Introduction:

Often times we see the concept of programming as impossible, tough, challenging and stressful. We may be correct to some extent but it is not as bad as it appears. Why do I say this? Let's take the instance of your University or College education. You agree with me that there was no easy course back then in school. You also agree with me that you had to put in a lot of efforts to read and pass those tough exams. The same applies to programming. It may appear tough and challenging at first, but in the end you will discover that it just requires your diligence and determination to scale through. In this article, I will be sharing some tips on how I overcame some of the common challenges faced in starting off my programming journey. I'll also be sharing some funny and interesting stories of my experience in programming so far. Before we start let me give a brief introduction of what I do. I am Michael Abaniwo by name. I am a Full Stack Web Developer. I write React.js as a Frontend JavaScript framework and I write Node.js as a backend language. I started my journey in programming November, 2019. It started rough and challenging as many of you may be experiencing now but in the end determination and persistence gives you victory. I am a Christian too so I won't leave out the fact that Jesus Christ helped me through too. Without further ado, let's dive into how you can start off your programming journey.

Tip #1

The Optimistic Approach:

Yes, sounds easy right? This looks quite easy to do but in the real sense, it is quite difficult. Many of us always conclude on not being able to code just because we feel it is hard and we are not good enough. Yes it is true that programming is hard but the right approach is not to say: "I can't do it" but to say "I can do it, let me try it out". This is the optimistic approach. This builds your confidence. It is good to take up the challenge and push yourself to success. You never know you can do something until you try it out. So the first approach in starting off your coding journey is to say: "I can do it, let me try it out!" I also faced this challenge when I started off in 2019. It became so challenging that I thought I didn't know anything about programming. I thought I was not good enough. The worst aspect was that I had to learn on my own through YouTube videos and other online resources. The challenge was real. I didn't really have anyone to stay by my side and put me through. This appeared as a set back then but little did I know that it was training me on how to use "google" to get answers to my numerous questions and it worked! This brings me to my next tip below.

Tip #2

Make "Google" your companion:

This is a very common statement but as simple as it appears, it is quite difficult to do especially when you are just starting your journey. Why do I say this? Googling your problems or questions is not usually the issue but presenting your questions well for the right results. Some of you may have experienced googling a particular thing and getting a totally different result. I experienced that too when I start and I can say it wasn't a pretty experience at all. So the question is: "How did I overcome?" Well it's simple. I did the following:

• I tried to understand my problem
• I tried to put the problem or question in a simple but detailed format.
• I used "Stack Overflow" for my research. It is a very popular website to ask questions related to programming.
• Of course I got my correct results because I was able to draft my question rightly and convey the message well to google. So it is very important for you to present your questions well.

Tip #3

Make good use of Resources on YouTube:

YouTube is another powerful tool for learning. I recommend you start your learning with HTML and CSS technologies. These form the basis of Programming. You can learn the theory aspect of HTML and CSS using "W3Schools". When you are done with familiarizing yourself with the syntax (codes), you have to do practice projects to be sure you have mastered what you learnt. This is where YouTube comes in. There are a lot of coding channels on YouTube. I recommend Traversy Media HTML Crash Course and Traversy Media CSS Crash Course to get you started on your practical coding experience. Try to code along with the videos. Definitely you would have gotten your laptop and downloaded a text editor (example: visual studio, sublime text etc) for your coding. With this you will be able to enjoy your programming journey.

Tip #4

Good Networking:

This is another important tool I used and I am still using in my programming journey. You will need to make a lot of friends in your journey so that you can learn from them. It is a very effective way to get better. Networking helps you share your ideas and learn from other people's ideas. So you have to be very friendly but make sure you have the right friends who would be of benefit to you. Do not keep friends with negative energy. They would only discourage you in the end. Keep friends that will push you and help you achieve you goals. You could engage your friends in live coding sessions on google meet or zoom. I did this a lot in my journey and I am still doing it. Learn to ask questions. It really helps. Be a goal getter. Do not give up when you have a bug (coding error). Google it or ask someone. Make sure you get a solution to the bug. Try to write neat and readable codes. I will discuss more on neat and readable codes in future articles.

Tip #5

Never Stop Learning:

This reminds me of a funny scenario where someone builds his or her first website with HTML and CSS and all of a sudden becomes proud and stops learning. "LOL" that's very funny right. As funny as it sounds, it actually happens unconsciously. When one achieves in web development, one tends to be over-excited about his or her achievement. This may make the person lazy to learn and to feel that he/she already knows it. The fact is you never know it all in programming. You learn new technologies everyday. So the best approach is to keep learning. Be eager to learn new things. It's very important. I am not saying you should not be proud of your achievement. Yes you are free to rejoice when you have a breakthrough but don't let your achievements make you stop learning instead let your current achievements propel you to greater achievements.

Tip #6

Be ready to commit enough time to Coding:

This is a very important point. You have to be ready to sacrifice. You have to be dedicated and consistent. You have to plan your schedule to be able to give time to coding. Coding will make you work at night most times especially if you have other engagements during the day. This is why coding is regarded as stressful most times. How I solved this was to get some good rest in the afternoon when I have time so that I would be able to stay up at night to work. It may not be the best method for you as we are all different as humans. You can decide to work during the day and have your full rest at night. It all depends on you and how fast you can complete your work. The most important thing is to give enough time to your learning.

Tip #7

Help Others:

This is my last tip for this article. It is a very important tip which is never really common amongst many developers. I have experienced it so I can tell confidently. As a young developer, you will face the challenge of no one being there for you to explain things to you. Only few developers are patient enough to explain concepts to those coming up. Most senior developers may just refer you to google. This is good because it helps you to be independent but it's not so good because most times it's discouraging and stressful. You will have to solve your problems all by yourself. This is why I raised this tip. As you progress and become better in your programming journey, do not hesitate to help those who need your assistance. Teach them with all your heart. In doing so, you are encouraging them and you're also making yourself know the concepts better. God also blesses those who help others. So keep this last tip in mind and put it into practice.

Conclusion:

I'm glad we have been able to look at some tips to start off your programming journey. I know that you now have the answer to the question asked in the topic for this article: "Is Computer Programming Impossible?" The answer is simply a big "NO". Computer Programming is not impossible. It is very possible for those that are determined and consistent. I encourage you not to be afraid. Be determined and persistent. Believe in yourself. Tell yourself: "I can do it if I try". Also tell Jesus Christ to help you. He helped me in learning so I believe He is very present to help you too. I Congratulate you and I say: "Welcome to the Awesome World of Programming!". Enjoy your Journey!

God bless you!

Feel free to like, comment and follow me here on hashnode: mikeabaniwo for more educative articles on programming!

Also if you would like to reach out to me to ask me questions or for tutorials, send me a Direct Message on WhatsApp at 08076578993. You can also contact me on Instagram: @mikee_abaniwo or on Twitter: @_codedr. My LinkedIn profile is also open to you: Michael Abaniwo.

Happy Coding!