Just realized I used to write code like a novelist instead of a programmer...

Back in my first year of learning Python, I would name every variable super long and descriptive like 'the_total_number_of_customers_that_bought_things'... took me like 10 minutes just to type one line. My buddy saw my code at a coffee shop in Portland last summer and laughed out loud. He showed me how to use short names like 'total_cust' with comments instead. Honestly I thought comments were for people who couldn't remember what their code did. Now I see the light... has anyone else gone through that phase where they overcomplicated stuff because they thought it looked more 'professional'?

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oliviabennett1d ago

Oh man, that's such a classic beginner move though! I've noticed this same thing happens in other areas too, like people using fancy cooking techniques just to make a simple grilled cheese because they think it makes them look like a real chef. It's almost like we all have to go through a phase where we prove to ourselves we can do the complex stuff before realizing simple and clear is usually better.