Transcription
If you were to start learning Python, where would you begin? I remember I started learning Python 6 years ago. Only after 3 years did I feel confident in my skills. Therefore, looking back, I realize that all of this could have been learned in just 3 months, without making the mistakes I made. That's why in this video, I want to tell you about the mistakes you shouldn't make and what you need to consider to quickly learn Python.
Python is one of the simplest programming languages, which is why many beginners start with it, because it is very simple. In fact, even without knowing the Python programming language, you can easily understand the logic of a program just by looking at it. That's why it's so easy to start with. The very first step that many beginners face is, of course, installing Python and the language interpreter. It's important to understand that the installation is not as simple as it seems. You need to follow a specific algorithm. Each step means something, and you need to approach this choice consciously. That's why I suggest doing it by following a video online.
The second step is to install an interpreter. Yes, you can, of course, program from PyCharm itself, but in reality, it's not very convenient. It's best to install an interpreter right away. You can install either Visual Studio Code or PyCharm. PyCharm is mentioned in the video above. The choice is yours, whichever is more convenient for you. PyCharm is mainly used for the Python language, while Visual Studio Code is for any other languages, including Python. Therefore, if you plan to work not only with Python, it's better to consider Visual Studio Code. And if you are going to work deeply with Python, then it's better to consider PyCharm.
Once you have decided on a tool, you can start learning the basics. But when choosing a course, you get lost. Is it worth spending time on this course at all? Will I learn the right things? Many questions arise, so you need to approach this topic very carefully. To learn Python, you need to know first, data types, data collections, then Python constructs, and of course, OOP classes, as well as the basic concepts of the Python language. DRY, don't repeat yourself, SOLID, PEP 8. You must know these.
Also, pay attention to reviews and comments, because the materials are not always explained in a way that is understandable enough for beginners. Therefore, in the initial stages, you need to choose a concise course to quickly grasp the language. And by sticking to long courses, you might lose motivation to continue studying the course, because, for example, one topic, strings, might stretch for 10 lessons. Therefore, you should choose a concise but well-founded course. So, start small, and once you master the basics, you can move on to more in-depth learning.
After mastering the Python basics, you need to decide where to go next. This is not mandatory, of course, but it will greatly simplify your work in the future. Therefore, you can choose directions such as analytics, web development, or testing. All of these are quite interesting. You should figure out what your heart desires. That's why it's so important to understand as early as possible where you want to go. Because if you start grabbing onto this, then that, then that, you'll realize that you simply won't have enough time and energy for everything. Therefore, it's better to first ask yourself, what do I want next?
For example, I loved to draw, but for some reason, when I started learning Python, I thought it would be cool to become an analyst. So I worked and worked, and in the end, I realized that I didn't like it. I don't want to dig into data so much. It doesn't bring me joy. And I realized that I actually want to be a web developer. Therefore, if you suddenly want to become a web developer, you need to consider directions such as learning Flask, Django, or FastAPI. You can watch breakdowns of these frameworks on YouTube or other platforms.
If you are interested in areas like machine learning, analytics, artificial intelligence, then you need to look into the NumPy and Pandas libraries. If you want to develop games in Python, then you need to look into the Pygame library. If you want to become a tester, then you should study libraries like Pytest. If you are interested in creating bots, then Telebot is also a very interesting direction.
Of course, mastering Python is not everything. Even when you have decided on your future actions, made plans for the future, and chosen a course, you might be watching lectures, looking at videos, and thinking that you are filling your brain with knowledge, and after some time, you will be able to do everything. When watching videos without practice, you will remember almost nothing. Your brain will simply discard it as unnecessary material. This is because it doesn't understand why you need this information, since you haven't applied it in any way. That's why practice is so important. Practice not by simply copying what the person says and does. No, that approach is very bad. You need to solve similar problems yourself. You need to try things yourself, experiment. That's how people become truly good programmers through experience.
Another example. A lesson has passed, and you start practicing. After some time, a week, you are no longer doing it. You have moved quite far from the course, and you have already forgotten some part. What's the point? The point is to try to explain the new topic to someone else. This way, information is absorbed much better. By explaining what you have just learned, you understand what you are lacking, what questions arise, and by trying to explain to another person, you learn the topic much more deeply than what you learned from the video.
Try to surround yourself with like-minded people. I understand that it's difficult to do this. For example, in real life, it's really hard to do, especially if you are not someone who learns with programmers. But you can do it online. There are many Telegram groups where people like you, beginners or those who are already continuing, ask questions and try to help each other. A community will help you overcome your first problems. Personally, in my experience, I didn't surround myself with like-minded people, and I actually regret it a lot because I had no one to ask, no one to ask for advice. And back then, of course, there were no ChatGPT or similar tools. I didn't always manage to find answers to the questions that arose. And now it's so easy to do. Just find any group on Telegram or subscribe to a like-minded person's YouTube channel. Therefore, definitely use this advice, because it will not harm you in the future, but only help.
Create a learning plan. What do I mean? Imagine you come to work and they ask you how many hours a day you are willing to dedicate to work. Usually, it's 8 hours, but when it comes to studying, you need to understand that it's advisable not to dedicate too much time, because the brain gets overloaded, and you still need time to think. Therefore, you need to create a plan. For example, you want to dedicate 5 hours a day to studying and have 2 days off. And you need to understand that besides this, you have other concerns. That's why I highly recommend not sitting and studying for 8 hours a day: "No, you will burn out very quickly." The most optimal is 4 to 5 hours a day. The most optimal, taking into account practice, problem-solving, and so on.
Keep an activity log. That is, for example, today you learned this, the next day you learned that. This will greatly help you track your progress in the future. Therefore, be sure to keep a diary and learn to stick to your plan.
Take notes. Lectures are associated with a negative connotation for us, actually. At least for me, because we were forced to write a lot, and much of it was unclear. Try to write lectures for yourself or track your activity. No, lectures will help you in the future. Yes, of course, you can type your question into the internet, you can type that question a thousand times, but if you read it in your lecture notes the same number of times, you will definitely remember it faster than constantly searching on the internet, because when creating your own lectures, you don't just rewrite what you were told in the video or course. You rephrase what you learned from the lesson in your own words. This will be much better. You don't need those incomprehensible, lofty terms. Try to understand what it actually means and write it down in simple language for yourself. This will help you many times more than just rewriting from the video.
Your motivation is the key to success. Without motivation, becoming a programmer will be very difficult and not easy. What do I mean? Imagine you started learning Python just because you wanted to. "I can do that too." And at the first difficulty, you realize, "Why should I solve this if I get nothing from it?" And you quit halfway. You find tasks that are really difficult for you. You simply don't see the motivation, "What am I doing this for? Why?" That's why it's so important to set yourself a motivation and pursue it, no matter what. Programming itself is not as easy as it seems. Becoming a programmer is not about sitting and sipping a coconut and looking at the sea. No, maybe that's possible, but it's a thorny path. That's why it's so important to understand what you truly want, why you want to learn programming, and what you are willing to do for your goal or dream. The higher the motivation, the easier it will be for you to overcome all difficulties.
It's important to understand that even a programmer's job often involves repetitive tasks. Not everywhere are there cool, interesting tasks. Often, there is bug fixing, patching these bugs. So you need to understand if you truly want this. No, I'm not discouraging you at all. I personally am passionate about this profession. I really enjoy working in this profession, and I understand that there were many difficulties. I still reached my goal. That's why I'm talking to you now and telling you how cool it is. So, set yourself a motivation, a goal, for which you are willing to overcome all these obstacles. Go towards your goal. Only then do we become better.
If I were learning Python now, it would take me 3 months instead of 3 years. It's important for you to understand the mistakes you are making and try not to repeat others'. I believe that after this video, you will not make my personal mistakes. So, learn and develop. You will succeed. Go towards your goal, no matter what. Share your experience in the comments, how you would learn now in 2025. And thank you for watching this video to the end. See you in the next videos. Yeah.