As I recently discussed with my mom, typing is so taken for granted nowadays. I can type fine now, but I remember how tortuous it was to learn the skill. In third grade, my class had a space-themed typing program where you had to type a certain phrase or sentence correctly and within a certain time period in order to advance to the next level. Imagine the 9-year-old stress as my peers and I anxiously tried to type quickly – quickly enough that the phrase wouldn’t erase and restart – and not make a mistake. If you rushed it, you’d make a mistake and be forced to start over. If you took your time, you wouldn’t complete the phrase in the time limit. You could be literally (and quite easily) stuck on the same level for the full 45 minutes of typing practice, trapped in this vicious cycle. The kid who sat next to me during these typing exercises routinely cried or banged his fists on his desk in frustration. Learning to type is anguish, people. read more