Sorry bout not getting back to you, been a little busy and have been doing lots of overtime to meet deadlines. As far as reading material goes, it's get a good 'Programming' book like 'Introduction to OO programming using C++' There's probably one using Java now.
I'd recommend Sams books. But look for books that say 'Using' in the title, they tend to be less specific to a language. For instance you'll be learning programming at Uni and not C or C++ or Java. You just happen to be using one of these languages as a tool.
Look for books that cover OO design as well, again OO methodologies can be applied to loads of laguages present and future.
I started learning C++ but then learned Java in a very short space of time and because I learned how to program it's just the syntax I need to get with every new language. Now i can program in C, C++, Java, JSP, Python, PHP, ASP, Coldfusion, Javascript, C# ( .NET).
Programming is a bastard and it'll take about 2-3 years of frustration before you get it, in the meantime if you need any help with stuff you don't understand either ask a lecturer or give me a shout. You'll no doubt be doing pointers , complex function calls, multi threading, objects, classes all of which will get very confusing. Also use the web there are hundreds of forums for every language in the world nobody better to ask than a net buff
P.S. I had to resit all my C++ modules in 2nd year but still managed to learn how to program there's always hope
