Welcome to the Treehouse Community
Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.
Looking to learn something new?
Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.
Start your free trial
ale8k
8,299 PointsI feel really discouraged guys lol. Should I feel this way?
The Student Record Search Challenge has just utterly defeated me and I had to watch the solution. I feel really demotivated now as I've trodden through everything else. Is it 'normal' to feel this way? Is it ok for me to skip a challenge if I honestly find it too tough? I could really use some moral feedback.
Thanks, Alex.
3 Answers
Jennifer Nordell
Treehouse TeacherHi there, ale8k ! First, and foremost, you are not alone. I cannot stress this enough. I think probably anyone who has written more than twenty lines of code in their life has experienced this. You might notice that I have quite a lot of Treehouse points. But do not read that as "oh she never gets stuck" because I promise you, that doesn't reflect reality at all. I once got stuck for three hours on a challenge because I had an incorrect quotation mark, and I'm not kidding.
But you don't have to believe me. Take a look at the experience of the students on this thread. We've all opened up a blank text editor and thought "Well. Now what?". I would also recommend checking out this Treehouse video about this very topic.
Try and remember that learning is a process. Now, when you were small, it probably took you a bit to learn addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. You probably memorized a good portion of those. But how difficult is that for you today? Likely not very. It's because you've used it so much during your life and you understand what is happening at low level that you can now apply those ideas to any two numbers given to you. But it wasn't always like that. Smart money says you didn't a 100 grade on every math quiz you ever took.
The instructors in these videos are showing you how to do something and it is up to you to take the small parts and put them together to make something. It takes time and practice to learn how to do that. So give yourself a break. These instructors have seen these sort of problems and solutions hundreds of times. And how many times have you seen the problem and solution? Likely once.
I might also recommend this blog article I wrote a while ago about the learning process.
I hope this helps and hang in there! Chances are that you're doing way better than you give yourself credit for
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 PointsYes, it's perfectly natural and okay. :-)
I go through these feelings every single day. I'm won't say it's going to be like this for you as everyone's different but for me, it's a personal struggle every single day to try to remember every concept I've been taught and then apply these to new problems. My working memory is terrible, so yes, I do quite often get where you are. Dispirited, de-motivated and lacking faith in myself.
I don't think I'm ever going to reach the level of seriously top programmers out there. A lot of that is down to my learning difficulties which fundamentally change the way I think compared to other people. But that's okay. Treehouse makes me strive to learn what is out there, what is possible, what is coming. And above all else, make me strive to be the best I can possibly be.
Now, don't let the above paragraph make you think it's going be like that for you., I reckon you're in this because it's what you want to achieve in life. I'm the same. So keep your eye on your goals. Keep setting goals to motivate you and I promise you, all the stress, all the down moments, and all the hours you put into your coding will be worth it!
Hang in there! :D
Aurelian Spodarec
10,801 PointsYou set your self-limiting beliefs with 'learning difficulties'. If that's what you believe and that's how you define your self.
Unless you want to jump 4meters tall - that's an ability you can't learn, something you are born with, although still need to train.
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 PointsIt’s a very fair point, but I don’t say these things to put myself down or limit myself. It’s a fact of my life.
Time is the other factor. I have other responsibilities and a business to run so I have to plan around that too.
Let me take you through an example. Right now, I’m spending a lot of time developing my Object-Oriented JavaScript skills. That 4 in a row game. I’m having a tremendous amount of fun doing it. And I’m working hard on overcoming my difficulties doing it. Thinking in the right ways, researching problems, learning to debug and documenting my progress as I go.
Then as time goes on. Bang it all goes from my working memory and I have to spend time keeping it all alive. And then, I go all over again.
We all have our own journeys. Mine is about balancing my time to make sure the skills I need remain strong in my mind. :)
Aurelian Spodarec
10,801 PointsI've been 'trying' to learn this since 2013. You helped me and saw me plenty of times here and there, and you know that what I know is pretty basic, especially for the time I spend on it.
LIttle did I knew I had to 'learn' how to actually 'learn'. I spend soo much time wasting by doing the videos on the side trying to catch up with the code while listening and etc...
Right now I figured out how to learn and I'm improving for the first time since 5years.
Yeah, but that's a normal thing. I learn this stuff and the next hour it's gone. When learning new stuff gotta keep re-freshing and doing it every single day, untill our neurons get stronger and can reffernece things easier and faster, plus, we'd build a logic upon it.
But hey, maybe it's good to believe one has disability, because that way one will put extra effort and push - I'm not saying you do have it or not, but am saying in general, it's good to brainwash your self to eat veggies ^^
Like you say, everyone have differne journey, and while you are deffo more successfull than me, make sure you stay in that position :D
Ufffff xd
I felt exactly the same way of not being able to learn, and after few years I though I really have a disability, especially when I don't even have/had any friends, nor spoke to any female etc....
But gladly I was just doing stuff wrong! :) GLadly I discovered with time and experimentation that I'm learning the worng way, and there is nothing wrong with me ( I think xd ) and so now I'm progressing :D I still feel that way though, but that's only if I consider all the stuff that I don't know about, especially when reading a book, I feel very ... you know.
But it doesn't matter. THat'll come with time, plus I can do some stuff so that's good, something is happening.
Happy Learning! :D
Jasmyne Boggs
4,891 PointsI think every person who is learning to code hits this wall. I did too while trying to learn JavaScript, and I am still struggling. Sometimes it helps to step away and come back with a clear head. Just know you're not alone. It's going to feel great though when you have that 'ah-hah' moment!
ale8k
8,299 PointsI hope so! :P
Aurelian Spodarec
10,801 PointsWhy do you shave your self? What happens if you need to comeback with clean head again but everything is already shaven? xd Does your hair grow ultra super fast?
Strange but cool! :D
Aurelian Spodarec
10,801 PointsHe's definitely not alone when he will have that, mmmmmmm, 'ah-hah' moment :D
Aakash Srivastava
5,415 PointsAakash Srivastava
5,415 PointsNice :) Jennifer Nordell Thanks
ale8k
8,299 Pointsale8k
8,299 PointsI hope so Jennifer, I'm trying my best. I just gotten so used to doing everything rather quickly and then all of a sudden, this great demoralising wall hit me on this particular challenge. Thank you for the response, I've been at it nearly two weeks now putting numerous hours in everyday. The logic is hard to overcome isn't it!
Jennifer Nordell
Treehouse TeacherJennifer Nordell
Treehouse Teacherale8k logic and problem-solving is a skill a lot like any other. It can be trained too