If you haven't made a controller angry, are you actually a pilot? 🤔

Good points ! The word is: ASSERTIVENESS

I'm 5 hours in, hearing ATC comms is indeed overwhelming. First few calls I made mistakes (missed repeating my tailnumber, runway, etc)

Ive met some really really smart ppl that you could explain things to them and beg them to ask if they don't understand so you can explain it again? I've learned that having someone explain what they understood is the best way to weed out issues. Some ppl will lie until they are blue in the face so that they don't look stupid but refuse to be honest when they truly need help, which is why having someone explain what you are requesting of them has been so crucial in my life and not costing me or my clients tens of thousands of dollars in irreversible or irreparable damages.

Also a good way of getting experience in this is listen into ATC live and follow the flights with flight radar. Edit: well I should’ve waited to the end

We have mad Mike here in Nashville.