Is Building My Own Simulation Tools Worth the Time?

Two weekends to render a pixel is completely reasonable when you're building everything yourself. You aren't just making a dot—you're learning about windows, buffers, coordinates, rendering loops, and all the layers underneath. The knowledge and experience are the real result, while the visible demo is just the bonus.

A personal project like this can put you far ahead of many people by the time you finish school, especially if you keep learning consistently. You don't have to choose between passion and responsibility, either—set a manageable schedule during the school year and continue at a pace that doesn't burn you out.

If you enjoy it, feel like you're learning, and get a sense of accomplishment from it, then it's a worthwhile use of your time. Whether something else would be 'better' depends on your goals. There isn't enough information to judge your pace, since your experience and tools make a big difference.

The first feature usually takes the longest because you have to build the foundation. Once the basic drawing system works, a line can come quickly, then shapes, waves, and more complex simulations become much easier. Don't compare your progress to short online videos that skip all the difficult setup.