I've just started my CS degree and my first course is intro to Java. One word to define the class is "gibberish". I literally do not understand a single thing in how to code. I understand everything when the professor explains it and I can tell what a code does by looking at it but the second I get asked to actually write something myself I don't know where to start. I blank out after public.

tl;dr Can read code but not write it.

My question is, how the hell do people become pro's and go work at Google just by learning it themselves. Do they watch YouTube tutorials day in and day out? Read Java books?
Seriously I'm curious to know how people with no academic help manage to become programming Gods.

This question is easy - everybody learns different. When it comes to programming every time your learn something it becomes a tool you can use. The more you use it, the less likely you are to forget it. You really do not need academic help to become good at programming, i had it but you don't need it. All academic help really does is force you to sit down and practice programming. The people who become good without academic help practice on their own, they think of something they want to do , they learn how to do it by google, youtube videos, books, etc, then they do it. In school it is the same process, the teacher thinks of something for you to do, teaches you the way they want you to do it (which google can teach you probably just as well), then you do it.

When i first started programming and whenever i learn a new language i always start with the basics.. Input / output and then go from there.

Hope this helps.

Java is one of those things that just starts clicking eventually. The more program you write the better you will get.
Start small.... make a bunch of simple programs that do things like printing different words for every number you enter or ask for your name and print a greeting.
As you do more you do of these, you'll start to almost subconsciously type out declarations or class/method headers.

Java books can help, especially with vocabulary and underlying concepts, but I learn more by reading code on StackTrace or other comparable websites.

If you look up an answer online, take time to understand what it is doing, don't just copy and paste it. And even after you understand it, DONT COPY AND PASTE IT, actually type it out line for line. It sticks better this way.

Java is quite verbose in my opinion.

I graduate this semester as a Comp Sci major, we started with Python and then switched to C/C++.

C is great because I guess you can learn it in a single day? But I wouldn't touch it until you've taken some other Comp Sci classes.

As for words to cheer you up, take other classes in your major, these will help you understand better.

Think of it like this.

You have a problem that you want to solve.

If you were to build a house, you would assume to use a hammer, nails, and specific sizes of materials etc.

Programming language is a tool. As you get better, this language becomes a toolbox, as in, within the language, as you learn concepts, algorithms, computer data structures these concepts you learn become your tools to solve problems efficiently.

Also, the thing about Computer Science degrees is that you will find you are 1 of 3 types of students.
1) You understanding everything being taught in your comp sci curriculum but can't actually code
2) You understand things but do not have an A because you are learning how to code and how this applies to real world scenarios outside of classes
3) You are just lost.

What you want to do after graduations should determine if you should go 1 or 2.

This post was edited by ArtofApocalypse on Mar 13 2016 06:37pm

Practice practice practice.

read your textbook
about 75% of the wannabes drop out of the cs program
READ YOUR TEXTBOOK

and i dont mean read your book like turn the pages ACTUALLY READ THE BOOK if something doesnt make sense then you need to go back 5 pages because you missed something and READ IT AGAIN FOR UNDERTANDING

This post was edited by Ideophobe on Mar 19 2016 08:02pm