Quote: "They take a bit of a different approach to programming than what is in the tutorials. "
Programming is the same way ants find food. They put down a scent trail from the food to the nest and as more ants go to the food and back to the nest the scent trail to the food gets straighter and straighter. Until it's the most efficient and fastest way to get to the food.
When you start out expect to do things the long way around. It's not really the wrong way if it gives you the same results. But eventually when you do it enough you'll have the skills to do it the quickest way like the lowly ant.