Well I'm starting back at college again

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges and experiences of returning to college, particularly in the context of learning visual programming and related courses. Participants share their feelings of being overwhelmed, provide encouragement, and discuss strategies for coping with the demands of coursework.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty with visual programming, feeling lost and overwhelmed.
  • Another participant shares their own experience of returning to college after a break, suggesting that maturity can enhance learning effectiveness.
  • There are suggestions for utilizing peer study groups to gain insights and support in learning programming.
  • Some participants highlight the enjoyment of programming through "A-ha!" moments and the satisfaction of finding efficient coding solutions.
  • One participant mentions the challenge of having classes only once a week, which may hinder retention of material.
  • Another participant expresses optimism about their learning experience, indicating a willingness to seek help from friends in the field.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express a mix of encouragement and personal experiences, but there is no consensus on the best approach to learning programming or the challenges faced. Multiple perspectives on the experience of returning to college and learning programming coexist.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention the potential for varying levels of difficulty in programming courses and the impact of class frequency on learning retention. There is also a recognition of the subjective nature of learning experiences.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals returning to college, particularly those studying programming or technical subjects, may find the shared experiences and strategies relevant to their own situations.

mcknia07
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Wow, never thought this would be hard but I'm not enjoying it. Ugh... Visual programming, it looks so complicated to me. Maybe soon it will make since to me.
 
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how old are you?
 
I'm 22, not that I'm old but I feel lost. I took a few quarters off from school because of working so much overtime
 
Buck up, Mcknia! You can do it.

I left college after my junior year to earn more money. After a couple of years in construction, I managed to go back for another semester taking tech/engineering courses mostly, and it was a breeze. The extra maturity put me head-and shoulders above my younger classmates. Plus, instead of pursuing a piece of paper, I was taking courses that I felt would enhance my value as an employee in soil sciences, materials inspection, etc. That was real freedom!

Are there peer study-groups at your school? Can you use them to tap into the insights of others in your classes? Programming is not really tough - but it can be grueling if you have to write and troubleshoot thousands of lines of code under a deadline. Having a peer-group to bounce ideas off (and share back with them) is a nice way to get insights into some stuff that might have eluded you so far.
 
Yay, mck! Best wishes.
 
mcknia07 said:
I'm 22
Visual programming is older than you are. Congratulations, and keep us up to date on your progress.
 
In my experience, learning a programming language results in a very high number of "A-ha!" moments per hour. In that regard, it's kind of fun. Lots of sitting and staring at a screen, though.
 
lisab said:
In my experience, learning a programming language results in a very high number of "A-ha!" moments per hour. In that regard, it's kind of fun. Lots of sitting and staring at a screen, though.
Learning little tricks and traps in programming is the fun part. If you can come up with some slick work-arounds that save you lots of lines of code, that is JOY!
 
Yay! I just finished my first full semester back and holiday class ends after tonight.

It's harder than I imagined it would be, so don't get discouraged.
 
  • #10
So happy for you Mcknia! You'll do great.
 
  • #11
Are you taking C++ 101? I thought that might be a funny name for a course.
 
  • #12
It's the basic stuff for now. If I like it that much then I may do the C++. I had never even heard of this stuff. It sounds more confusing than it really is. I'm loving it! I have few friends that do this for a living. I may get them to help if I really need it.
 
  • #13
We only have class once a week, so it will be hard to remember some stuff

I know I'm not that old, but it seems like a lot to take in with such little time to do so
 
  • #14
Good luck, mcknia!
 
  • #15
Thanks everyone! It's pretty fun! I just hope I feel smarter soon... this stuff is kind of tough
 

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