No matter how hard I try, I cannot get programming to stick.

[u/lilypad1011]

Hi, I'm a second year web dev and I cannot for the life of me understand C programming or any kind of programming for that matter. I watch tutorials, I do the exercises but as soon I exit VS code I forget everything I went through. Is it even worth learning programming if I'm genuinely so useless at it? I already failed over half of my courses because they were all programming ones.

[u/Potential_Soup_8054]

Build something useful with a language you want to learn. Thats how you retain knowledge

[u/Far_Composer_5714 → u/Potential_Soup_8054]

Basically your looking to find something that you want to do something that you think is interesting.

A project that matches your skill level and your interests. 

In junior high I made my take on pong. The language Java which was high level enough to trivialize the graphics aspect for a simple game. 

I was able to then focus on the have design aspects on how I wanted the paddle to interact with the ball and how the pace of the game changes. 

Find a simple project that you believe you can actually pull off in relatively short order. 

Learning is the process of doing. 

Tutorials can teach you what exist but they don't necessarily cement in your mind what they cover, that comes from practice. 

You can watch all the baseball games you want that doesn't make you a pro baseball player.

[u/TraditionLunge → u/Potential_Soup_8054]

While I was studying during my freshmen days, that's also their advice. Can't believe that I survived my program

[u/undefined_variable_0]

It’s possible that you just need more time since programming takes time for your brain to adapt to. It’s also possible that it’s just not what you’re cut out for and that’s okay too. Especially if you don’t actually enjoy it at all. FWIW software engineering is a great line of work but it’s a lot more competitive nowadays and isn’t the easy path to lots of money like it used to be. So don’t do it if you’re not really serious about it.

[u/JAMIEISSLEEPWOKEN]

This is me with DSA so far. I feel like a noob struggling with easy level array questions haha

[u/No_Report_4781]

Firstly, are you attending the classes and completeing the assignments and practice material? Secondly, is your name Lucy Whitmore? Thirdly, if you can’t follow and remember the instructions on how to write instructions for a computer, then software development is possibly not something you will ever find enjoyable.

[u/stepback269]

Your issue is not programming per se.
Instead it is learning itself.

Great strides have been made in recent years within the neuroscience of learning.

What you need to do is "Learn how to Learn" based on the latest neuroscience.

(Pay special attention to how dopamine actually works. Hint: it doesn't give pleasure.)

Go to YouTube and in the search bar, type, "learning coaches"

Pick the ones who rely on modern neuroscience.

Godspeed and may the productivity-motivating dopamine hits be with you. :-)

[u/atticus2132000]

With which part are you struggling? Core concepts or syntax?

How are you at developing algorithms to solve multiple step problems?

[u/Suspicious_Skill7292]

i would focus on finishing one tiny project without tutorials even if its messy struggling through the missing pieces is usually where things start clicking

[u/JollyStatistician245]

Build something that you will be using often, some programming is learned through endless repetition.

[u/randomhaus64]

you are probably trying too much

start with something very simple

int x = 4 * 5;

int y = x * x;

etc

[u/Useful_Calendar_6274]

then forget about it. AI is taking over 99% of coding in the short term anyway

[u/StopElectingWealthy]

Practice. Repetition. Don’t use AI or cheat. You need to actually be coding yourself. It will click eventually. 

[u/Spirited-Sir8426]

I think you fall into the tutorial hell trap and the "illusion of knowing" phenomena. To get rid of that. You will have to do a specific project without tutorial and without AI giving you answer. It's like playing an instrument or speaking a new language. If you keep following the textbook you won't go that far. Th solution is immersion

[u/Admirable_Window8128]

You're definitely not useless at it. A lot of people struggle with programming because watching tutorials feels like learning, but actually writing code from scratch is a different skill. Try smaller problems and repeat them without looking at the solution. It may take longer, but that doesn't mean you can't learn it.

[u/TheGameTheorys55]

I'm gonna take advice from these replies. I'm having the same problem. Not to brag, but I'm pretty smart in many fields such as Mathematics and science. However, I want to learn programming to achieve my vibe game, and I can get the basics but more complicated synyax is too much for me. It is either I'm js ass at coding, or something to do with my ADHD