It's been about 4 years since I took a compilers course (from OMSCS, graduate program) and still shutter ... it was, hands down, the most difficult (yet rewarding) classes I've taken.
I used to judge CS programs based on if they had compiler classes or not.
I loved that course so much but it was incredibly difficult to do while also working
What did you find more painful about compilers than other forms of programming?
It made me drink myself Venetian blind.
I would like to agree with this comment, but I certainly didn't find it rewarding. It was pure pain.
Based on another reply I can’t tell if there’s a clever window-based pun that I’m missing. If not, I think you want “shudder” and not “shutter” here. I’m sorry if I just ruined the joke.