SQL was always pushed down my priority list. I only used simple CRUD or JOINs, and I kept putting off things like subqueries or window functions, thinking I'd look into them "someday." Right now, I only handle simple data cleaning, but I had this underlying anxiety that I wouldn't even know where to start when faced with complex data. Even if I could manage somehow using AI, it felt like I was just getting by in the moment rather than actually making the knowledge mine.
Ultimately, I realized that even if AI writes the code for you, if you don't understand the data structure, you can't catch errors or even ask the right questions.
The problem-solving class was especially helpful. Solving problems consistently under a bit of pressure helped the syntax I only knew in theory finally click into muscle memory. I realized just how many fundamentals I had been missing.
If you feel stuck at the basic level, I highly recommend the combination of the lectures and the problem-solving class!!
