The side quest effect

When I started learning how to code, the tutorials would lay out the main path. Do this exercise. Learn this concept. Move to the next lesson.

But I never really understood anything until I started asking what if. What if I changed this variable? What if I tried connecting these two things the tutorial kept separate?

Sometimes I’d create an endless loop and crash everything. Sometimes I’d build something surprisingly cool.

Either way, I learned more in those side quests than following the tutorial step by step.

Eventually I’d need to get back on track, so I’d save whatever I’d made and return to the official exercise.

But that code I stashed away, the stuff that wasn’t part of the lesson plan, that’s what actually taught me how things worked. The main quest gave me structure. The side quests gave understanding.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​