Help! C language almost drove me crazy, but I survived. I was really about to break down! Learning C language is simply torturing myself! Every time I open the IDE (Integrated Development Environment), my hands tremble because I know I will face a bunch of incomprehensible error messages. Those moments that drove me crazy: Pointers? I can’t even find the needle! The teacher said, “A pointer is an address,” and I was like, ??? Does this have anything to do with pointers in real life? Even worse, there are “pointers to pointers,” which is like playing Russian nesting dolls! Every time I see the asterisk (*) and the address-of operator (&), I just want to smash my keyboard. Debugging is like looking for a needle in the dark. The most desperate moment is seeing the error message “Segmentation fault (core dumped).” One time, I spent an entire afternoon trying to figure out why my program crashed, only to find out I had forgotten to initialize a pointer. This debugging process is like playing “spot the difference,” and my eyes are about to go blind! Theory and practice are completely disconnected. Listening to the teacher in class seems understandable, but once I get to the lab, it’s a disaster. Those examples that look simple on the PPT always throw errors when I try to write them myself. Even writing a bubble sort can leave me dizzy, and in the end, I can only secretly “reference” my classmates’ code to submit my homework (don’t follow my example!). How did I survive? Changing my perspective: Later, I realized that instead of getting tangled up in “why learn C language,” it’s better to think about “what can I do with C language.” I tried writing a super simple student grade management system. Although the functionality is basic, the sense of achievement when I saw it actually running was incredible! Finding useful tools: I discovered this website that was like a lifesaver! It visually displays the changes of variables in memory, finally helping me understand what pointers are doing. Also, the debugging feature in VS Code is much better than just staring blankly. Finding support: After joining a programming club, I found out that everyone was suffering from C language just as much! We formed a study group, meeting weekly to debug together and share our frustrations about the pitfalls we encountered. Knowing that I wasn’t the only one struggling made me feel more balanced. Small steps forward: I no longer try to understand all concepts at once, but instead learn a little bit each day. For example, today I only focused on the basic usage of pointers, and tomorrow I will learn about the relationship between pointers and arrays. I reward myself with a cup of milk tea for completing each small goal, making learning less painful. To you who are suffering the same: 1. Your pain is normal: C language is indeed difficult, and almost all beginners go through this stage. Those classmates who seem very capable may just have started suffering earlier than you. 2. Debugging is more important than writing code: Learn to use debugging tools and create your own “common error solutions” notebook; you will find that many errors are repetitive. 3. Practice more: Just reading textbooks will never teach you C language. Start with the simplest “Hello World” and gradually increase the difficulty. 4. Use good resources: The book “C Primer Plus” explains things very clearly, and there are many easy-to-understand tutorials on Bilibili. Looking back now, although the process was painful, C language has indeed brought me a lot. It not only taught me programming but also cultivated my patience and ability to solve problems. So, don’t give up! Keep going, and you will find that the self who was tortured by C language is slowly becoming stronger.