How I Started Thinking in SQL (Not Just Writing Queries)

When I first started learning SQL, everything felt mechanical. Write a query. Run it. Get results. But something was missing. I wasn’t really understanding the data, I was just retrieving it. So I decided to go beyond the basics. Instead of stopping at simple queries, I explored how SQL can actually transform, analyze, and connect data . That shift completely changed how I approach data. In this article, I’ll be walking you through that journey using two simple datasets I worked with: 1. a schoo