Thought My Code Was Fine — Until Copilot Showed Me Otherwise

Last week, I was working on a Python project — a web scraper tool that collected AI news from different sites and sent it to my email. It worked perfectly, and I was proud of what I had built.

Then came the next step: refactoring so I could add a GUI.
I thought, “This should be easy. Just some simple adjustments.”

That’s when I decided to use GitHub Copilot in agent mode to speed things up.
And what happened next? Honestly, it humbled me.

Copilot didn’t just tweak my code — it transformed it.

• It introduced decorators for data classes that removed boilerplate I had been writing manually.

• It consolidated files I had scattered all over into something cleaner and more logical.

• It suggested approaches I hadn’t even considered.

At first, I was frustrated. It almost felt like my work wasn’t “good enough.” But after sitting with it, I realized: this was growth in disguise.

Here are some of the lessons I walked away with:

Key Lessons Learned

• Structure in a project is really important – One big file works for tiny scripts, but as soon as things scale, structure is your lifeline.

• Simplicity beats endless lines of code – Cleaner, shorter, more intentional code > trying to do everything in long scripts.

• AI tools can challenge your perspective – Copilot doesn’t just write code, it teaches you different patterns and mindsets.

• It’s okay to feel humbled – Being corrected isn’t failure. It’s proof you’re still learning.

• Refactoring is not a waste, it’s a step forward – Every “redo” plants seeds for better practices next time.

• Learning never ends – Every project, every mistake, every AI suggestion is part of the journey.

At the end of the day, Copilot didn’t “beat me.” It showed me a better way of thinking. Growth often feels uncomfortable — but that’s how you know it’s real.