Python Forum

Hi everyone,

I'm completely new to programming and currently learning Python. I really enjoy it, but I’m feeling overwhelmed by the amount of material I need to cover in just my first week at university. Here’s what I’m expected to learn:

Variable types (int, float, str, bool)
Conditional statements (if, elif, else)
Data structures – lists ([])
Loops (for, while)
Dictionaries ({key: value})
String operations (e.g., .upper(), .replace(), .split())
Reading and writing files (open(), read(), write())
Exceptions and error handling (try, except)
I understand that everyone learns at their own pace—some pick things up faster, while others need more time. But I’m struggling with loops and lists at the moment. I enjoy learning, and I can see my progress, but it feels like my brain just can’t process so much information in only a week. Everything is starting to mix together in my head.

On top of that, I know that next week, we’ll be covering Functions, Tracebacks, List Comprehensions, Modules, Packages, and more, which makes me even more anxious. The pace just feels too fast—at least for me.

So my question is: Realistically, how much time does it take for a beginner to learn these topics properly? Is one week enough? Or is it normal to feel lost in the beginning?

I’m starting to wonder if coding just isn’t for me, but I really want to give it a fair chance. Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance! 😊

Hi nedreV and good luck with your learning Python.

One week is very short. For me the fastest introduction is the official Python tutorial which I strongly recommend. I think it will teach you something about all the topics that you mentioned.

The hardest part in learning a new language is to become familiar with existing libraries, and more specifically with Python's standard library. This cannot be done in one week. Several months will be necessary before you feel at ease with it. The link to the library's documentation search page will be your best friend for a while.