Struggling with JavaScript!

Hey Bairdy, I think you'll find many have felt the same way when it comes to learning JavaScript and other programming languages. Learning to program can mean actually changing the way you think. Which does not happen over night. I always compare learning programming languages to learning a new foreign language. Because you literally are learning a new language, only it's meant for computers.

When you learn a foreign language you don't instantly start speaking fluently. You have to start with the basics and slowly build on them. At first, when you talk in that language you sound like a child! But after continually being around the language and hearing others speak it and seeing it written you become more and more fluent until one day all of a sudden it clicks! And you realize, hey I get this now!! It's the same way with programming languages. You'll feel like your struggling and can only code like a "child" while still not fully understanding things. And then one day it clicks.

All that being said, you are not alone in being frustrated!! And there's quite a bit of resources out there to help you out.

Here's a couple links to some JavaScript resources:

https://github.com/WomenWhoCode/guidelines-resources/blob/master/learn_to_program.md#javascript

https://github.com/vhf/free-programming-books/blob/master/free-programming-interactive-tutorials-en.md#javascript

A few other things I wanted to mention....

When learning programming languages like JavaScript it's so easy to become overwhelmed, and feel helpless and frustrated. You go through waves of feeling "hey this makes sense, I get it!" and then down to "I have no idea what I'm doing". During the frustrating part of those waves it's so important to take time for YOURSELF. If you get to feeling too frustrated that's a good time to take a break, walk around, get outside, or do something fun. Otherwise it won't stick. You need that time for your brain to process what you're learning.

Also, it's never too early to start building a site from scratch! You've already taken some HTML and CSS courses, so yes you ARE competent enough to start building a site. Now it might not be the prettiest and most functional site, but who cares!? You're still learning and we've all been there.

Lastly! I think it would help if you listened to some Podcasts. There's a few out there that I always recommend. CodePen's podcast, Shop Talk Show and Developer Tea . I particularly like these ones because the developers are real. They're very humble, not arrogant at all. Listening to them might help you feel better about where you are. You might not always understand what they're talking about but that's ok! They're always confident boosters for me because it helps me realize that even "experts" in the field don't know everything.

Ok, sorry for the longest post ever. Hopefully some of that will help!

Hey Abby, sounds like you are at the same point as me! im into arrays but i think im going to need to repeat the videos up to this point also. I am the same, i learn better when i am doing, the java script challenges on this are good but for it to really sink into my mind i need to repeat and repeat and repeat. Im fine with HTML, CSS and the math side of things but JS has been pretty frustrating recently. I need more challenges or projects to really get this info really stuck in my mind because at the moment even the thought of getting on the computer to study is a hard task because i know im not taking the information in.

How long have you been studying for and how many hours do you study a day? Are you looking to make programming a career?

Thanks Abby!

Others have suggested www.freecodecamp.com. You might want to check them out for good practice solving programming problems using javascript.

Kristopher Van Sant explained it so beautifully, I must say you should listen to that advice.I know when I first started out I can't even begin to tell you how frustrating it was.I can just tell you you have to change your mind-set. If you are like me when you see something new in JS, you are like what the heck I don't know what is this dude talking about. As I was referring to the mindset you have to change the way you think; when a new topic is introduced I must do some research regarding this and find out how it works and that will happen actually,so don't worry.

Slowly you will like when new things are introduced, but I ain't saying it's going to be easy everytime to understand it but you can try I guess.

All I know listening to these videos and just solving challenges and quiz(which btw are super easy and dumb) in the course will not help you at least it din't help me.Go and build some stuff anything you want. May be build a music playlist, or your porn collection or something on your favorite actor and why not on yourself.

Will it be perfect? Hell no.

Nor it would be easy but things actually makes sense after sometime, I just think those who are kinda experts in javascript they are just people, not smarter than me or you(simple logic).

I am no expert nor very good in JS, just telling you I went through this same feeling and actually it never stops because new things never end.

"Go build something anything."

Bairdy, I feel the same way about most of the programming languages. JavaScript introduces topics that are used over and over again in other languages like loops, boolean logic, arrays, and program logic elements...so I feel it's vital to learn what's discussed in JavaScript as you'll see the concepts repeated over and over in other languages. I feel that the different loops and arrays are tough to understand...so I'll ask you a question, how do you best learn? Like when you were in school what helped you the best: reading/writing about things, seeing things, doing things, or listening to things? I can further answer your question when I know a bit more info...also I notice that you're focusing mostly on HTML and JavaScript. How did you find learning HTML so far? Do you have less trouble with comprehension with different instructors?

Also just to explain a little about me, I find JavaScript to be challenging indeed...I'm going to have to repeat all the videos leading up to Arrays because I'm really getting lost in arrays. I'm coming from a non-IT background and learning a completely different way of interacting with the world is a massive challenge. I also am a kinesthetic (learn by doing) learner, so it's tough to find ways of learning that cater to this.

Thanks Bryan, ill go check that out mate!

Got a lot to reply to here! haha Hey Kristopher, yeah im definitely changing the way i think about learning these new skills, especially after reading all the input from everyone on here. I dont feel like JS is kicking my ass so much anymore! haha Im going to have a look on github and and start a little project, see how i get on with that! The pod casts are a great idea too, i have a massive drive home when i go on leave from work so that will be perfect!

Hey Tushar, im gonna start building something soon and see how it goes! researching everything as it comes up on teamtree is a good idea too, make sure i understand it fully before i move on! thanks!

by the way, on the JS full stack, does it get a little easier after the loops, arrays and objects??