Your point about originality in research really connects with my current situation. I have always loved building computer networks as a hobby since high school, fixing old routers and setting up small systems for friends. But this semester my IT certification studies are taking all my time. I barely touch my network projects anymore. Someone recently told me about using a structured CompTIA practice test to prepare more efficiently. If I can study smarter instead of longer, I might finally get my evenings back to work on the projects I truly enjoy.