Many first time Jammers make the mistake of diving into programming before getting their tools in order. When a Jam begins, you should already be familiar with your compiler, editor, and language.

You should have already installed the tools that you need to program the game and create the art. The game engine that you want to use should have already been downloaded, and you should have already tried making a simple tech demo or "hello world" example.

This preparatory stage is essential, since 48 hours is not very much time. Stories of entire days lost due to broken tools, missing .dlls, and getting over the learning curve are legendary.