u/Prestigious_Leg894

Hello fellow Maestro-ers! 👋

I just wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing. These have definitely been some interesting times, and I thought it might be nice to take a moment to focus on the people behind the screens.

What have you been doing lately to take care of yourself, stay motivated, or keep your sanity while balancing school?

Whether it’s picking up a new hobby, getting outside, cooking something good, spending time with friends/family, gaming, exercising, or just finding little moments to recharge — I’d love to hear what everyone’s been doing.

Hope everyone is hanging in there. 😊

For me, I recently started Lithium Carbonate about a week ago, so I’ve been focusing more on my mental health, eating healthier, getting reasonable sleep, and reminding myself that progress doesn’t have to mean doing everything at once. Some days I get a couple lessons done, and some days my energy is non existent haha.

I would love to hear how everyone else has been taking care of themselves lately!

I didn’t create this server, but it was made when we first joined Maestro. If you’d like to stay connected with other students, share updates, or keep in touch no matter where the future takes us, I wanted to share the invite here.

I’m thankful for this group and the people in it, and I hope it can continue being a place where students can support each other.

https://discord.gg/hyu2wtURV

With everything going on right now, I just wanted to remind everyone who is currently taking classes to keep pushing forward and finish as much as you are able and willing to.

I know there is a lot of uncertainty, and it’s easy to feel discouraged or wonder if the work we’re putting in will matter. I still want to be hopeful for Maestro and see it succeed, but regardless of what happens, the knowledge we are gaining is something nobody can take away from us.

The skills we’re learning... programming, problem solving, working with AI tools, building projects, and understanding how this technology works are valuable beyond just this program. We can take what we learn here and apply it anywhere.

If you’re on a scholarship, don’t waste the opportunity. If you’re paying for the program, make the most of what you’re investing in. Either way, the time you spend learning is an investment in yourself.

AI is continuing to grow, and we are in a position where we have a chance to learn these skills during a huge moment of change in technology. Keep building projects, keep practicing, keep asking questions, and keep learning for as long as you can.

Whatever happens, don’t underestimate what you’re gaining. The knowledge and experience are yours to carry forward. I'm thankful for those I've met through here as well as Discord.

Keep going, everyone. <3

I'm 34, and as long as I can remember I've been childfree.

I've mostly lurked here over the years, but I wanted to post because I'm genuinely grateful for this subreddit. Reading other people's experiences has helped me feel less alone in my decision and reminded me that it's okay to choose a different path.

One of the most eye-opening experiences I've had was losing a longtime friendship.

I met this guy when he was 16 and I was in my 20s. We worked together and stayed friends for years, so I watched him go from being a teenager figuring out life to joining the military and starting a family.

When they told me they were expecting their second child, they said they knew it wouldn't affect my life but still wanted me involved in the gender reveal. That moment really drove home how different our lives and priorities had become.

The final straw was Super Bowl Sunday. We were staying at a hotel hanging out while he was back visiting. He got drunk and aggressive, his child was asleep in the room, and his pregnant partner had a wine cooler while joking about giving their older kid whiskey.

I remember sitting there thinking, "I was already childfree, but this is exactly the kind of life I want no part of."

I wanted out so badly that I almost drove home drunk, but stayed the night and left the next morning. After that, I quietly removed them from my life and deleted them from my socials.

I didn't burn that bridge because they had kids. I burned it because I didn't like the people they had become. But witnessing the chaos, stress, and poor decisions surrounding a growing family reinforced something I already knew: being childfree is the right choice for me.

So if nothing else, thanks to everyone here for sharing your stories. I don't post often, but this felt like one experience worth sharing.