Week 1 Learning Journal – CST338

This week marks the beginning of my journey in CST338, and wow — it’s been quite an introduction! The first week always feels like a whirlwind, and this one was no exception. There’s a lot to take in — new materials, tools, and expectations — and I’ve spent a good amount of time just getting familiar with everything.

One thing that really stood out to me was the CodingBat section. It’s such an interesting way to practice Java problems and brush up on basic concepts. At first, it looked simple, but once I started solving them, I realized it was more challenging than I expected. I think part of that comes from the fact that I’m much more comfortable with Python than Java. The syntax and structure feel different, so it took me some time to switch gears mentally.

To get through the exercises, I relied not only on the tutorial videos provided in the course but also spent quite a few hours on YouTube and Google looking up examples and explanations. It was a bit frustrating at first — I’d write something that made sense in Python, only to realize it doesn’t work the same way in Java! But after some trial and error, things started clicking little by little.

Looking back, I actually feel proud of the progress I made this week. Even though it took extra effort, I learned a lot, not just about coding in Java, but also about being patient with myself while learning something new. It reminded me that struggling a bit in the beginning is completely normal — and often a sign that growth is happening.

Overall, it’s been a challenging but really rewarding first week. I’m excited (and a little nervous) to see what comes next, but I’m ready to keep going and build on what I’ve learned so far.