- "I've started to learn to program, but I don't understand it."
- "I don't understand programming because I don't have a science or math background."
Many people suffer from this kind of problem.
It is challenging to understand programming when you are just starting to learn. And once you have a bad feeling about it, it is challenging to get out of it.
The state of "I kind of don't understand this" is the most challenging state to get rid of, and if you do so, "I understand where I don't understand," things will go more smoothly than expected.
If you have a fear of programming, please refer to this post.
Ten characteristics of people who give up programming
- I'm not good at it before I do it
- I think I can't think logically
- I don't understand grammar
- It takes time to remember
- I don't understand English
- I don't know how to create an environment to run programming
- I don't understand object-oriented
- I compare myself with others
- I get sick of frequent errors
- I don't understand programming. I get bored
Ten characteristics of people who give up programming
People who do not understand programming have their reasons, but they can be broadly categorized.
1. I'm not good at it before I do it
It is inevitable, but many people are uncomfortable with it even before trying it.
It may be that the public's image of programming is that it is something challenging to do.
Understand that programming is instructions to the computer.
If you are not good at something before you do it, think of it this way. Programming is making it easy for a computer to do something that a human being can do if they have the patience.
Programming is just a command to the computer.
For example, when adding numbers from 1 to 1000, doing it by hand is very time consuming, but programming does the math immediately.
Even traffic lights and washing machines are all programmed. They write commands such as, "After how many minutes, switch from red to blue," or "After how many minutes, switch from washing to dehydrating."
2. I think I can't think logically
"I'm not good at programming because I'm a humanities major," or "I don't understand programming because I'm not a science or math major."
I hear this line very often. Programming indeed has such an image. For example, the Department of Computer Engineering belongs to the science field.
Understandably, people feel uncomfortable studying programming because of the image of "I don't understand it because I am a humanities major."
Programming is just translating.
The idea that programming is a science and math course is an urban legend that someone has created.
In the past, the very thing we did with computers was science-oriented.
For example, programs were used for complex calculations, predicting the orbits of celestial bodies, and various simulations.
However, programming is mainly used for everyday tasks, valuable tools, and many other things that have nothing to do with science and mathematics. In that case, science and humanities become irrelevant.
As I told you above, programming is a statement of command to a computer. It simply lets the computer do what the office staff used to do manually.
There is little science or humanities involved in the use of a calculator. Similarly, there is not much of a science component when you have a computer do something.
All we are doing is explaining that a computer can understand that this kind of programming will run if you click here, and it will work in this way.
3. I don't understand grammar
What you learn when you start learning programming.
- It is the variable. You can assign to it, and if you do this, it will show up on display.
- It is a for statement. It will display the numbers from 1 to 10.
- It is an if statement. If you enter a number greater than 20, it will say, 'I am an adult.'
It should be written in a reference book such as
You should be able to confirm that it does indeed work by actually typing it in and running it. But you don't know what to use it for.
A person with a lot of imagination can probably imagine many things, but many people can't. It is where many people start to have difficulty.
It is indeed hard to imagine in the early days. When you think of an image that is easy to understand, it becomes very plain.
It is better not to think too hard at first, even for an introductory course.
Think of it as learning how to use a knife. Learning how to use a knife does not mean that you will be able to cook. You will only be able to make some of the parts of a dish.
You will learn how to use a stove, an oven, seasonings, a steamer, store ingredients, and so on, and finally, you will be able to make various delicious dishes by combining them.
Just as you can only cook curry if you are limited in what you can do, there is not much you can do at the stage where you have few weapons.
Convince yourself that you are studying the basics to be able to create applications like Twitter, Instagram, and Line in the future.
4. It takes time to remember
When studying programming, many people have the following questions.
"Yes, I understand this content. I know that if I write it this way, it will work this way. But in the end, I don't think I can make a great game, like Facebook or Google search, using programming."
In the past, the world of programming seemed within reach if you studied hard enough. Screen designs were appropriate, and there were many websites, for example, that I thought I could make myself. That is why I was motivated to study.
But what about now? There are plenty of services and applications that have been perfected and are of high quality.
We also use them on a regular, everyday basis.
When you first start studying, you cannot imagine that you will be able to create such things that you have always dreamed of.
First, Try your best to create even a part of it initially.
It indeed takes time until you can program well.
Even for simple apps, dozens or hundreds of engineers who spend a lot of time on them create popular apps and services.
It is not easy to do so with just a little study.
The first thing to do is think that professional baseball players make them. There is no way that someone who just started playing baseball can throw or hit a 150-kilogram ball right away.
It is better to practice at a batting center with a ball that weighs about 100 kilograms. Even then, you should hardly be able to hit it. Just be aware of how far away it is and start with what you think you can do in front of you.
At first, try to make only the parts that seem doable. For example, if you think you can make "login/logout," try that.
If you can make just one part, you will gain confidence and be able to try the next part.
Also, it doesn't take that much time. Many people can create services like Twitter and Facebook within a year or two of learning programming.
Of course, the details are challenging, but you will be able to develop similar services.
It is also important not to mix programming skills with clean design. Being able to create a beautiful screen has little to do with programming.
There is programming in those areas, but you don't need to think about it in the early days.
5. I don't understand English
It is limited to non-English speakers.
Programming is written in English and often requires reading English documentation.
So it is not hard to understand why people say, "I don't understand English, so this is not for me."
Programming does not require a high level of English ability at all.
You are good to go as long as you know the basic vocabulary. If you need to read English documents, you can rely on Google Translate to help you out.
6. I don't know how to create an environment to run programming
This is common. Start learning to program! What leads people who have made up their minds to do so to the most frustration is "building an environment."
In the first place, they are at a loss because they do not understand the word "environment" itself.
If you fall behind here, you will never come back to programming.
You will remember your difficulty in giving up at the beginning of your programming studies.
Buy the book. If that doesn't work, buy the next book.
Let's first remember that preparing a development environment is challenging. You are not alone. It is already difficult for everyone.
So the first step is to take what you don't know for granted. And after that, I recommend buying books.
Most introductory books have instructions on how to build an environment. Try to follow them. If that doesn't work, buy another introductory book. And try again.
You can search on the Web nowadays, but a book is better. The reason is simple: books are sold for a fee.
Since the book is sold for a fee, any errors in content will be strictly checked.
On the Web, however, many articles are shallow and are like memos, and there is no one to check them.
Therefore, let's buy the book and do it anyway in that order. It can be six months before you understand what you are doing.
7. I don't understand object-oriented
Object orientation is a frustrating point for those studying programming. If you don't know what it is, assume that there is such a thing.
Object-oriented programming is indeed difficult to understand at first. There are so many different concepts that you feel like your head will explode.
60% understanding is okay.
The solution is simple: don't try to understand 100%.
Someday you will say, "I wish I had written this in object-oriented format." You will be glad that it was written in an object-oriented language. So you don't have to understand it perfectly at first.
It is more efficient to understand 60% and come back to it later than to try to understand 100% and get stuck.
8. I compare myself with others
Many people say they have trouble keeping up with their classmates in school. They feel demotivated because they understand things slower than others around them.
However, this is not the case. In most cases, it is not because they do not understand programming but because they are slow typing.
We told you that programming is writing commands to the computer. What if it takes twice as long to write the same instruction?
Naturally, the number of instructions written in the same amount of time will be halved, and there will be a delay compared to those around us.
That has nothing to do with understanding. It simply means that the output is taking longer.
Practice typing diligently.
That is why practicing typing is so important. You will not lag behind others in your programming studies by typing faster. The first step is to increase your typing speed.
Some people have no understanding during classroom learning, such as algorithms, but who shine when they start studying programming.
The reason for this is often because they are good at typing.
The only way to improve your typing speed is to practice.
The following is a free typing site.
- Tracking Your Progress: Typing.com
- Hundreds of Lessons: TypingClub
- Learn in Order: Ratatype
- Set Your Own Goals: Speed Typing Online
- Lessons for Kids: Dance Mat Typing
- Enter Your Own Text: Sense-Lang.org
- Perfect for Adults Learning to Type: GCFLearnFree
- Lessons for Non-English Keyboards: Touch Typing Study
- Easy on the Eyes: Big Brown Bear
- Customizable Options: FreeTypingGame.net
- Start From Scratch: Turtle Diary
9. I get sick of frequent errors
Errors are inherent in programming. In most cases, they are not computer errors but human errors. The computer responds, "I'm not sure about that instruction," because the command sentence was wrong.
If only a couple of errors are found and corrected, there should not be much psychological burden.
However, some types of errors are hard to finish.
If that happens, beginners will dislike programming and become uncomfortable with it.
Find someone you can ask.
First of all, errors are inherent in programming.
No matter how experienced an engineer is, they cannot create a program without fighting and winning against errors. Therefore, it is natural to have errors.
Most errors can be solved by reading the error text carefully or searching for the error text on Google.
However, it is not easy to solve them when learning to program for the first time.
That is why it is essential to find someone you can ask. You can ask someone you know who is good at programming to teach you, or you can study in an environment where there are instructors at school.
Learning programming is more efficient if you are in an environment where you can ask someone.
10. I get bored.
The moment you have an idea for anything, you can study quite aggressively. However, that enthusiasm does not last. Gradually, that enthusiasm wanes.
It can't be helped. That's how human beings are. That is why what is necessary is to acquire a certain level of technical skills by any of the following means.
Intensively in a short period
The idea is to make progress while the enthusiasm is still there. It is very effective and motivating.
It is also efficient to rely on things like schools and tutors.
It doesn't matter what method you use. Just concentrate on studying programming on your own.
And when you get to a certain point, the knowledge will seep in and become your strength. It will be easier to learn the next thing. It gets easier and more accessible.
I hope you will develop your skills to that point.
Summary
Today, I have summarized the reasons why I do not understand programming.
Being unfamiliar with programming is a path that every beginner must take.
The joy of programming can be seen for the first time by overcoming this obstacle.
First of all, let's go from "I don't know what I don't know" to "I know what I don't know."
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