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My uncle told me to skip learning JavaScript and go straight to Python
Back when I started coding about 3 years ago, my uncle who works at some IT place told me JavaScript was a waste of time for a beginner. He said Python was the only thing worth learning because it's easier and more jobs ask for it. So I spent 6 months doing Python tutorials and building little scripts. Then I tried to make a simple website and realized I had no idea how anything actually works on the front end. Every job posting I looked at wanted JavaScript too, not just Python. Now I'm stuck relearning JavaScript from scratch while my friend who started with it is already building stuff. Has anyone else gotten bad advice from a family member that set them back months?
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victor_robinson1mo ago
That thing about "give yourself permission to be a beginner again" hits hard, because I think that's the part people don't talk about enough. @fiona_west21, when you started with Python and then branched out, how long did it actually take you to get comfortable enough in the second language to build something real? I'm three weeks into relearning JavaScript and every time I hit the DOM stuff my brain just wants to go back to the Python scripts I already know how to write.
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hill.margaret1mo ago
Switched to JavaScript after two years of Python and it took me a good three months before I felt like I could actually build something that wasn't just a rewrite of something I'd already done. The DOM part is the hardest because it's a totally different way of thinking about code than just running scripts. What helped me was building a tiny project that did something I actually wanted, like a button that changed the background color based on user input. That small win made the beginner feeling worth it because I finally understood why Python and JavaScript do things differently. You're not learning from scratch, you're just learning a new way to get the same job done. Give yourself three months minimum before you start judging your progress.
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fiona_west211mo ago
Start with Python yourself and then branch out, that's what worked for me. JavaScript isn't a waste for a beginner, it teaches you how the web actually works from the ground up. Take it from someone who's seen a lot of fresh grads crash and burn because they only knew one language. You're not starting from zero here, those Python basics about loops and variables will transfer over way faster than you think. Just give yourself permission to be a beginner again for a month or two, it happens to pretty much everyone.
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