In my intro CS class at State College, the professor banned debuggers for the first semester. He said using them too much keeps you from learning how code really runs. Sometimes just using print statements makes you figure out the code better.

Sure, but how much space do a bag of tiny screws and plastic bits really take up in a landfill? Most of that bulk is the screen and battery. Feels like we're saving crumbs while the whole loaf gets tossed. It's a nice habit, but it probably doesn't move the needle much on the big trash piles.

Honestly, the hype is real until you're living out of a motel for weeks on end. What helped me was setting a strict schedule for calling home, even just ten minutes a day. Pack some stuff from home, like a photo or your own pillow, to make the room feel less empty. I also found that having a hobby you can do alone, like reading or podcasts, saves your sanity. And sometimes you gotta weigh if the money is worth missing birthdays and holidays... it's a tough call that only gets harder the longer you're out there.

Try teaching someone to cut a perfect miter. That’s why I work alone now.

Seriously, do we need all these hacks? It's just cleaning, not rocket science.