Date Published: 05/03/2025
Topics: Programming
This blog post is a reflection on the beginning of my programming journey. I wanted to share with you how I got started, how I began learning, and offer some personal tips and advice for anyone looking to start their own path in programming.
It was summer in 2023, and I found myself attending an open event at Bournemouth and Poole College. At that time, my life was really difficult for me. I had struggled during my first year at sixth form and the break leading into it, and due to some personal issues, I was planning on leaving as soon as possible. The struggles weren’t academic—I am studious and my content shows this—instead they were personal things that were linked to there which made it feel like if I were to go on would negatively affect me. I wasn’t certain what to do however, after talking it through with a few people. It seemed the best thing to do was to think about transitioning to mainstream college to fully dive into tech.
I attended the event that day and this day helped to solidify my career path. I didn’t wander around the college to look at the other sectors however, I was immediately drawn to tech. I chatted to a few different people that day then I came across one of the tutors for the “Gateway to Digital” and I engaged in conversation with the tutor. Although, it started out mainly talking about the course, it then took a turn when I asked about the coding aspects of the courses. This turned out to be one of the best tangents of my life; she gave me some great knowledge on how to get started. She recommended to me some sites where I can do some courses, for example, Codecademy and SoloLearn. Then for tools, just Visual Studio Code; however, I did learn how to use Git and Github at a later date. If it weren’t for this tangent my journey into programming would of been delayed so, going to this event is something I was really grateful for happening.
So, from that day onward I slowly started to develop my skillset in programming, because not only was I wanting to go into cyber security—specifically, the red-teaming side where programming comes in useful.
I first dived into SoloLearn; the best way I can describe this app is it’s like Duolingo. Except, it doesn’t have an owl bug you all hours of the day when you don’t want to use it. But in reality, its actual difference is it teaches you programming languages with its format. This format I already found engaging with Duolingo so, I found it just as engaging on here as well. Even before starting I felt like I was able to retain information and make time for it every day; after all, I had the motivation to go and improve my life significantly.
The first course I took on was “Introduction To Python”. I chose this one because I always heard on TikTok about it being one of the top programming languages plus, it is very beginner-friendly. I spent hours if possible going through the lessons. I would write down notes on everything—all the concepts, every syntax and function. I felt like nothing was too small to write down. This then proved to be useful later on when I had to take a hiatus, which I detail in a bit. I then stored these notes in a Notion database, which then became the basis for my code planning hub and for easy access.
Completing this first course felt like a major milestone for me. When I did free courses in school and sixth form, they didn’t feel as good to complete because they didn’t give anything to say I did them and they weren’t forced on me. While I scaled one mountain peak, there were many more to go yet. Completing this course was just the start, but in order to truly learn programming you need to build your own projects. So, we enter my first projects. At first, I wasn’t sure what to create, but I knew I had to start simple. I built a basic Rock, Paper, Scissors game and a password generator. They were nothing groundbreaking, but they were functional. These are able to be found on my Github profile.
I then decided to branch out and learn more. I felt like getting a feel for web development so, I decided to learn HTML and CSS. I even tipped my toes into C++. My pace was breakneck, and my mental health was slightly improving despite the pressures and what was about to happen. What happened was my revision schedules and life got in the way; unfortunately, this meant I couldn’t relax like I needed to, let alone code. It was frustrating at the time, but I had to put programming on hold for a little bit. But the work was worth it for the grades.
Once the exams were over, though, I got straight back into coding. But I lost momentum and it felt like starting over from scratch. Luckily I had a foundation which allowed me to recover: my notes and projects. This then allowed me to bounce back almost instantly. Thanks in terms to the knowledge base I built in Notion, I was back making projects in no time at all.
One great thing to highlight coming out of this was my resilience. I discovered for myself how I am able to get back on track when the going got tough. While even now when I am faced with problems from anything really, I look beyond that to make struggles worth it despite how bad they get. At the end of the day I want to be the bigger person.
If you’re thinking about getting started with coding, do it. Seriously, throw yourself into it—you will not regret it. Although, the world of programming can feel intimidating at first, especially when you’re standing at the gates without a clue as to where to go. Trust me on this, when you do start to write your first lines of code it will start making sense. I’ve already mentioned of the platforms I used, SoloLearn, which is amazing for beginners to get started as it breaks up lessons into small, bite-sized pieces.
On the other hand, another great platform I recommend is Codecademy. While SoloLearn focuses on more micro-lessons and gamified learning, Codecademy is a more structured and course-like experience. It’s useful for if you want to go beyond the basics for example, if you want to learn JavaScript frameworks like React, back-end development, and more general tech-related courses like for Git. Just to let you know, while you can access a lot of it for free, you do not get any certificates unless you have a subscription and some content is also locked behind this.
Now, once you’ve started learning the basics, it’s incredibly important to move beyond just following tutorials. You are going to have to start building your own projects, no matter how small or simple they seem. These projects are where real learning happens and where you will build experience. When you do begin building, one of the most valuable tools you can use is an IDE (Integrated Development Environment). I can’t stress this enough: working in an actual IDE like Visual Studio Code will help you get used to the kind of environment real developers work in. It’s way more efficient than trying to code in a notes app or basic text editor, because it will notify you of errors and help you format and test your code.
Alongside your IDE, I highly recommend learning how to use Git and GitHub as early as possible and not waiting to do so like me. These tools aren’t just for storing your code; they’re used for version control, backup, and collaboration. They also give you a place to show off your projects to the public. Because if you ever want to pursue a job in tech, having a well-maintained GitHub profile can seriously boost your chances. Even if you’re not looking for a job right now, just having a record of your progress and projects is super motivating and shows people you know what you are doing.
One piece of advice I would like to give you: your personal projects count as experience. Every single little thing you do with your project is valuable. Don’t wait for someone to give you permission or a job to start coding, just start. You will end up learning more in the long run, as opposed to staying in tutorial hell.
To anyone out there who is thinking about embarking on this journey, I wish you the best of luck. While it might not always be easy, the journey in my time has been worth it. Please stay curious, patient and don’t be afraid to fail; after all it doesn’t mean you’re bad, it just gives you something to work on. I hope your journey does wonders for you, like it has with me and then some.