It’s been almost nine months since I first started learning how to code, and what a journey! Along the way, I have made countless mistakes from writing bad code to wasting time on insignificant matters. Not that I regret doing what I did, but quite the opposite of that. Everybody makes mistakes but what distinguishes us is whether we learn from them or not. In this article, I’ll give you tips to avoid repeating the mistakes I did.

1. Pick one thing and focus on it
In programming, It can be challenging to decide what to do. Should I do front-end or back-end? Should I do Web or App? JavaScript or Python? It can be disorienting to conclude what to pick. I would personally suggest that you start with the basics, understand how the computer works and somewhat have a general idea of how the internet operates. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with these concepts, you should learn HTML and CSS as you will most likely use these two frequently regardless of what field you pick.

2. Don’t waste time on Tutorials
This is without a doubt, one of the most commonly practiced mistakes beginners make. You search for a tutorial on youtube and nearly every video claims to take you from zero to hero. Well I don’t deny the possibility of this claim, it’s just that watching a programming tutorial on youtube is no different from watching ‘’how to make pizza ‘’ if you won’t attempt to cook it.
You need to apply what you’ve learned in a tutorial in a real-life project to retain the knowledge.

3. Build Something !!
Well, chances are you are not Linus Torvalds or Tim Berners. But I still can’t emphasize enough on building projects. It doesn’t have to be Netflix or Facebook. Just build something. This is the most effective strategy you can implement, it will make you think and challenge your brain. Don’t give up when you run into a brick wall of errors, errors are inevitable. Google possible solutions, scroll through stack-overflow, use chatGPT, and take a break but don’t give up. Once the bugs are fixed you will get the dopamine hit and even have the confidence to conquer the world.

4. Ask For Help
You’ll encounter obstacles and difficulties along the way. It might be programming-related, personal, or even mental. It’s always important to take good care of your well-being and not rot yourself in hell. Make sure that you do not burden yourself with matters you can’t control. Find a mentor who can guide you throughout your journey and show you the way forward.

5. Don’t compare yourself with others
Everyone is special in a different way. Your friends might be quicker at grasping concepts faster than you, some might be good with communication skills and land a job before you. But let that not bother you at all. Always remain consistent, sharpen your skills, and iterate over and over again until you become good at what you do.
What are the odds that you’re the future of something big??

And there you go, five tips on how to improve yourself and become a better programmer. I hope these tips will help you throughout your journey.