I had to learn Java in the first semester of my first year of university and it was compulsory and we have to use Java again this year but using Netbeans.

It is common in a lot of universities to use Java, probably because it is free and I have been told that if you use C, you can use Java, not that I've ever used C

I got a book recommended by the lecturer and after reading the first chapter, I gave up becuase it spoke to you like an idiot. I have got a better book which I got years ago called "Java in Easy Steps" which is less than a tenner. it goes through the basics and also includes Java Swing