While I am far from expert. and only 9/10 of the way to the CS degree two things have helped me a lot. Old guys with beards (I dont know why but all of the really good programmers around me have full beards) and my internships. what i have learned from the classroom and books about programming / languages has been very valuable nothing can replace the expereinces I have had with professors and bosses / guys I work with taking the time to actually talk with me about how to program. Conversations I have had with professors espically have been valuable (small school professors easily accessable, education++). Look to your elders, they know there stuff.
yes yes.... just how did they make the form buttons look so cool in windows xp.... its almost like im living in a cartoon..