So the first thing I did was buy Python Scripting for ArcGIS Pro by Paul A. Zandbergen off of Amazon. It arrived within a couple of days and I was able to start reading chapter one. After reading chapters 1 and 2 I downloaded ArcGIS Pro with the files provided by Dr. Krygier. The download took around 30 minutes to complete. Once downloaded, I made a new folder and transferred the data to the folder. I then extracted all the data, which took several minutes. Afterwards, I went through the data files and clicked on ones that I thought would open the program. I honestly do not remember what the file was called but eventually I got the software downloaded. It is probably a good idea to add ArcGIS Pro to your taskbar at the bottom of the screen. I did this by right-clicking the application on the desktop and finding the option “Pin to taskbar.”
After I downloaded ArcPro I logged into ESI and looked up training modules for Pro. I was able to find a free one that would take around 3 hours to complete. I downloaded the accompanied data and got started. I did not finish the module, partially due to already being familiar with ArcMap. However, the course was very interesting and I saw how more intuitive Pro is compared to its older counterpart. For instance, you can start a project from several premade templates, which will also automatically make a project folder for various related elements such as geodatabases, layouts, maps, and toolboxes.
Another upgrade is that ArcPro is context-sensitive. When you click on layer of different types, the ribbon above may change showing ways to edit the appearance of that layer or specific tools for that layer type. This makes editing the appearance and labeling layers more convenient. It also makes it easier to familiarize yourself on how the different types of layers can be edited. You can still find tools in the toolbox but now you can put tools into a favorites folder for easier access. This is useful for when you plan on performing the same or similar tasks on a project. Learning a new software is difficult but I believe many of the new features of ArcGIS Pro ultimately make the GIS experience more convenient.