Becoming a SQL Savant in One Week

When I started learning SQL, it seemed so simple. Basic SELECT * statements were easier than 1+1.

I felt as if I were back in elementary school doing multiplication tables in my sleep.

I knew SQL would be the easiest thing to master.

The easiest.

One week was all I needed.

And guess what…

In one week, I understood how queries work. The following words felt like life-long friends:

• SELECT
• FROM
• WHERE
• GROUP BY
• HAVING
• ORDER BY
• LIMIT

Not even CASE statements phased me. They’re basically dollar-store versions of Python if statements.

I had the time of my life becoming a SQL Savant for that one week.
Then reality came out of nowhere and hit me with a roundhouse kick to the face.

I realized mastering a language isn’t possible in one week. I needed years of experience before truly becoming a savant.

This is what I thought about yesterday.

I didn’t study much because I was too busy balling up on the basketball courts. Taking a day off from studying made me realize that learning new skills and languages is a long-term adventure.

While it’s tempting never to take off days, they’re necessary for your help.

Just like you need rest days at the gym, your mind needs mental rest days, too.

So, one data dork to another, don’t expect to become a data master in one week. It’s gonna take time, so don’t be afraid to take rest days. You’ll need them and won’t regret them in the future.

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