel is going too fast as well. Same for bootstrap, I made sites but I failed ot create beautiful sites. People recommend me frontendmentor.io but IDK what to do there? It looks sketchy to me. If there is something that can teach me css, I'd be so grateful.

3) After watching tutorials, I can't repeat what they've done in tutorial without watching the tutorial of project even though I understand each and every step they do in project.

4) I still am not fluent in ES6. I can't think in ES6. Arrow functions, map, reduce etc. I Understand them, but using them is different ballgame.

If you understand my situation, please guide me. I don't need roadmaps, any more tutorials but plain old guidance and advice on what to do by people who went through this situation
Hi there,
First and foremost:
NEVER COMPARE YOUR SUCCESS TO ANYONE ELSE'S. Let me be perfectly clear. NEVER COMPARE YOURSELF TO ANYONE ELSE. That is your first mistake. Don't worry about where others are in life. Their path to success is not yours. You create your own, your time will come. PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

Next:
Yes, doing projects that can be used in your portfolio does indeed help potential employers see your talent. Like the old saying goes: Practice makes perfect. Don't worry if you do not understand something. Break it up into smaller chunks that you can understand. Ask questions.
 
Last edited:
Hello, @shivajikobardan,

I'd consider myself as a person who has given up with programming, mostly for the same reasons: I wasn't making much progress; had no idea how to write the features I wanted to write, how to start and build up a project, etc. And when I wanted to contribute to open-source projects, I was overwhelmed because you already had these big projects to choose from and all of the documentation for them was pretty much: 'Just shoehorn in a small change/fix based on an easy issue'(and 'easy' does not mean easy). I read all the books in the world, followed every tutorial down to the last step, and watched every boring YouTube video, and I didn't get far.

I'd argue it's the way you try to process information. My problem was that I was obsessed with trying to take in every single last detail - that is setting yourself up for an information overload that will actually make you forget more than you remember. Perhaps you're processing/memorising information the wrong way - did you use effective study techniques and use them in a smart way? If you learn to process information in a better way, you should be able to take the burden that complex information gives the brain. If that fails, then it is perhaps best you find an alternative route within programming where you could still apply your current skills before giving up as a last resort.

Programming doesn't just require logical thinking: you need to have a bit of creativity and use it to help solve a problem that you have - this is true for anything scientific/engineering-related. You need to be able to read and interpret code and use those wonderfully written snippets for inspiration. I think if you want good inspiration, books like the K&R C book(that has some good programming examples that you could perhaps apply in JS) or perhaps some of Donald Knuth's books(he writes on algorithms and they're meant to be really good - I can't speak for it though, as I have never read them, and I do believe the writing in it is quite complicated). Bigger applications does not equal better: actually, you'll probably find bigger applications are an absolute nightmare to debug and also to add new features to, unless the code is so elegantly written and organised that it doesn't take an Einstein to figure out what goes where.

Why are you focusing purely on the web-side of things when you have a CS degree? Do you not have knowledge of C or C++, Java, etc? Or does this degree purely focus on web programming? If you feel the bootcamp is too fast too, would it be possible to ask whoever runs it to slow it down or give additional guidance for yourself?

This is the best I can do for helping you just now. At the end of the day, it's up to you whether you decide to continue pursuing a career in programming or if you go down a different job route instead - if it's the latter choice, you can choose to whether to keep your programming skills sharp or to just let go of it completely(myself, I've let go though I still retain most of what I learned in regards to syntax and a bunch of different concepts).

Best of luck with whatever path you choose!
 
Hello, @shivajikobardan,

I'd consider myself as a person who has given up with programming, mostly for the same reasons: I wasn't making much progress; had no idea how to write the features I wanted to write, how to start and build up a project, etc. And when I wanted to contribute to open-source projects, I was overwhelmed because you already had these big projects to choose from and all of the documentation for them was pretty much: 'Just shoehorn in a small change/fix based on an easy issue'(and 'easy' does not mean easy). I read all the books in the world, followed every tutorial down to the last step, and watched every boring YouTube video, and I didn't get far.

I'd argue it's the way you try to process information. My problem was that I was obsessed with trying to take in every single last detail - that is setting yourself up for an information overload that will actually make you forget more than you remember. Perhaps you're processing/memorising information the wrong way - did you use effective study techniques and use them in a smart way? If you learn to process information in a better way, you should be able to take the burden that complex information gives the brain. If that fails, then it is perhaps best you find an alternative route within programming where you could still apply your current skills before giving up as a last resort.

Programming doesn't just require logical thinking: you need to have a bit of creativity and use it to help solve a problem that you have - this is true for anything scientific/engineering-related. You need to be able to read and interpret code and use those wonderfully written snippets for inspiration. I think if you want good inspiration, books like the K&R C book(that has some good programming examples that you could perhaps apply in JS) or perhaps some of Donald Knuth's books(he writes on algorithms and they're meant to be really good - I can't speak for it though, as I have never read them, and I do believe the writing in it is quite complicated). Bigger applications does not equal better: actually, you'll probably find bigger applications are an absolute nightmare to debug and also to add new features to, unless the code is so elegantly written and organised that it doesn't take an Einstein to figure out what goes where.

Why are you focusing purely on the web-side of things when you have a CS degree? Do you not have knowledge of C or C++, Java, etc? Or does this degree purely focus on web programming? If you feel the bootcamp is too fast too, would it be possible to ask whoever runs it to slow it down or give additional guidance for yourself?

This is the best I can do for helping you just now. At the end of the day, it's up to you whether you decide to continue pursuing a career in programming or if you go down a different job route instead - if it's the latter choice, you can choose to whether to keep your programming skills sharp or to just let go of it completely(myself, I've let go though I still retain most of what I learned in regards to syntax and a bunch of different concepts).

Best of luck with whatever path you choose!
CS Degree doesn't focus in any specific area of CS/Tech.
 
If i was to show you some of the ground breaking websites i built back in 2010 when i was 16 you would laugh at me. If i was to show you some of the macros i built in AHK a few years ago, you would probably say WHY. If i showed you my python scripts from when i started 3 years ago you would ask what in gods name was i doing. Did i give up, No i didn't i carried on i expanded and kept looking for my passion. I went on to setup a website design company that i freaking hated with a passion. I then moved onto hosting, so so much better but i offered my WordPress websites for free to get the hosting clients. I have now moved onto automating business.

I have no college degree, Apparently i was too dumb to be allowed to do any computer course :Rofl: everything i have learned has been trial and error, reading tutorials and failing over and over again. I started my journey in HTML/CSS/PHP i then moved onto WordPress and was not half bad. Well my clients never complained, i then moved onto Python and honestly i am home. Python for me is that dream language i wish i learned all of them years ago.

Why am i saying all of this, Well programing isn't easy, its not a wake up one day and your awesome making a ton of money with a beautiful babe in your lambo BUT coding should be fun and if its not you haven't found your language yet. What has made you stay with website development, Have you tried making a database with PHP, have you tried scaping a website with Python, Have you built the next Jarvis using C or C#. Find your passion, find your why and you wont go wrong. I have been codeing for 14 years this year *Man i am getting old lol* and i have only just found my reason, my drive and mine is Money and Money while i sleep and for me Python fits my style and my need. Don't give up my man and do not what ever you do settle and think what everyone is telling you, you need to do is the path you take. Go crazy, go wild make mistakes, come and join us in the chats but find your passion again and see where it takes you :D
 
This is what you have studied for, right ? Do you presently do it as a hobby or for a living ? If the first, no reason to give up - you have all the time in the world to get better. If the second, no reason to give up - unless you can quickly get another job that pays the bills.
Rest assured, your 4 listed problems are mine too (and I bet those of many people). If you've done a tutorial, you can't expect to be able to do it all on your own after that. Best you can expect is some improved understanding, or a couple of little new things learned. There is no shame in having to go back to a tutorial, or consult 10 others on the same subject. Consider it practicing, as everyone must do who aspires to learn a skill. Don't expect to "break through", but strive to be a little bit better every day. Reconcile yourself with the fact that you may not be a genius, or are maybe a bit slow on the uptake. Convince yourself that with persistent effort you can do whatever you want (or in any case MUCH more than you thought), never mind if it takes long. Bottom line:

DO. NOT. GIVE. UP.
EVER.
 
I'm in the verge of giving up programming and wondering what could I do before I give up to make sure I did what everyone did.

I've a bachelors degree in computer science. I didn't do it as well as I'd have liked to do, but that degree has gave me familiarity with most terms used in basic programming.

I spent last 3 months working on web development(I'm learning MERN). I learnt html,css,bootstrap, javascript and react till date(In bootcamp), but I failed to learn React. Even javascript, i'm no expert at. Even css, I learnt the basics but I'm not an expert when it comes to building half decent sites. Same for bootstrap. I can carve a site using html,css,bootstrap but it won't look good. I was completely impossible to learn when it came to react. Whenever I saw usage of useEffect and useState hooks and we start making changes in 10 different files for it, it confused me and I understood nothing.

I had access to world's best resources to learn books, tutorials, blogs, youtube, udemy etc. I had access to forums like this to get help and support but still this was tough for me.

I feel unlucky, sad and hopeless atm. Friends who were weaker than me in conventional college studies and academia have done jobs and internships but I'm failing to even learn something properly. I'm not jealous of them but just feel trash about myself.

People say do projects to learn but I really don't know how that works. For eg: https://codepen.io/pelko/pen/MWBpNmL This project. I make stupid stuffs like these and can't produce a good output that is playable. It's too hard for me.
These are some of my projects.






I did all these projects without looking any tutorials.

I keep forgetting how I built something time and again. I nowadays try my best to add documentation though.

I'm 70% sure to give up programming but still I"d like to make sure I follow advices from fellow forum users about it who've spent their life around programming.

In 3 months, I am seeing no progress, except few days like:

1) When I carved a site on my own using html,css without looking tutorials.

2) When I carved a site on my own using bootstrap without looking tutorials.

My problems:

1) I've not break through'ed in programming. If I can make anything with javascript that's over 500 lines of code, I'd consider that a breakthrough. I'm aware LOC aren't a good metric but please try to understand what I'm trying to say. A big application using programming.

2) Even in css, I failed to make presentable sites. The coding bootcamp I feel is going too fast as well. Same for bootstrap, I made sites but I failed ot create beautiful sites. People recommend me frontendmentor.io but IDK what to do there? It looks sketchy to me. If there is something that can teach me css, I'd be so grateful.

3) After watching tutorials, I can't repeat what they've done in tutorial without watching the tutorial of project even though I understand each and every step they do in project.

4) I still am not fluent in ES6. I can't think in ES6. Arrow functions, map, reduce etc. I Understand them, but using them is different ballgame.

If you understand my situation, please guide me. I don't need roadmaps, any more tutorials but plain old guidance and advice on what to do by people who went through this situation
Listen, the more I read your post and your updates, the more I am inclined to believe you are having an episode of what is known as "imposter syndrome".
Not gonna go into details as to what and how, but TL;DR: the feeling that you are not as good as you think, self-doubt about your skills and your success. Here is a great resource for a deeper definition ( How to Stop Feeling Like an Outsider When You Have Social Anxiety ). Unfortunately, we all go through it, multiple times during the course of our careers. I recently had an episode last year. This is a normal feeling, although very destructive.
 
can you suggest a micro level roadmap on what should I do now in order to learn programming?
If you really wish to keep on going, I'd first start by of course, changing your mindset like @cbreemer suggested - I agree with @Antero360 that you may have imposter syndrome, which is completely normal, especially in a competitive job market like programming. There are many ways of dealing with these problems, so find one that suits you best.

Once you have dealt with those, it's really just a matter of keeping your new mindset and slowly improving. If you learn something and don't understand it, leave it and move on, and when you're ready, go back to it again. There's no shame in using tutorials either, but I'd suggest weaning yourself off them so that you don't become dependent on them for every project. Rather than learning how to build very specific projects, perhaps turn your attention to learning specific layouts/designs that you can use in your own projects?

It's important to remember that we can only give you so much advice on how to move forward: it's up to you to act now and decide what to prioritise and improve on.

Best of luck!
 

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