What are your goals? I don't mean to be snarky when I say that learning to ask a structured question (or being more disciplined about asking them) should be hig

What are your goals? I don't mean to be snarky when I say that learning to ask a structured question (or being more disciplined about asking them) should be high on your priority list. Book like the pyramid principle about top down communication would probably be helpful. 1. It's probably fine. Based on your self-description, based on your self-description I imagine you're still struggling with syntax and program structure. Programming in either language will improve your abilities in that regard and let you focus more on the underlying ideas in your classes. That said, if you can stick to 1 or 2 languages for most of your CS classes that is preferable. 2. Data Structures and Algorithms is useful, how useful depends on your goals. If you want to make the big bucks you should aim to be fluent in at least a textbook's worth of material. If you don't feel the need to aim for the top, you can get away with less. I would start with Skienna: https://www.amazon.com/Algorithm-Design-Manual-Steven-Skiena/dp/1849967202 https://www.amazon.com/Algorithm-Design-Manual-Steven-Skiena... If you really want to be a master, you can then go for CLRS: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-3rd-MIT-Press/dp/0262033844/ref=pd_lpo_3?pd_rd_i=0262033844&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-3rd-MIT-Press... 3. This depends on your goals. If you're aiming to be a top engineer now's one of your few chances to really focus in on lower level system stuff: Operating Systems, Networking, Compilers, or Databases. If you want a decent job fast of college, focus on data structures and algorithms and start trying to deploy code on something like digital ocean. That said you probably also want to do: https://missing.csail.mit.edu/ https://missing.csail.mit.edu/ General advice: Dive deep, understanding a few things really well is better than understanding many things shallowly (you will retain more info over time). A mistake many people make when reading textbooks is to guess what words mean. In technical texts this usually leads to misunderstandings and ultimately a slower learning process. Take the time to understand the words even if it takes hours (imminent deadlines notwithstanding), you will go faster. (I once took a month to get through a single page of a textbook because it had so many new words and concepts). Start using version control (preferably git). Try to at least every hour if you have new code. Try to start writing well structured code now. You probably won't do a great job at first but by trying earlier you'll do better. Related to above, start writing tests for your code. Code that is testable is usually better structured. Source: Senior engineer at one of the bigger tech companies and a former educator.