Just realized I wasted 6 months on 'easy' tutorials that taught me nothing

Last year I spent like 6 months just watching those beginner Python tutorials that make you copy code line by line. Felt like I was learning but then I tried to build my own little calculator app and froze solid. Couldn't write a single function without googling it. Last week I finally tried a project-based course where you actually build stuff from scratch and it clicked way faster. I think those 'easy' tutorials are actually a trap for beginners. Anybody else hit that wall where you realize you weren't really learning?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jason1mo agoTop Commenter

Exactly this. I spent months on those "learn JavaScript in 30 days" things and felt like a god copying code, but the second I had to make a website from a blank text file I couldn't even get a button to work. The project based stuff is where it finally clicks because you have to actually figure out why something broke instead of just following along. I noticed I started remembering syntax way better when I had to fix my own stupid mistakes. Did you find you actually retained more from the project course too?

knight.mason1mo agoMost Upvoted

Copying code is just practice, not learning. The real stuff starts when you break things and have to fix them.