But you miss out on learning from others' mistakes and quick tips that save time.

That's honestly such a good shift to make. It's so easy to just toss all that dusty drywall into the regular dumpster with everything else. I used to see it all the time on jobsites, just piled in with general trash. Bagging it up separately feels like a pain at first, but knowing it won't just sit in a landfill makes the extra minute totally worth it. Really cool to hear how a simple chat changed your whole routine.

Totally, I get where you're coming from. Forcing everyone to make the same perfect shape just kills what makes handmade stuff special. My old teacher used to drill symmetry so hard it made my work feel stiff and boring. The basics are good to learn, but they shouldn't be a cage. Letting the piece have its own character is the whole point.