Okay, so yesterday I was digging through this dusty folder labeled “New Coder Stuff” on my laptop, right? Found some Python scripts I wrote ages ago when I was just starting. Man, looking at that code… felt like watching a baby deer tryna walk. So. Many. Typos. Like, I wrote prin(“hello”) for a solid week before someone yelled at me. Got me thinking: how do you even know what strings you should be using when you’re brand new?
Stumbling Through My Old Code
Started scrolling through those old files. Realized half the struggle was just remembering the right words. Stuff like knowing the difference between input() and raw_input() (yeah, this was Python 2, oof), or when to use triple quotes. Felt like guessing every five seconds. Needed a system.
What Even IS Beginner String Recommendation?
Basically? It’s just keeping a cheat sheet of super common bits of text you use when coding – especially when learning. Like saving snippets of frequent strings:
- Basic print statements
- Common function names
- Formatting templates (f-strings!)
- Boilerplate code chunks
You don’t need fancy tools. I just opened a new text file and started dumping stuff I kept rewriting. Called it . Real boring name, I know.
My Half-Assed Setup & Why It Saved Hours
Grabbed my old beginner project – a terrible number guessing game. Made a list:
- guess = int(input(“Enter guess: “))
- “Too high! Try again.”
- random_number = *(1, 10)
Past that into *. Then every time I started typing something familiar, I’d peek at the file instead of trying to remember syntax or spelling. Instant 50% fewer errors. Seriously, saved me from smashing my keyboard so many times.
The Wake-Up Call Moment
Here’s the kicker: why do it NOW? ’Cause two months ago my nephew asked me to teach him coding. Kid’s 12. First thing he does? Types prnt instead of print. Five times. In a row. I laughed… then realized I wasted weeks doing the exact same crap years ago.
That’s why you start this Day 1. Don’t muscle memory bad habits. Build a stupid little list instead. Ain’t magic, just stops you from drowning in simple mistakes while you learn bigger things.
My Embarrassing “Too Proud” Phase
Thing is? I thought keeping recommendations was lazy. “Real coders remember syntax!” Total nonsense. I got fired from my first junior dev gig because I kept shipping bugs from typos in common strings. Boss said my code was like “reading broken Morse code.” Took getting canned to realize: practical beats pride every time.
Started fresh jobs with my * file. Mistakes went down. Confidence went up. Didn’t magically make me a pro, but let me focus on actual logic instead of hunting semicolons. Feels dumb typing out “enter your name” every dang time, man.
So yeah. Make the list. Save the boring strings. Future you will high-five past you.
