🐍 How I Learned Python — And Why I Got Certified

About me and 🐍 Python

I’m a mathematician, computer scientist, and management consultant with a background in C, C++, Java, and Perl. When I started with Python, I leaned heavily on that foundation and learned by doing. Scripts, small tools, automation. And just reading the official documentation.
But eventually I realized: I understood how to make things work — but I didn’t fully understand why they worked the way they did.

How I approached learning 🐍 Python

I started with real-world problems — automating tasks, writing utilities, solving small challenges. Python’s syntax felt friendly, but its internal logic, like scoping rules, memory models, and the behavior of built-in functions, surprised me at times.

Why I wanted to learn 🐍 Python — And Why I Got Certified

That’s when I decided to formalize my knowledge and take the certification path offered by the Python Institute. I went solo — no tutor, no team, just focused study. In hindsight, I would’ve loved to have a strong mentor who had already walked that path. Someone to help connect the dots faster and cut through the confusion.

Challenges I faced

When I began studying for the PCEP and later PCPP1, I had to shift gears:
From “Can I make this work?” to “Do I understand how Python thinks?”

Some topics were tricky — especially things I’d glossed over as a hands-on coder: operator precedence, exception handling, and subtle language-specific behaviors. I hit plenty of roadblocks but kept going.

Key takeaways

Learning by doing is great — until you want to go deeper.

Reading and debugging other people’s code is just as powerful as writing your own.

Certifications (when done right) help uncover the gaps you didn’t know you had.

Most importantly: Python has depth. And understanding that depth made me a calmer, more confident programmer.

Tips and advice

If you're learning Python now:
Start small. Build. But also take time to reflect on why your code works. Use the official certification path as a structure — even if you don’t care about the paper, the roadmap is excellent.

And if you’re stuck or want someone to walk the road with you — find a mentor early. It can save you weeks.

Final thoughts and next steps

I’m now a PCPP1-certified Python developer, and I mentor others going through the same journey I took — solo, but never alone again.