Thanks for the advice guys. I'm aware of the idea of sunk costs but it sure is hard to use that idea in practice haha. You are also right in that I am confusing

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm aware of the idea of sunk costs but it sure is hard to use that idea in practice haha. You are also right in that I am confusing the role of a masters education and "practical programming". I guess my real frustration is that I'm getting very impatient, every time I read about some guy who hacked together some brilliant thing I want to be able to do the same, but I haven't done anything like that. And then I start to think that what I'm learning now isn't helpful enough, etc. You're right, I need to be less short sighted and focus on the long term. In the end I can always take my time out after I graduate to wrap my head around the "practical programming", and do small things each week to improve those skills. Thanks for all the insight!