C++ as a first Language

I recently signed up for a C++ course at my University with no prior programming knowledge. I realize, NOW anyways, that I should have taken a prior programming course, as I get lost in the concepts but more so the SYNTAX quite often. Is there some way to help supplement or help learning C++ a bit more bearable to a newbie? Its not that I'm completely lost. I realize what I need to do and an idea on how to do it (homework, quizzes, exams) its just that the path to get there gets blurred for me...