How to learn to code while studying at university
No matter what you are majoring in at college or university, there will always be a need to develop other skills and vocational areas of expertise. Whether you want to learn something for pleasure, or something to fall back on as a ‘plan B’ if your original ambitions don’t work out as planned, taking a side interest in something else is massively important.
Coding and programming are essential skills which are becoming ever more critical in today’s digital age. Whether you want to develop apps, new programs for a variety of business purposes, or want to create new games and tools, coding is essential, but it takes time and effort to learn effectively.
Prioritize your tasks
This one is hugely important: both your university education and coding skills are massively necessary, but you’ll have to think carefully at specific points which need to come first. You can continue your coding and programming studies at any point in life (or even during the summer holidays etc.)… but your university degree isn’t going to last forever, and needs to be completed by a specific date. Don’t skip classes to focus on coding, don’t let your college work pile up, and don’t hesitate to prepare your academic writing on time. But if you do find yourself needing help, figure out the situation in a smart way: lots of students decide to ask for help on academic (or so-called essay writing services) websites, where experienced writers can assist you on a decent price.
Be scheduled, be flexible
Given that you’re studying full time, it may feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to split your hours between your college work and your coding. However, by setting up strict schedules, having plenty of self-discipline, and sticking to your timetables, you can create the flexibility which will allow you to do both.
Ensure you’re going to bed at a reasonable hour, and waking up bright and early each day to fit everything in. Create a routine which allows you to split your time successfully – for example, between 8 am and 4 pm, you can have your student hat on, and then you can dedicate the rest of the day to tinkering about with your HTML and programming platforms. Remember to have the flexibility to be able to break your routine from time to time, too, as there will be days when one thing will need to take priority over another.
Find a support network
Perhaps some of your friends, roommates or course buddies are into coding as well. If so, great! You can call them when you need help out with a particularly tricky bit of programming. If not, you’ll be able to find vast networks of coders online, as well as plenty of freelancers out there who’ll be more than happy to chip in and take over for you when you’re just too busy to do it all yourself.
Use the best resources
Every good coder needs a wealth of excellent resources and learning tools at their disposal, and by seeking out the best, you can save yourself loads of time and bother which might be wasted on outdated or unsatisfactory information. Do a bit of research, take a look at the reviews and thoughts of other coders, and choose your resources carefully.
Luckily, there are mountains of free educational resources online for coders, which can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Sites like CodeSchool, Codecademy, and Tutsplus have all been highly recommended, but feel free to ask around and figure out which are the best for your needs.
1. Codecademy
Codecademy is an online educational platform that can teach you the base of coding by showing you entertaining videos. It also has some educational content for more advanced learners. The coolest thing about Codecademy is that this source provides you with free courses. In that way, you’re able to discover their approach to learning proses for free. And after some time that decides whether you’re interested in continuing your studying in Codecademy.
Talking about the disadvantages of this platform, unfortunately, Codecademy doesn’t provide you with certificates after finishing your course. In spite of this Codecademy is a great way to start your education.
2. Khan Academy
Khan Academy is considered to be one of the biggest platforms where you have opportunity to learn various topics starting from math and chemistry finishing by studying the History of Art. Recently they launched their Computer programming course, which already became well recognized among online students. Taking this course, you are able to learn how programming works and even create animation on your own laptop. All of it is for free. So, you can start your education right away!
3. Coursera
This platform offers to its users free online courses such as Code Yourself, Programming for Everybody and more. In Coursera you have a chance to choose from a lot of types of programs and pick the one that fits your needs.
4. W3Schools
W3Schools is the best choice for starters. If you find yourself interested in starting your online education proses, from scratch, the W3Schools is your choice. This educational platform provides tones of samples for all topics they have, while you’re starting your acquaintance with languages in the world of coding.