Programming

I'm an old man and having trouble in my C++ class at college.
I always do terrible on the in-class tests but wonderful on homework assignments. It's remembering all the coding that gets me! Any advice from you creative type youngsters would be very much appreciated!

1. Keep an open mind!

2. Sometimes the answer is right infront of your nose.. When you feel stumped, step back, relax, have a beer <or a soda > and look at it your problem from another angle.

3. Ask your friends! And us <since we're your friends too>!!

4. Computer code is logic based.. it follows a strict guideline.. some of those guidelines can be flexed, however, depending on what you are doing.. You can think of most coding like speaking.. if you can form a sentence then you can write a program.. You just need to learn a new way of saying what you want to do! Like this:
that's just saying "If I'm awake between the hours of 8AM and 11PM then don't worry.. but if I'm still up before or after those hours then I need to get to sleep! Now that code probably doesn't work as I haven't tried it.. but you get the idea..

5. Search engines are your friend! google is a big friend of mine

6. Listen to music when you code, and something you like but won't be too distracted by.. I like to listen to Techno or other instrumental music like Jazz when I code..

7. Don't stress.. coding isn't hard.. it's just that we make it hard on ourselves.. sometimes the easiest solution is the best one..

8. I believe in the K.I.S.S. method when it comes to almost everything.. don't take offense to this, but it stands for keep it simple stupid Simple is good.. don't try to make it complex at first.. just make it work!

I'm sure I have some others but I just can't think of em right now..

Thank you nicat23 for a most encouraging reply! I was beginning to wonder if anyone out there really cared. Your advice is much appreciated!

Any time! I always like to voice my opinion and to help when I can.. Just remember everyone here who reads is a resource that you can use to help ya! There are lots of brilliant minds out there.. Just keep hoping for the best, that's what I recomend

what really sucks about being a 'newbie' coder, is that you always find ways to improve your code, and will constantly be finding yourself going back through your code doing updates,... hehehehe

Yeah.. but eventually everyone gets better at that <hopefully anyway > and the updates come more and more easily, and you do alot less code revision..