Struggling to transition from understanding code to building it

[u/verystressedpotato]

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Hey everyone,

I’m currently studying Computer Science and hitting a bit of a wall that I’m hoping to get some advice on.

My main issue right now is that when I look at C# code or follow along in lectures, I can understand what the code is doing. But when I sit down at a blank editor and try to build something from scratch,especially with Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts,I just freeze up and don't know how to translate my thoughts into actual code.

On top of that, I have ADHD, so keeping focus and structuring my practice when I'm stuck can be pretty challenging. I really want to take this seriously and build a genuinely strong foundation in software development, but I'm not entirely sure how to train my brain to bridge that gap between reading code and actually constructing it.

If anyone has dealt with the blank editor hurdle, struggled with OOP logic, or found focus strategies for coding with ADHD, I would really appreciate any advice, study habits, or learning methods that worked for you.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

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[u/armahillo]

Are you given practice exercises and are you doing them?

[u/No-Course-735]

I'm not an expert on this matter but study alot, the best way that comes to mind is solving practice problems. They give you orientation and you will find ones that are practical in your daily life. Solving a lot of those can really give you a solud toolbox to get creative later.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Ad-9181]

You need to change your focus into questions and problem solving. You should know what you want. To build and then find the sources to learn. The learning is driven by what you want to solve. Programming starts from an objective. I am to model the temp, pressur, air density , viscosity of our atmosphere. Notice it has nothing to do with code. Then you start the modeling . Then you ask yourself how do I write a function that gives me temp as a function of altitude. Etc. same with an app. You the app to do this and that. No coding required. Programmers should be able to write any app or program with a language they have never seen before because they know the basic concepts of what's possible with programming and they know what they want. So devise something you want to build first then start asking questions how you do the details.

[u/Excellent-Library779]

I will assume that you have a problem in front of you. Try getting a pencil and paper and setting a 5-minute timer, and during that 5 minutes write down how you would solve the problem. Write step-by-step instructions in a way that you will understand. Stop when the timer is done.

Then, set a new timer (longer this time, as long as you can tolerate) and implement the plan, step-by-step.

[u/IncredibleBihan]

Bro said, when I set down to a blank page I freeze up lmao welcome to every devs nightmare. Remember, you chose this path.

[u/IncredibleBihan]

Also... for what it's worth, as your continue to build your career, you'll learn things along the way that you'd wouldn't have ever known otherwise. Maybe you spend some time earlier on building styling scheets, so you don't have to deal with it later, or what4ever your preference is. The other piece of advise I might (reluctantly) empart- Maybe try a LLM?