As a computer science undergraduate in Indonesia, I’m also self-taught and love to learn various things. Early on, I noticed an unfortunate gap: the curriculum at university often pales in comparison to the skills needed in the real world. Despite a good GPA, I found myself struggling to meet the demands of the tech industry.

That struggle led me on a journey of self-discovery, exploring countless courses and videos. Along the way, I found a few gems that truly made a difference.

Three Resources That Changed Me for The Better

Here are the three learning resources that I personally believe were most impactful in leveling up my skills. It goes like:

1. Harvard CS50

What if you could take the exact same introductory Computer Science class taught at Harvard University, for free, right from your bedroom? That’s not a dream; that’s CS50.

CS50 is a full-course, taught at Harvard and Yale University that covers algorithms, data structures, web development, and much more. It’s freely accessible on Youtube via the CS50 channel, introducing you to computer science essentials.

2. The Odin Project

Full-stack development is still one of the most in-demand fields in tech, and in my opinion, there is no better free resource to master it than The Odin Project (TOP).

Unlike typical video courses, TOP operates on a simple but powerful philosophy: you learn by building. This open-source curriculum doesn’t just give you the answers; it guides you through building a portfolio of impressive, real-world projects from scratch. You’ll learn how to read documentation and solve problems exactly like a professional developer does every day. By the end of the path, you won’t just understand concepts—you’ll have the skills and the projects to prove it.

3. Frontend Mentor

We’ve all been there: you want to build a project to showcase your skills, but coming up with a good design is a huge roadblock. We’re developers, not designers, after all. This is exactly the problem Frontend Mentor was created to solve.

The platform provides you with professional, real-world UI designs for projects ranging from simple components to complex, multi-page applications. Your challenge is to bring these designs to life with code, matching them as closely as possible. It’s the perfect environment to sharpen your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript skills while building projects that will look stunning in your portfolio.

In summary, those are the three resources that truly changed the game for me. CS50 provided the foundational knowledge I was missing, The Odin Project taught me how to think and build like a real developer, and Frontend Mentor gave me the confidence to tackle professional-grade designs.

Transitioning from academic theory to real-world application is a struggle, but it’s a journey you don’t have to take alone. These resources can be your guide, just as they were for me. Keep pushing, keep building, and never stop being curious.