Time division for a high school student

You Can Do This!
#1

Since 2 days I have started Harvard’s CS50, I’m loving it, in fact, I’ve already completed the lectures of week 0 and week 1 and the problem sets for both weeks. I’m a high school student and in my resolutions for the year, I’ve got a resolution to complete JavaScript and Data Structures(right now in Basic Algorithmic Scripting), and Front End Libraries within the first quarter of the year. I code practically all the time I’m free, but I just finished the final part of CS50’s week 1 problem set this morning, and since my exams start tomorrow (no worries because I am very confident and I am able to answer questions I ask myself and I am very clear), I decided to do some freecodecamp challenges and I am all of a sudden finding it difficult to do JavaScript, I assume because I have just been working with C for a fair deal of time this morning, and most of yesterday when it wasn’t my time for school studies, and I really cannot remember how to do things very well and all my brain is catching is the procedure but it cannot recall the specific keywords or anything of that sort very well(I assume because in C you do a lot of stuff yourself instead of having methods like high level languages and hence I cannot recall stuff very well). Also, after my exams and finishing CS50 should I re-start JavaScript and Data Structures.?

I could absolutely do with some advice on time management.

#2

Hi @Brijesh!

I am glad that you are enjoying cs50. It is a great course.

I think you should focus solely on cs50 and take a short break from javascript.
I did that with the first 5 weeks of the course and then returned to javascript.

I think it is best to focus all of your energy and time into a course (at least for the first few weeks) then return to fcc.

You are young so there is no rush to learn this stuff.

So, this question of time management comes up alot on the forum.

The best advice I can give is to be highly intentional about the time you are given and come up with a schedule that you can consistently stick with.

In my situation, I am learning how to code and running an online business so I have to be highly intentional and productive about my time.

I write down the top three priorities that I have to do every single day for the business.
Then I have my regular schedule of coding activities like algorithm practice, building fcc projects/fcc lessons, and working on personal project.

Then the remainder of the day can be spent on miscellaneous activities like running errands, reading articles, participating on the forum, etc.

So just come up with a consistent schedule and set small goals for yourself.

Hope that helps!

#3

Thank you. Yes, I think I should be more intentional of my time. Also, given that I’m spending a lot of my free time in writing code, I think it is sort of making me less serious about it. I also need to be more conscious about my learning productivity, i don’t want to spend a lot of time and get nowhere, I want to do more in less time. I’ll try to manage my time better. I don’t think I am too young to be coding, Ali Abdaal is a productivity YouTubed I am heavily inspired by, he started at the age of 11, I’m 13. My friend is experienced in C++,Python and Linux Command Line since 1.75 years, plus, I will not be able to make much time in the future because the higher I get in my years at school, the more difficult it will become to program. I don’t expect my future self to be able to handle the stress of my present self’s procrastination other than his own. I want to know in what light do you and most other people see programming, not as the thing itself, but when they see it as a part of their everyday activities.

#4

I never said you were to young to code.
I think you just misunderstand what I meant by this line here

Take your time with the course and if you need to take a break from javascript for a while while you focus on c that is fine. Because of your age you can afford to take a break from javascript for a little bit because you are not running out and getting a full time web dev job in the next few months.

Not just in your school years but once you become an adult you will have to learn how to balance life responsibilities with work responsibilities.

It is important to learn this lesson now.

Ask yourself, “If I only had an hour to code everyday, how can I be productive in that one hour?”

Cause that can add up over time.

For me, it is all about solving problems.

I like to be a problem solver.

So if I can build software applications, even small apps, that make someone’s life a little bit easier than it makes me feel good.

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